了解今日课堂：

我们无时无刻不在面临做出各种抉择，有些决定影响深远必须正确不容任何闪失，此时万万不能“上头”，而是应该十分理性。善于运用批判性思维的人能大大提高选择正确率，更有效权衡利弊，抱着怀疑态度仔细审视每个选项，高效率排除，只留下最有用、最可靠的信息。五步提升批判性思维，打开新思路，人生步步稳。

Dialogue:

dialogue 1

Jingjing: Mark, you teach writing, ______?

Mark: I______ currently. But I've ______for one of the professorswhere I work.

Jingjing: ______,as far as I'm concerned—because I'm wondering how you______.

Mark: Icould ______.

Jingjing: I'd rather ______. What do you tell your students about it?

Mark: Well,I have most of the students ______ in one course I teach. Mondaythis week, I talked with them about______.

Jingjing: Was______ critical thinking?

Mark: Italked about writing ______, and including effective details in______. So, in a way, both of them had to do with critical thinking,I suppose.

Jingjing: Critical thinking is a pretty ______. But it'sworth talking about, especially with students.

Mark: I'mafraid they hear about it too much. One of my favorite writers taught atWellesley, and had a student who praised him by ______. Talking about critical thinking is like that—it only ______.

Jingjing: Ihave to______. I think a few pieces of sound advice canhelp someone to find several new opportunities to ______ in their dailylife. By the time they have to______, they might already become______—if they've taken a few pieces of advice.

Mark: I'd______ that it depends more on the person______. But, itsounds like you'd like to share some advice about critical thinking.

Jingjing: Iwould. I came across an article______. It had______critical thinking.

Mark: Thatdoesn't sound like too much of ______. I'd be glad to hearpieces of advice.

Jingjing: Here goes: First, ______. Second, gather information. Third, apply the information. Fourth, ______. AndFifth, explore other points of view.

Mark: Thosesound ______. Was the writer thinking people______?

Jingjing: When I read the article, it sounded more like people ______, ornot seeing important choices as times when ______.

Mark: Thosewould be ______. Anyway, it doesn't______.

Jingjing: How about I send you the article. When you come back with coffee,______.

Mark: I'll______. See you in a few minutes.

dialogue 2

Jingjing: Mark, ______ the article? Are you ready to talk with meabout it?

Mark: ______ was super long. So, I read the article twice. Icould say______.

Jingjing: That's______. Did you like it?

Mark: Youwere right about ______. Two sentences from an early paragraph______:Rather than choosing an answer because it feels right, a person who usescritical thinking subjects all available options to ______.Using the tools at their disposal, they'll ______ the mostuseful and reliable information.

Jingjing: ______, right? What did you think about the fivesteps?

Mark: Thefirst step sounds pretty obvious, but could ______ by anyonemaking a major decision. If someone's buying something expensive, ortaking a new job, they should ______ for them.

Jingjing: Iagree. Product brands and company names ______.

Mark: So, ifsomeone ______, they're ______for alternatives thatmight not have presented themselves at the outset, as well as______ about thething they are choosing.

Jingjing: Whatdid you think about ______, gather information?

Mark: Again,it sounded obvious from the list. But, when______ askingyourself what you really want, it______, and reminded me of aninterview with Brian Lam, founder of Wirecutter, which I heard on the radiorecently.

Jingjing: That company ______, doesn't it?

Mark: You'reright. People buy carelessly, or ______. Ina world of brand monopolies, ads, and ______, Brian Lam took acritical approach, much like what was described in the article we'rediscussing.

Jingjing: I'll have to ______ Wirecutter. I'll ______ a new tabletsoon.

Mark: Aboutthe third step, in the article, I liked ______ the writer provided.

Jingjing: ______did you like best?

Mark: Ismy______ of the information______?

Jingjing: That's a very critical question, and ______ almost any decision.

Mark: Thanksfor ______, Jingjing.

Jingjing: Mypleasure. What do you think ______ next time you're______a hard choice?

Mark: Hmm, Imight just ______ these five steps with______, and then filleach space with a sentence ______ the hard choice I'm facing.

Jingjing: That sounds ______. I might try that too.

Mark: ______, Jingjing. See you again soon!

new words andphrases

same difference

talk about<something> until <someone is> blue in the face

a nebulous topic

take issue with<something>

an earful

<something>jumps out at <someone>

scrutiny

skepticism

caveat

rack<someone's> brain

logically sound