People from East Asia tend to have more difficulty than those from Europe in distinguishing facial expressions — and a new report published online in Current Biology explains why.
Rachael Jack, University of Glasgow researcher, said that rather than scanning evenly(均匀的) across a face as Westerners do, Easterners fix their attention on the eyes.
"We show that Easterners and Westerners look at different face features to read facial expressions," Jack said. "Westerners look at the eyes and the mouth in equal measure, whereas Easterners favor the eyes and neglect (忽略) the mouth."
According to Jack and her colleagues, the discovery shows that human communication of emotion is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used to reliably convey emotion in cross-cultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the eye movements of 13 Western Caucasian and 13 East Asian people while they observed pictures of. expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, angry, or neutral. They compared how accurately participants read those facial expressions using their particular eye movement strategies.
It turned out that Easterners focused much greater attention on the eyes and made significantly more errors than did Westerners. "The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions," Jack said. "Our data suggest that whereas Westerners use the whole face to convey emotion, Easterners use the eyes more and mouth less."
In short, the data show that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotion. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotion. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation. The discovery shows that Westerners .
| A．pay equal attention to the eyes and the mouth |
| B．consider facial expressions universally reliable |
| C．observe the eyes and the mouth in different ways |
| D．have more difficulty in recognizing facial expressions |
What were the people asked to do in the study?
| A．To make a face at each other. | B．To get their faces impressive. |
| C．To classify some face pictures. | D．To observe the researchers' faces. |
What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 6 refer to?
| A．The participants in the study. |
| B．The researchers of the study. |
| C．The errors made during the study. |
| D．The data collected from the study. |
In comparison with Westerners, Easterners are likely to .
| A．do translation more successfully |
| B．study the mouth more frequently |
| C．examine the eyes more attentively |
| D．read facial expressions more correctly |
What can be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Eye as the Window to the Soul |
| B．Cultural Differences in Reading Emotions |
| C．Effective Methods to Develop Social Skills |
| D．How to Increase Cross-cultural Understanding |
The easy way out isn't always easiest. I learned that lesson when I decided to treat Doug, my husband of one month, to a special meal. I glanced through my cookbook and chose a menu which included homemade bread. Knowing the bread would take time, I started on it as soon as Doug left for work. As I was not experienced in cooking, I thought if a dozen was good, two dozen would be better, so I doubled everything. As Dong loved oranges, I also opened a can of orange and poured it all into the bowl. Soon there was a sticky dough（面团）covered with ugly yellowish marks. realizing I had been defeated, I put the dough in the rubbish bin outside so I wouldn't have to face Doug laughing at my work, I went on preparing the rest of the meal, and, when Doug got home, we sat down to Cornish chicken with rice. He tried to enjoy the meal but seemed disturbed. Twice he got up and went outside, saying he thought he heard a noise. The third time he left, I went to the windows to see what he was doing. Looking out, I saw Doug standing about three feet from the rubbish bin, holding the lid up with a stick and looking into the container. When I came out of the house, he dropped the stick and explained that there was something alive in out rubbish bin. Picking up the stick again, he held the lid up enough for me to see. I felt cold. But I stepped closer and looked harder. Without doubt it was my work. The hot sun had caused the dough to double in size and the fermenting yeast （酵母）made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing. I had to admit what the 'living thing 'was and why it was there. I don't know who was more embarrassed（尴尬）by the whole thing ,Doug or me?
44．The writer's purpose in writing this story is ___________
A．to tell an interesting experience
B．to show the easiest way out of a difficulty
C．to describe the trouble facing a newly married woman
D．to explain the difficulty of learning to cook from books
45．Why did the woman's attempt at making the bread turn out to be unsuccessful?
A．The canned orange had gone bad.
B．She didn't use the right kind of flour.
C．The cookbook was hard to understand.
D．She did not follow the directions closely.
46．Why did the woman put the dough in the rubbish bin?
