Children are natural-born scientists. They have (36)_____ minds, and they aren’t afraid to admit they don’t know something. Most of them, (37)_____, lose this as they got older. They become self-conscious and don’t want to appear stupid. Instead of finding things out for themselves they make (38)_____ that often turn to be wrong.

    So it’s not a case of getting kids interested in science. You just have to avoid killing the (39)_____ for learning that they were born with. It’s no coincidence that kids start deserting science once it becomes formalised. Children naturally have a blurred approach to (40)_____ knowledge. They see learning about science or biology or cooking as all part of the same act—it’s all learning. It’s only because of the practicalities of education that you have to start breaking down the curriculum into specialist subjects. You need to have specialist teachers who (41)_____ what they know. Thus once they enter school, children begin to define subjects and erect boundaries that needn’t other-wise exist.

    Dividing subjects into science, maths, English, etc. is something we do for (42)_____. In the end it’s all learning, but many children today (43)_____ themselves from a scientific education. They think science is for scientists, not for them.

    Of course we need to specialise (44)_____. Each of us has only so much time on Earth, so we can’t study everything. At 5 years old, our field of knowledge and (45)_____ is broad, covering anything from learning to walk to learning to count. Gradually it narrows down so that by the time we are 45, it might be one tiny little comer within science.

36. inquiring。形容词辨析题。空格位于名词minds之前，谓语动词have之后，故空格处应填一个形容词或形容词性的分词作定语。根据第一句及本句后半部分可知，儿童是天生的科学家，且不害怕承认对某些事情的无知。由此可见，他们有求知心和好奇心，故inquiring “好奇的”符合句意，inquiring minds意为 “好奇心”。

37. unfortunately。副词辨析题。空格所在句句子成分完整，故空格处应填一个副词作状语。文章前两句讲述孩子有好奇心，是天生的科学家；而空格所在句则指出他们中的大部分人长大后都会丧失这一优点，这在语义上显示出了一种惋惜之情。备选副词中，只有unfortunately “不幸地”符合句意，故为答案。

38. assumptions。名词辨析题。空格前为谓语动词make，空格后为that引导的定语从句，故空格处应填一个名词作定语从句的先行词。由句首的Instead of可知，所填词意思应该与finding things out for themselves形成反差。备选名词中，只有assumptions “假设”符合题意，故为答案。

39. M名词辨析题。空格前为killing the，故空格处应填一个名词作killing的宾语。第二段首句提到，问题不在于使儿童对科学产生兴趣；空格句则提到，你只需避免扼杀儿童与生俱来的学习­____。由此推断，空格处应填一个与 “兴趣”意思相当的词。备选名词中，passion “激情”符合题意，放为答案。

40. passion。动词辨析题。空格所在句句意是：儿童天生就有一种模糊的____知识的方法。备选项中，符合句意且能与knowledge搭配的只有acquiring “获得”，故为答案。

41. impart。动词辨析题。分析句子结构可知，who引导的定语从句的先行词为specialist teachers，且该从句缺少谓语动词，故空格处应填动词。由先行词specialist teachers和该从句的宾语what they know的关系可知，备选动词中，impart “传授”符合题意，故为答案。

42. convenience。名词辨析题。空格位于介词for之后，故空格处应填一个名词或者动名词。第二段倒数第三句提到，因为考虑到教育的实际情况，才不得不把课程划分成不同的专门科目，由此推出划分成不同的专门科目是为了给教育带来便利。备选项中符合语境的只有convenience “方便”，故为答案。

43. exclude。动词辨析题。分析句子结构可知，空格处应填一个动词作句子的谓语，且该动词能和from搭配。由第三段末句可知，他们认为科学是为科学家而不是为他们准备的；再结合备选动词可知，exclude “把……排除在外”符合题意，故为答案。

44. eventually。 副词辨析题。空格位于动词specialise之后，且位于句末，又因为specialise是不及物动词，所以空格处应填一个副词。结合末段第二句中的 “我们每个人的生命都是有限的，所以我们不可能什么都学”可知，专业化是最终的必然。备选副词中，符合语境的只有eventually “最终”，故为答案。

45. exploration。名词辨析题。空格前为并列连词and，因此空格处应填一个名词与and前面的knowledge并列。备选名词中，符合语境的只有exploration “探究”，故为答案。