Lesson 2 The Power of Good Habits
Wake Up Your Lazy Brain!
Hello, everyone! Welcome to ____ Report. I’m your host, Alvin Stuart.
We ____ know how important it is for us to exercise our bodies.
But what ____ our brains?
Did ____ know that it’s important to work out your mind, too?
Dr. Caitlin Yoon, a professor of neuroscience at Central ____, is here with us today to talk about how we can become better thinkers.
Thank ____ for joining us, Dr. Yoon!
Doctor, what is the secret to becoming a better ____?
Well, I ____ to begin by asking the audience a question.
Suppose ____ go into a store to purchase a notebook and a pen.
The total price is $1.10, and the notebook costs $1 more ____ the pen.
What is the ____ of the pen?
Raise your hand if “$0.10” was the ____ thing that came to mind.
Host: That’s what popped into my head.
The correct answer is “$0.05.” Now, think again. Do you see the error in your ____?
If the price of the pen was $0.10, then the notebook ____ cost $1.10.
That would ____ the total price $1.20.
It ____ like an easy question now.
If ____ pause, take your time, and carefully think about it, you will realize your mistake.
This ____ question reveals the fundamental way that our brains work.
They actually have two ____ systems that they can utilize: System 1 and System 2.
System 1 is based on instinct, and it works without our ____ control.
Our brains naturally apply this system in countless everyday situations, ____ as when we hear simple sentences, see large words on advertisements, or encounter easy questions like “2+2=?”.
This system works very ____, because it needs to continuously process enormous amounts of information coming in through our senses.
If you initially came up with the answer “$0.10” to the question I asked ____, that was the automatic response of System 1.
Host: That is fascinating!
So if System 1 produces these ____, automatic responses to situations we regularly encounter in daily life, what is the role of System 2?
System 2 is responsible for our ____ and deeper decision-making processes.
Our brains use this system when we compare the prices and features of products, check the validity of an argument, or encounter ____ questions like “238×79×451=?”.
It controls conscious mental activities when we ____ to focus or make careful choices.
However, while System 2 is ____ reliable, its application requires time and effort.
If you got the right answer to the notebook and pen question after taking a few seconds to reflect, then your ____ used System 2 to check System 1’s initial response.
However, our brains tend to rely heavily on taking mental shortcuts with ____ 1.
That is why it’s common for people to answer the ____ incorrectly at first.
So, Doctor, ____ do we rely on these mental shortcuts when System 1 is not as dependable as System 2?
Well, we make ____ 35,000 decisions every day without realizing it, and it is impossible to make every one of these consciously.
So it’s ____ reasonable and effective for the brain to be a bit lazy sometimes.
Having a lazy brain allows us to ____ energy for critical tasks that require our focus and attention.
____, it is dangerous when this becomes a habit.
If your brain becomes too reliant on System 1, it will ____ be able to apply System 2 when you confront a problem that requires intense concentration.
System 2 is essential for exercising human intelligence, so the less you use it, the more likely you are to become a lazy ____.
Those who have an overly lazy brain frequently ____ errors and bad decisions.
They can also develop a ____ of accepting things to be true even though they have never been proven.
Therefore, it can be ____ to develop lazy brain habits.
Host: So how can we resist these lazy brain habits?
We ____ make a deliberate effort to practice thinking deeply with System 2 more often.
Here are some tips: ____, reconsider your initial thoughts instead of accepting them right away.
Keep generating more ____ and carefully compare the available options before making a decision.
Ask yourself if the information you ____ gathered supports your original conclusion. If not, then think again.
Next, make use of your ____ curiosity.
____ can motivate us to investigate unfamiliar topics and ideas.
It encourages us to ____ deeper into a subject and explore it from multiple angles.
Therefore, it can serve as a ____ for building deeper thinking habits.
Finally, learn something new in ____ to stimulate your brain and become more intelligent.
Learning a language or a musical instrument might not be ____, but these new activities will create new paths that allow information to flow through your brain more efficiently.
That sounds like excellent advice, Doctor. Do you have any final words for our ____?
Yes. We are creatures of habit, so it is vitally important that we develop well-balanced ____ habits.
We should ____ alert so that we do not fall into the trap of making careless decisions.
We should invest time into learning how to think deeply in order to use both System 1 and ____ 2 harmoniously.
That way, instead of developing a habit of relying too much on a lazy brain, you ____ exercise your intelligence and reinforce your mental capabilities.
Okay, Dr. Yoon. Thanks for the great advice! Please ____ her a big hand!