A．She didn't see the use of keeping it
B．She meant to joke with her husband.
C．She didn't want her husband to see it .
D．She hoped it would soon dry in the sun.
47．What made the dough in the rubbish bin make the noise?
A．The rising and falling movement.
B．The strange-looking marks.
C．Its shape.
D．Its size.
48．When Doug went out the third time, the woman looked out of the window because she was ______________.
A．surprised at his being interested in the bin
B．afraid that he would discover her secret
C．unhappy that he didn't enjoy the meal
D．curious to know what disturbed him
第二部分 阅读理解（共两节；满分50分）
第一节阅读短文（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
New York, 10 November 5：27pm, yesterday. Biggest power failure in the city's history.
*Thousands of people got stuck in lifts. Martin Saltzman spent three hours between the 21st and 22nd floors of the Empire State Building. "There were twelve of us. But no one panicked. We passed the time telling stories and playing word games. One man wanted to smoke but we didn't let him. Firemen finally got us out."
* "It was the best night we've ever had.," said Angela Carraro. who runs an ltalian restaurant on 42nd Street. "We had lots candles on the tables and the waiters were carrying candles on their trays. The place was full and all night, in fact, for after we had closed, we let the people stay on and spend the night here."
* The zoos had their problems like everyone else. Keepers worked through the night. They used blankets to keep flying squirrels and small monkeys warm. While zoos had problems keeping warm, supermarkets had problems keeping cool. "All of our ice cream and frozen foods melted," said the manger of a store in downtown Manhattan. "They were worth $50,0000."
* The big electric clock in the lobby（大厅） of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in downtown Manhattan started（滴答） again at 5：25 this morning. It was almost on time.
41．Throughout the period of darkness, Martin Saltzman and the eleven others were _________.
A．nervous B．excited C．calm D．frightened
42．In what way was the night of November 9 the best night for Angela Carraro ?
A．She had a taste of adventure.
B．Burning candles brightened the place.
C．Business was better than usual.
D．Many people stayed the night in her restaurant.
43．How long did the power failure last?
A．Nearly 12 hours. B．More than 12 hours.
C．Nearly 24 hours. D．More than 24 hours.
Fitness Center timetable
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
|
| 7:15 a.m. |
Body Power |
Aerobics |
Body Stretch |
|
Aerobics |
Body Burn |
Body Stretch |
| 10:30 a.m. |
Beginner Aerobics |
|
Beginner Aerobics |
|
Aerobics |
Body Stretch |
|
| 12:30 p.m. |
Body Stretch |
Body Burn |
|
Aerobics |
Beginner Aerobics |
|
Body Burn |
| 3:00 p.m. |
|
Beginner Aerobics |
|
Body Stretch |
Body Burn |
Beginner Aerobics |
|
| 4:45 p.m. |
Body Burn |
Aerobics |
Aerobics |
Body Power |
Body Power |
Body Stretch |
|
| 5:30 p.m. |
Aerobics |
Body Power |
Body Power |
Body Burn |
Body Stretch |
|
Body Power |
| 6:30 p.m. |
Aerobics |
Body Burn |
Body Burn |
Beginner Aerobics |
|
Body Power |
|
| 7:30 p.m. |
Beginner Aerobics |
Body Stretch |
Beginner Aerobics |
Aerobics |
|
|
|
Body Power: This class uses weights and aerobic movements (a form of very active physical exercise) to increase strength while burning fat. It is suitable for all levels for fitness.
Aerobics: This is a low to middle level of difficulty in aerobic class. It is good for beginner to average levels of fitness.
Beginner Aerobics: This class has a low level of difficulty and simple aerobic movements. It is mainly for people who have not exercised before or who are just returning after a long break of injury.
Body Stretch(hold your arms or legs out straight and tighten your muscles): This is a relaxation class which stretches all the muscle groups. It is suitable for all levels of fitness. People who exercise regularly or have a stressful (压力)lifestyle would also greatly improve their health in this class.
