The Nature of Genius

The nineteenth century saw considerable interest in the nature of genius, and produced not a few studies of famous prodigies. However, the difficulty with the evidence produced by these studies, fascinating as they are in collecting together apparent similarities and exceptions, is that they fail to take into account information from other historical sources about how common or exceptional these were at the time. For instance, infant mortality was high and life expectancy much shorter than today, and for the most part, the cases studied were members of the privileged classes.

But nowadays, studies are carried out on a more objective basis. What we appreciate or marvel at in the works and achievements of genius, according to modern psychology, are skills or abilities which are similar to, but so much superior to, our own. But that their minds are not different from our own is demonstrated by the fact that the hard-won discoveries of scientists like Kepler or Einstein become the commonplace knowledge of schoolchildren and the once outrageous shapes and colors of an artist like Paul Klee so soon appear on the fabrics we wear. This does not minimize the supremacy of their achievements, which cap our own as the sub-four-minute milers cap our jogging.

To think of geniuses as having uniquely different brains is only reasonable if we accept that each human brain is uniquely different. The purpose of education is to make us even more different from one another, and in the process of being educated we can learn from the achievements of those more gifted than ourselves. We may envy their achievements and fame, but we should also recognize the price they may have paid in terms of perseverance, single-mindedness, dedication, and how often they had to display great courage to make their way to the top.

参考范文：

19th-century genius studies were not objective because the samples were limited to the privileged class and historical background was ignored. Modern research indicates that the abilities of genius are essentially the same as those of ordinary people. Genius does not result from a uniquely different brain, but from the efforts, perseverance and courage brought about by the differentiation in education.

本文是一篇说明文。文章先指出19世纪对天才本质的研究存在缺陷，如今的研究更客观。接着表明根据现代心理学，天才的头脑与我们相似但能力更出众，还提到教育让我们彼此不同，我们能从天才的成就中学到东西，也应看到他们成功背后的付出。

(详解)

1. 要点摘录

①The nineteenth century saw considerable interest in the nature of genius, and produced not a few studies of famous prodigies.

②For instance, infant mortality was high and life expectancy much shorter than today, and for the most part, the cases studied were members of the privileged classes.

③But nowadays, studies are carried out on a more objective basis.

④The purpose of education is to make us even more different from one another, and in the process of being educated we can learn from the achievements of those more gifted than ourselves.

2. 缜密构思

将第1、2两个要点进行整合，将第3、4两个要点进行重组。

3. 遣词造句

19^th-century genius studies were not objective because of the limited samples and ignored historical background.

Modern research suggests that the abilities of genius are essentially the same as those of ordinary people.

Genius does not result from a uniquely different brain, but from the efforts, perseverance and courage which are brought about by the differentiation in education.

(点睛)

(高分句型1) “19th-century genius studies were not objective because the samples were limited to the privileged class and historical background was ignored.” (运用because连接的原因状语从句对第一段进行总结，表达精炼。)

(高分句型2) “Modern research indicates that the abilities of genius are essentially the same as those of ordinary people.” (用that连接的宾语从句对第二段进行了概括，表达非常高级。)

(高分句型3) “Genius does not result from a uniquely different brain, but from the efforts, perseverance and courage brought about by the differentiation in education.” (运用了not ... but ... 句型和brought about ... 作后置定语，用法比较高级。)