单选题 Boredomhas,paradoxically,becomequiteinterestingtoacademicslately.InearlyMay,London’sBoringConferencecelebratedsevenyearsofdelightingindullness.Atthisevent,peopleflockedtotalksaboutweather,trafficjams,andvending-machinesounds,amongothersleep-inducingtopics.What,exactly,iseverybodystudying?Onewidelyacceptedpsychologicaldefinitionofboredomis"thedistastefulexperienceofwanting,butbeingunable,toengageinsatisfyingactivity."Buthowcanyouquantifyaperson’sboredomlevelandcompareitwithsomeoneelse’s?In1986,psychologistsintroducedtheBoredomPronenessScale,designedtomeasureanindividual’soveralltendencytofeelbored.Bycontrast,theMultidimensionalStateBoredomScale,developedin2008,measuresaperson’sfeelingsofboredominagivensituation.Boredomhasbeenlinkedtobehaviorissuesincludinginattentivedriving,mindlesssnacking,excessivedrinking,andaddictivegambling.Infact,manyofuswouldchoosepainoverboredom.Oneteamofpsychologistsdiscoveredthattwo-thirdsofmenandaquarterofwomenwouldratherself-administerelectricshocksthansitalonewiththeirthoughtsfor15minutes.Researchingthisphenomenon,anotherteamaskedvolunteerstowatchboring,sad,orneutralfilms,duringwhichtheycouldself-administerelectricshocks.Theboredvolunteersshockedthemselvesmoreandharderthanthesadorneutralonesdid.Butboredomisn’tallbad.Byencouragingself-reflectionanddaydreaming,itcanspurcreativity.Anearlystudygaveparticipantsabundanttimetocompleteproblem-solvingandword-associationexercises.Oncealltheobviousanswerswereexhausted,participantsgavemoreandmoreinventiveanswerstocombatboredom.ABritishstudytookthesefindingsonestepfurther,askingsubjectstocompleteacreativechallenge(comingupwithalistofalternativeusesforahouseholditem).Onegroupofsubjectsdidaboringactivityfirst,whiletheotherswentstraighttothecreativetask.Thosewhoseboredompumpshadbeenprimedweremoreproductive.Inouralways-connectedworld,boredommaybeahard-to-definestate,butitisafertileone.Watchpaintdryorwaterboil,oratleastputawayyoursmartphoneforawhile,andyoumightunlockyournextbigidea.问：Whenarepeoplelikelytoexperienceboredom,accordingtoanacceptedpsychologicaldefinition?

A、 When they don’t have the chance to do what they want.
B、 When they don’t enjoy the materials they are studying.
C、 When they experience something unpleasant.
D、 When they engage in some routine activities.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】细节辨认题。定位句指出，一个被广泛接受的关于无聊的心理学定义是“因为想参加却不能参加令人满意的活动而产生的令人不快的经历”。选项A)中的don’t have the chance to do what they want与定位句中的wanting，but being unable，to engage对应，故答案为A)。