Questioning can lead us to solutions to a problem. If we are in the habit of raising doubts as to whether what we are told is true, we can exercise our mind and learn more. Our English teacher Shengliver often encourages us to raise a question in class. He sometimes tells us interesting stories before he asks us to retell. The stories plus the questioning are food for thought.

Two years ago, one day when I was in middle school, my maths teacher demoed an answer to a thorny maths problem. A bit strange as the solution was, nobody in my class doubted it except me. Suspecting my teacher’s idea might be faulty, I broke down the problem and tried to reason it out in a different way. Half an hour later, I managed to come up with a new way out. When I shared it with my teacher, he applauded me for my critical thinking. I was very happy about it.

Over the years, I have come to see that questioning serves as a bridge that connects us not only to the correct answer but also to a new world beyond.