① Why do people read negative Internet comments and do other things that will obviously be painful? Because humans have an inherent need to ____1____ uncertainty, according to a recent study in Psychological Science. The new research reveals that the need to know is so strong that people will ____2____ to satisfy their curiosity even when it is clear the answer will ____3____.
② In a series of four experiments, behavioral scientists at the University of Chicago and the Wisconsin School of Business tested students’ willingness to ____4____ themselves to unpleasant stimuli in an effort to satisfy curiosity. For one ____5____, each participant was shown a pile of pens that the researcher claimed were from a previous experiment. The twist? Half of the pens would ____6____ an electric shock when clicked.
③ Twenty-seven students were told which pens were electrified; another twenty-seven were told only that some were electrified. ____7____left alone in the room, the students who did not know which ones would shock them clicked more pens and incurred more shocks than the students who knew what would ____8____. Subsequent experiments reproduced this effect with other stimuli, ____9____ the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard and photographs of disgusting insects.
④ The drive to ____10____ is deeply rooted in humans, much the same as the basic drives for ____11____ or shelter, says Christopher Hsee of the University of Chicago. Curiosity is often considered a good instinct – it can ____12____ new scientific advances, for instance – but sometimes such ____13____ can backfire. The insight that curiosity can drive you to do ____14____ things is a profound one.
⑤ Unhealthy curiosity is possible to ____15____, however. In a final experiment, participants who were encouraged to ____16____ how they would feel after viewing an unpleasant picture were less likely to ____17____ to see such an image. These results suggest that imagining the ____18____ of following through on one’s curiosity ahead of time can help determine ____19____ it is worth the endeavor. “Thinking about long-term
⑥ ____20____ is key to reducing the possible negative effects of curiosity,” Hsee says. In other words, don’t read online comments.
1.1.
A protect
B resolve
C discuss
D ignore
解析：选B。1.B 考查动词辨析。根据上下文，人们有"解决"不确定性的内在需求，resolve uncertainty是固定搭配。
2.2.
A refuse
B wait
C regret
D seek
解析：选D。2.D 考查动词辨析。为了满足好奇心，人们会主动"寻求"答案，即使知道会受伤。
3.3.
A hurt
B last
C mislead
D rise
解析：选A。3.A 考查动词辨析。前文提到"painful"，此处hurt与之呼应，表示答案会"伤害"人。
4.4.
A alert
B tie
C treat
D expose
解析：选D。4.D 考查动词辨析。expose oneself to意为"使自己暴露于"，符合实验中接触不愉快刺激的语境。
5.5.
A message
B review
C trial
D concept
解析：选C。5.C 考查名词辨析。实验中的一次"试验"用trial表示。
6.6.
A remove
B weaken
C interrupt
D deliver
解析：选D。6.D 考查动词辨析。钢笔会"产生"电击，deliver a shock是固定表达。
7.7.
A When
B If
C Though
D Unless
解析：选A。7.A 考查状语从句（时间关系）。when left alone表示"当被单独留下时"。
8.8.
A continue
B happen
C disappear
D change
解析：选B。8.B 考查动词辨析。知道将会"发生"什么，happen指代电击的发生。
9.9.
A rather than
B regardless of
C such as
D owing to
解析：选C。9.C 考查介词短语。后面列举的是其他刺激的"例子"，such as表示举例。
10.10.
A discover
B forgive
C forget
D disagree
解析：选A。10.A 考查动词辨析。探索发现的驱动力，discover与curiosity直接相关。
11.11.
A pay
B marriage
C schooling
D food
解析：选D。11.D 考查名词辨析。食物和住所都是人类的基本需求，与探索驱动力并列。
12.12.
A lead to
B rest on
C learn from
D begin with
解析：选A。12.A 考查动词短语。好奇心能"导致"科学进步，lead to表示因果关系。
13.13.
A withdrawal
B persistence
C inquiry
D diligence
解析：选C。13.C 考查名词辨析。此处指"探究"行为可能适得其反，inquiry与curiosity同义。
14.14.
A self-reliant
B self-destructive
C self-evident
D self-deceptive
解析：选B。14.B 考查形容词辨析。根据实验，好奇心驱使人们做"自我毁灭"的事情。
15.15.
A define
B resist
C replace
D trace
解析：选B。15.B 考查动词辨析。但是可以"抵制"不健康的好奇心，resist符合语境。
16.16.
A overlook
B predict
C design
D conceal
解析：选B。16.B 考查动词辨析。参与者被鼓励"预测"观看图片后的感受。
17.17.
A remember
B promise
C choose
D pretend
解析：选C。17.C 考查动词辨析。选择是否看这样的图片，choose体现决定的过程。
18.18.
A relief
B plan
C duty
D outcome
解析：选D。18.D 考查名词辨析。想象好奇心的"结果"，outcome指代后续影响。
19.19.
A why
B whether
C where
D how
解析：选B。19.B 考查宾语从句。whether引导宾语从句，表示"是否"值得努力。
20.20.
A consequences
B investments
C strategies
D limitations
解析：选A。20.A 考查名词辨析。考虑长期"后果"是关键，consequences与outcome呼应。