Body Burn: This is a high level of difficulty in aerobic class that mainly aims at fat burning. It is only for those people with a very high level of fitness.
On Wednesday the fitness class at 6: 30 p. m. is ___
| A．Aerobics | B．Body Power | C．Body Burn | D．Beginner Aerobics |
The two classes that are suitable for all levels of fitness are___.
| A．Aerobics and Body Power | B．Body Power and Body Stretch |
| C．Body Burn and Aerobics | D．Body Stretch and Beginner Aerobics |
Lena wants to go to the City Gym on Saturday. She has not exercised for a long time. The best time for her to go would be ___.
| A．3:00p.m. | B．5:30p.m. | C．7:15a. m. | D．7:30p.m. |
The main goal of the Body Burn is to___.
| A．reduce stress | B．reduce fat | C．increase strength | D．increase muscle size |
A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag results from flying long distances in an airplane. People with jet lag may feel extremely tired for several days. They may also have problems thinking clearly and remembering.
Recently a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain reported the findings of his jet lag study, which involved twenty young women who worked for international airlines. They had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.
The researcher took some saliva from the women's mouths to measure levels of a hormone(荷尔蒙) that increases during stress (紧张). He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains to measure the size of the brain's temporal lobes (脑叶).
It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.
The researcher believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.
Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently (永久性的) affect memory.According to the text, jet lag _________.
| A．can cause difficulties in speaking |
| B．can make people feel tired for a few weeks |
| C．can be only found in flight attendants |
| D．can be caused by flying over several time zones |
It can be inferred from the text that _________.
| A．the conclusion is refused by many scientists |
| B．scientists fear that this research is not done properly |
| C．every scientific conclusion needs the support from many tests |
| D．the women who were examined in the research were not healthy |
From the result of the research we can see that _________.
| A．the women who have longer rest at home show better memory |
| B．the women who fly in short time have smaller right temporal lobes |
| C．the women who have longer flights fail the memory test |
| D．the women who rest more than 14 days produce less hormones |
What is the subject discussed in the text?
| A．The cause of jet lag. | B．A story of a group of flight attendants. |
| C．The importance of having enough rest after flights. | |
| D．A research about the effects of jet lag on the brain. |
We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people. "Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen? "When I got that great job, did Jim really feel good about it, as a friend? Or did he envy (嫉妒) my luck?" "And Paul-why didn't he pick up that he was friendly just because I had a car?" When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it's too late.
Why do we go wrong about our friends - or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don't really listen we miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, “You're a lucky dog." that's being friendly. But "lucky dog"? There's a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn't see it himself. But bringing in the "dog" bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is that he doesn't think you deserve your luck.
"Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for" is another noise that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem as part of your life as a whole. But is he? Wrapped up (包藏) in this phrase is the thought that your problem isn't important. It's telling you to think of all the starving people in the world when you haven't got a date for Saturday night.
How can you tell the real meaning behind someone's words? One way is to take a good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Does what he says agree with the tone of voice? His posture (姿态)? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people to you may save another mistake.This passage is mainly about ____.
| A．how to interpret what people say |
| B．what to do when you listen to others talking |
| C．how to avoid mistakes when you communicate with people |
| D．why we go wrong with people sometimes |
According to the author, the reason why we go wrong about our friends is that ____
| A．we fail to listen carefully when they talk | B．we tend to doubt what our friends say |
| C．people usually state one thing but means another | |
| D．people tend to be annoyed when we check what they say |
In the sentence "Maybe he doesn't see it himself." In the second paragraph, the pronoun “it” refers to _____
| A．being friendly | B．a bit of envy | C．lucky dog | D．your luck |
When we listen to a person talking, the most important thing for us to do is____.
| A．notice the way the person is talking | B．take a good look at the person talking |
| C．mind his lone, his posture and the look in his eyes | |
| D．examine the real meaning of what he says based on his manner, his tone and his posture |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号