It’s all right to cry. Really. Although it’s often seen as a sign of weakness, crying can be just what the doctor ordered for sorting through chaotic(混乱的)emotions and cheering up.
Our general disapproval of emotional expression and crying specifically stems from childhood, said Stephen Sideroff, an assistant professor. As kids, we’re often taught to restrain(抑制)our emotions. Maybe you remember being teased in elementary school for crying when you were hurt. Many of us learned there were feelings, such as anger or resentment, that we shouldn’t have or express. As children grow into adulthood, we gradually learn to regulate our feelings. So what, you might say? Who cares? But we don’t hold emotions in only our heads, Sideroff said. We store them in our bodies, too.
Holding back your feelings can hurt. “These feelings have energy,” Sideroff explained. “You (then) have to restrain them in different ways.” That interferes with natural processes and creates imbalances since the body’s need is still there. If you’re sad or hurt or angry, you need to find something to resolve that imbalance. If you don’t, you might express those imbalanced feelings in inappropriate ways—like lashing out at(猛烈抨击)your family or friends. Emotional restraint can limit our ability to experience positive feelings, such as joy and love, as well.
Generally, the three types of tears include emotional tears, which result from strong feelings such as joy or sadness. Basal tears lubricate(润滑)your eyes. Reflex tears release when dust or onion oxides annoy your eyes. Humans are the only animals who cry into adulthood and have emotional tears.
People often report feeling better after they cry. That could be because crying forces us to pay attention to what triggered(触发)us and work through our emotions and thoughts. Crying might also help in understanding what’s important to us, especially if we cry over something that upsets us unexpectedly.
4. Which of the following is Stephen’s idea?
A.Emotions are created by the chaos. |
B.Emotions are stored only in our heads. |
C.Emotional restraint originates from childhood. |
D.Emotional restraint develops positive feelings. |
5. What does the underlined word “resentment” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Joy. | B.Bitterness. | C.Satisfaction. | D.Disappointment. |
6. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.The characteristics of crying. | B.The functions of tears. |
C.The classification of tears. | D.The results of crying. |
7. How would the author feel about the outcome of crying?
A.It’s doubtful. | B.It’s unexpected. |
C.It’s discouraging. | D.It’s beneficial. |