READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
The growth mindset
Vocabulary
Concept (n) /ˈkɒnsept/ an idea for something new: khái niệm
The concept of intelligence as something
Supplant (v) /səˈplɑːnt/ to take the place of somebody/something: thay thế
innate has been supplanted by the idea that intelligence is not fixed,
cognitive (adj) /ˈkɑːɡnətɪv/ connected with mental processes of understanding: nhận thức
we can be the authors of our own cognitive capabilities.
Intelligence (n) /ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns/ the ability to learn, understand and think in a logical way about things; the
ability to do this well: trí thông minh
Psychologist Alfred Binet, the developer of the first intelligence tests
Quantify (v) /ˈkwɑːntɪfaɪ/ to describe or express something as an amount or a number: định lượng
who held that earlier view and sought to quantify cognitive ability.
Progressive (adj) /prəˈɡresɪv/ in favour of new ideas, modern methods and change: tiến bộ
Then, in the early 20th century, progressive thinkers
Inherent (adj) /ɪnˈherənt/ that is a basic or permanent part of somebody/something and that cannot be
removed: khả năng vốn có
revolted against the notion that inherent ability is destiny.
Hallway (n) /ˈhɔːlweɪ/ a passage in a building with rooms down either side: hành lang
In many schools today you will see hallways covered
Motivational (adj) /ˌməʊtɪˈveɪʃənl/ making somebody want to do something, especially something that
involves hard work and effort: động lực
in motivational posters and hear speeches on the mindset of great sporting heroes
coax (v) /kəʊks/ to persuade somebody to do something by talking to them in a kind and gentle way: động
viên, khích lệ
A major focus of the growth mindset in schools is coaxing students away from seeing failure
Educationalist (n) /ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃənəlɪst/ a specialist in theories and methods of teaching: nhà giáo dục học
As educationalist Jeff Howard noted several decades ago
Praise (v) /preɪz/ words that show that you approve of and admire somebody/something: khen ngợi
high score on a test but the first group were praised for their intelligence in achieving this
instill (v) /ɪnˈstɪl/ to gradually put an idea or attitude into somebody's mind; to make somebody feel, think
or behave in a particular way over a period of time: thấm nhuần
The second group – those who had been instilled with a ‘growth mindset’
Infer (v) /ɪnˈfɜːr/ to reach an opinion or decide that something is true on the basis of information that is
available: suy luận
This group had inferred that success or failure is due to innate ability
Impediment (n) /ɪmˈpedɪmənt/ delays or stops the progress of something: trở ngại
One of the greatest impediments to successfully implementing a growth mindset
Characteristic (n) /ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk/ a typical feature or quality that something/somebody has: đặc điểm
a key characteristic of the fixed mindset.
Dissonance (n) /ˈdɪsənəns/ lack of agreement: sự bất hòa
Nor is it unusual for schools to create a certain cognitive dissonance
Applaud (v) /əˈplɔːd/ to show your approval of somebody/something by: hoang nghênh
when they applaud the benefits of a growth mindset
original (adj) /əˈrɪdʒənl/ existing at the beginning of a particular period, process or activity: nguồn gốc
the original growth mindset research
harsh (adj) /hɑːʃ/ very difficult and unpleasant to live in: khó khăn
has also received harsh criticism.
Replicate (v) /ˈreplɪkeɪt/ to copy something exactly: sao chép, bắt chước
Professor of Psychology Timothy Bates, who has been trying to replicate Dweck’s work
Intervention (n) /ˌɪntəˈvenʃn/ action taken to improve or help a situation: sự can thiệp
Kids with the growth mindset aren’t getting better grades, either before or after our intervention study.’
Deserve (v) /dɪˈzɜːv/ to do something or show qualities that mean a particular reaction, reward or punishment
is appropriate: xứng đáng
she deserves great credit for responding to it and adapting her work accordingly.
Misapply (v) /ˌmɪsəˈplaɪ/ to use something for the wrong purpose or in the wrong way: áp dụng sai
In fact, she argues that her work has been misunderstood and misapplied in a range of ways.
