Cambridge 9 | Test 2 | Passage 3

A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently

The best way to see things differently to other people is to bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the chains of past experience and forces the brain to make new judgments. Successful iconoclasts have an extraordinary willingness to be exposed to what is fresh and different. Observation of iconoclasts shows that they embrace novelty while most people avoid things that are different.

bombard (verb) [transitive]

 /bɑːmˈbɑːrd/

to do something too often or too much, for example criticizing or questioning someone, or giving too much information

novelty (noun) [uncountable]

/ˈnɑːvlti/

the quality of being new, different and interesting

iconoclast (noun) [countable]

/aɪˈkɑː.nə.klæst/