Children are natural-born scientists. They have【C1】___minds, and they aren’t afraid to admit they don’t know something. Most of them,【C2】, lose this as they get older. They become self-conscious and don’t want to appear stupid. Instead of finding things out for themselves they make【C3】___that often turn out to be wrong.

So it’s not a case of getting kids interested in science. You just have to avoid killing the【C4】___for learning that they were bom with. It’s no coincidence that kids start deserting science once it becomes formalised. Children naturally have a blurred approach to【C5】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 hnave specialist teachers who【C6】___what they know. Thus once they enter school, children begin to define subjects and erect boundaries that needn’t otherwise exist.

Dividing subjects into science, maths English. etc. is something we do for【C7】___. In the end it’s all learning, but many children today【C8】___themselves from a scientific education. They think science is for scientists, not for them.

Of course we need to specialise【C9】___. 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【C10】___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 corner within science.

A)accidentally I)formulas

B)acquiring J)ignite

C)assumptions K)impart

D)convenience L)inquiring

E)eventually M)passion

F)exclude N)provoking

G)exertion O)unfortunately

H)exploration

【C2】