Misappropriate (v) /ˌmɪsəˈprəʊprieɪt/ to take somebody else’s money or property for yourself, especially
when they have trusted you to take care of it: không phù hợp
Conflate (v) /kənˈfleɪt/ to put two or more things or ideas together to make one new thing or idea, especially
in a way that is not accurate or could be harmful because the two things or ideas are not really the same: kết
hợp
intervention (n) /ˌɪntəˈvenʃn/ action taken to improve or help a situation: sự can thiệp
Subtle (adj) /ˈsʌtl/ behaving or organized in a clever way, and using indirect methods, in order to achieve
something: sự tinh tế
Adolescent (n) /ˌædəˈlesnt/ a young person who is developing from a child into an adult: thanh thiếu niên
They say that if adolescents perceive a teacher’s intervention
Intended (adj) /ɪnˈtendɪd/ that you are trying to achieve or reach: dự định, ý định
Innate (adj) /ɪˈneɪt/ that you have when you are born: bẩm sinh
A lot of what drives students is their innate beliefs and how they perceive themselves.
Correlation (n) /ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃn/ a connection between two things in which one thing changes as the other does:
tương quan
Genuine (adj) /ˈdʒenjuɪn/ sincere and honest; that can be trusted: thực sự
To stand up in a classroom and successfully deliver a good speech is a genuine achievement
Elixir (n) /ɪˈlɪksər/ a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses or to make people live forever: liều thuốc
tiên
Viable (adj) /ˈvaɪəbl/ that can be done; that will be successful: khả thi
The growth mindset appears to be a viable construct in the lab
Administer (v) /ədˈmɪnɪstər/ to manage and organize the affairs of a company, an organization, a country,
etc.: thực hiện, quản lý
Aspiration (n) /ˌæspəˈreɪʃn/ a strong desire to have or do something: khát vọng
Delude (v) /dɪˈluːd/ to make somebody believe something that is not true: bị lừa đối
might well give students a deluded notion of what success actually means.
Philosophy (n) /fəˈlɑːsəfi/ a set of beliefs or an attitude to life that guides somebody’s behaviour: triết học
Perhaps growth mindset works best as a philosophy and not an intervention.

Over the past century, a powerful idea has taken root in the educational landscape. The concept of
intelligence as something innate has been supplanted by the idea that intelligence is not fixed, and that, with
the right training, we can be the authors of our own cognitive capabilities. Psychologist Alfred Binet, the
developer of the first intelligence tests, was one of many 19th-century scientists who held that earlier view
and sought to quantify cognitive ability. Then, in the early 20th century, progressive thinkers revolted against
the notion that inherent ability is destiny. Instead, educators such as John Dewey argued that every child’s
intelligence could be developed, given the right environment.
‘Growth mindset theory’ is a relatively new – and extremely popular – version of this idea. In many schools
today you will see hallways covered in motivational posters and hear speeches on the mindset of great
sporting heroes who simply believed their way to the top. A major focus of the growth mindset in schools is
coaxing students away from seeing failure as an indication of their ability, and towards seeing it as a chance
to improve that ability. As educationalist Jeff Howard noted several decades ago: ‘Smart is not something
that you just are, smart is something that you can get.’
The idea of the growth mindset is based on the work of psychologist Carol Dweck in California in the 1990s.
In one key experiment, Dweck divided a group of 10- to 12-year-olds into two groups. All were told that
they had achieved a high score on a test but the first group were praised for their intelligence in achieving
this, while the others were praised for their effort. The second group – those who had been instilled with a
‘growth mindset’ – were subsequently far more likely to put effort into future tasks. Meanwhile, the former
took on only those tasks that would not risk their sense of worth. This group had inferred that success or
failure is due to innate ability, and this ‘fixed mindset’ had led them to fear of failure and lack of effort.
Praising ability actually made the students perform worse, while praising effort emphasised that change was
possible.
One of the greatest impediments to successfully implementing a growth mindset, however, is the education
system itself: in many parts of the world, the school climate is obsessed with performance in the form of
constant testing, analysing and ranking of students – a key characteristic of the fixed mindset. Nor is it
unusual for schools to create a certain cognitive dissonance, when they applaud the benefits of a growth
mindset but then hand out fixed target grades in lessons based on performance.
