Many of us crave to be more interesting people. The question is: how might we become so?  

We rightly tend to associate being ‘interesting’ with achieving difference from the norm: with being able to serve up some unusual and intriguing stories and ideas. But what might be the best way to lay our hands on these?

One prestigious thesis tells us that we should try our best to root out new and well-reviewed books and articles, travel to remote places and be friend people who are prominent in the arts and business.

This correctly latches on to something - that we should aim to be different - but it entirely overlooks that, before we’ve ever read a single book, gone to any foreign country or met any Nobel Prize laureates, we are all compellingly different anyway. The problem is that we just don’t allow ourselves to come across as such. 

To get a taste for this pre-existing level of originality, imagine if we placed a microphone in any of our minds and listened closely in on the chatter. 

We would quickly find the most surprising, and authentically gripping information: we’d realise that we were attracted to some very unexpected people, often just the sort we weren’t supposed to have any feelings for. We’d realise that we had some hilariously personal (and shocking) takes on politics and society - and that we didn’t agree with most of the standard lines proposed to us by the media. Our anxieties, fears, hopes and excitements would show a properly distinctive and captivating pattern. 

We are - though we try so hard never to admit this to ourselves, let alone anyone else - already a real character.

We understand this point in relation to children. Every child under seven is fascinating. They almost never do anything interesting in the outside world, but it’s the honest, uncensored way in which they report on their inner lives that guarantees their interest. When they chit-chat about their granny or their teacher or their take on their dad, we’re open-mouthed.

We were once fascinating, too, before we got overly worried about seeming normal. 

There are of course some things we should - as we grow up - take care not to mention to spare others hurt, but a lot fewer than we think. When we next fear coming across as dull, we need only lean in more closely on the data from our deep selves: we should, and the habit may require a little conscious effort to develop, get in touch with what we actually believe. What emerges may sound odd, but it is also liable to be hugely charming, warm-hearted and comforting - and a lot closer to what people around the table deep down feel too than what was printed in today’s newspaper.

Everyone is interesting. So-called interesting people are simply those who’ve allowed themselves to listen in on and share with others a selection of what is really going on in their minds. 

They have not allowed self-hatred and self-suspicion to block them from disclosing their reality. They have been confident enough to imagine that the truth about themselves could be a pleasure for others to hear - and, with a few obvious caveats, it almost certainly will be.

1. crave v. to have a very strong desire for sth. 渴望；热望。例如：She has always craved excitement. 她总渴望刺激。

2. prestigious adj. respected and admired as very important or of very high quality 有威望的；声誉高的。例如：a prestigious award 赫赫有名的奖项

3. latch on (to sb. / sth.): to develop a strong interest in sth. 对……产生浓厚的兴趣。例如：She always latches on to the latest craze. 她总是对最新时尚有浓厚的兴趣。

4. laureate n. a person who has been given an official honour or prize for sth. important they have achieved 荣誉获得者；获奖者。例如：a Nobel laureate 诺贝尔奖获得者

5. captivating adj. taking all your attention; very attractive and interesting 迷人的；有魅力的；有吸引力的。（同义词）enchanting 例如：He found her captivating. 他发觉她很迷人。

6. chit-chat n. (informal) conversation about things that are not important 闲聊；聊天；闲谈。（同义词）chat

7. caveat n. (formal, from Latin) a warning that particular things need to be considered before sth. can be done 警告；告诫

1. All of us crave to be more interesting people. 

2. One prestigious thesis tells us that we should try our best to root out new and well-reviewed books and articles, travel to remote places and befriend people who are prominent in the arts and science.

3. To get a taste for this pre-existing level of originality, imagine if we placed a mobilephone in any of our minds and listened closely in on the chatter. 

4. Every child under eight is fascinating. 

5. We were once fascinating, too, after we got overly worried about seeming normal. 

6. So-called interesting people are simply those who’ve allowed themselves to listen in on and share with others a selection of what is really going on in their minds. 

(F) 1. All of us crave to be more interesting people.（正确表达）Many of us crave to be more interesting people. 

(F) 2. One prestigious thesis tells us that we should try our best to root out new and well-reviewed books and articles, travel to remote places and befriend people who are prominent in the arts and science.（正确表达）One prestigious thesis tells us that we should try our best to root out new and well-reviewed books and articles, travel to remote places and befriend people who are prominent in the arts and business.

(F) 3. To get a taste for this pre-existing level of originality, imagine if we placed a mobilephone in any of our minds and listened closely in on the chatter.（正确表达）To get a taste for this pre-existing level of originality, imagine if we placed a microphone in any of our minds and listened closely in on the chatter. 

(F) 4. Every child under eight is fascinating.（正确表达）Every child under seven is fascinating. 

(F) 5. We were once fascinating, too, after we got overly worried about seeming normal.（正确表达）We were once fascinating, too, before we got overly worried about seeming normal. 

(T) 6. So-called interesting people are simply those who’ve allowed themselves to listen in on and share with others a selection of what is really going on in their minds.