123. Reading Skills Comprehension: Creative Spark

Creative Spark

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them:                             

Although everybody has a creative spark, the potential is not always fully utilized. How does one recognize those who are developing their creative energies to the fullest extent? Mad painters and tormented poets are only comic stereotypes of the creative personality. The essential traits of creativity are found among a wide variety of less conspicuous creators, people in all walks of life. Unfortunately, the structure of our social and educational environment does not always promote its growth.

Generally speaking, creative people often believe their purpose in life is to discover and implement the interrelatedness of things, to make order out of disorder. They also see problems where others see none and question the validity of even the most widely accepted answers. Creative persons are compulsive problem seekers, not so much because they thrive on problems, but because their senses are attuned to a world that demands to be put together, like a jigsaw puzzle scattered on a table.

Several tests now in use reveal that highly creative people are much more open and receptive to the complexities of experience than less creative people. The creative temperament has a tendency to break problems down into their most basic elements and then reconstruct them into whole new problems, thereby discovering new relationships and new solutions.

Highly creative people aren’t afraid to ask what may seem to the naive or silly questions. They ask questions like, “Why don’t spiders get tangled up in their own webs?” and, “Why do dogs’ turn in circles before lying down ?”. Such questions may seem childlike, and in a way they are.

Unlike children, creative people appear to have vast stores of patience to draw upon. Months, years, even decades can be devoted to a single problem. The home that encourages inquisitiveness contributes to creative development. The teacher who stresses questions rather than answers and rewards curiosity rather than restricting it, is teaching a child to be creative.

To be extremely intelligent is not the same as to be gifted in creative work. The Quiz Kids are often referred to as geniuses. They would undoubtedly score high in memory functions. But it is doubtful whether they are also fluent in producing ideas. Contrary to popular myths that glorify youth, more creative achievements are likely to occur when people grow older. While memory may falter with age, creativity is ageless.

Questions

I. Answer briefly:

1. Does a person utilise his or her creativity fully?

2. How are creative persons problem seekers?

3. What is the attitude of the creative persons towards the complexities of life?

4. Is being intelligent the same as being creative?

II. Choose the most appropriate meanings of the given words/phrases from the options provided:

1. Noticeable (para 1)

(a) conspicuous           (b) creative                 (c) comic                     (d)tormented

2. used to (para 2)

(a) believe                    (b) attuned                 (c) accepted                (d)compulsive

3.promotes (para 1)

(a) encourages            (b) discourages           (c) helps                      (d) increases

4. generation

(a) give                        (b) produce                 (c) a period in development (d) earn

Answers

I.1. No, a person may have a creative spark but the potential is not always utilised fully by him or her.

2. Creative persons are compulsive problem seekers as they see problems where others see none.

3. Creative persons are more open and receptive towards the complexities of life. They break them down to their basic elements.

4. Being intelligent is not the same as being creative. The Quiz kids are not often producers of ideas.

II. 1. (a) conspicuous

2. (b) attuned

3. (a) encourages

4. (c) a period in the development

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