Aside from the implementation problem, the original growth mindset research has also received harsh
criticism. The statistician Andrew Gelman claims that ‘their research designs have enough degrees of
freedom that they could take their data to support just about any theory at all’. Professor of Psychology
Timothy Bates, who has been trying to replicate Dweck’s work, is finding that the results are repeatedly
null. He notes that: ‘People with a growth mindset don’t cope any better with failure … Kids with the growth
mindset aren’t getting better grades, either before or after our intervention study.’
Much of this criticism is not lost on Dweck, and she deserves great credit for responding to it and adapting
her work accordingly. In fact, she argues that her work has been misunderstood and misapplied in a range
of ways. She has also expressed concerns that her theories are being misappropriated in schools by being
conflated with the self-esteem movement: ‘For me the growth mindset is a tool for learning and
improvement. It’s not just a vehicle for making children feel good.’
But there is another factor at work here. The failure to translate the growth mindset into the classroom might
reflect a misunderstanding of the nature of teaching and learning itself. Growth mindset supporters David
Yeager and Gregory Walton claim that interventions should be delivered in a subtle way to maximise their
effectiveness. They say that if adolescents perceive a teacher’s intervention as conveying that they are in
need of help, this could undo its intended effects.
A lot of what drives students is their innate beliefs and how they perceive themselves. There is a strong
correlation between self-perception and achievement, but there is evidence to suggest that the actual effect
of achievement on self-perception is stronger than the other way round. To stand up in a classroom and
successfully deliver a good speech is a genuine achievement, and that is likely to be more powerfully
motivating than vague notions of ‘motivation’ itself.
Recent evidence would suggest that growth mindset interventions are not the elixir of student learning that
its proponents claim it to be. The growth mindset appears to be a viable construct in the lab, which, when
administered in the classroom via targeted interventions, doesn’t seem to work. It is hard to dispute that
having faith in the capacity to change is a good attribute for students. Paradoxically, however, that aspiration
is not well served by direct interventions that try to instil it.
Motivational posters and talks are often a waste of time, and might well give students a deluded notion of
what success actually means. Teaching concrete skills such as how to write an effective introduction to an
essay then praising students’ effort in getting there is probably a far better way of improving confidence than
telling them how unique they are, or indeed how capable they are of changing their own brains. Perhaps
growth mindset works best as a philosophy and not an intervention.
Questions 14-16
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 14-16 on your answer sheet
14 What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A where the notion of innate intelligence first began
B when ideas about the nature of intelligence began to shift
C how scientists have responded to changing views of intelligence
D why thinkers turned away from the idea of intelligence being fixed
15 The second paragraph describes how schools encourage students to
A identify their personal ambitions.
B help each other to realise their goals.
C have confidence in their potential to succeed.
D concentrate on where their particular strengths lie.
16 In the third paragraph, the writer suggests that students with a fixed mindset
A tend to be less competitive.
B generally have a low sense of self-esteem.
C will only work hard if they are given constant encouragement.
D are afraid to push themselves beyond what they see as their limitations.
Questions 17-22
Look at the following statements (Questions 17-22) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-E.
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 17-22 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
17 The methodology behind the growth mindset studies was not strict enough.
18 The idea of the growth mindset has been incorrectly interpreted.
19 Intellectual ability is an unchangeable feature of each individual.
20 The growth mindset should be promoted without students being aware of it.
21 The growth mindset is not simply about boosting students’ morale.
22 Research shows that the growth mindset has no effect on academic achievement.
List of People
A Alfred Binet
B Carol Dweck
C Andrew Gelman
D Timothy Bates
E David Yeager and Gregory Walton
Questions 23-26
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 2?
In boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
23 Dweck has handled criticisms of her work in an admirable way.
24 Students’ self-perception is a more effective driver of self-confidence than actual achievement is.
25 Recent evidence about growth mindset interventions has attracted unfair coverage in the media.
26 Deliberate attempts to encourage students to strive for high achievement may have a negative effect.