We are often reminded of Oscar Wilde’s saying that “sarcasm (讽刺) is the lowest form of wit” while forgetting the following “but the highest form of intelligence”. Parents or teachers of teenagers, in particular, may find it hard to believe that it is actually a sign of a flexible and inventive mind.
Yet that is exactly what psychologists and neuroscientists have been arguing. They have found that sarcasm requires the brain to jump through numerous hoops (圈) to arrive at a correct interpretation, requiring more brainpower than literal statements.
If you’re still not convinced that your teen’s love of sarcasm is a thing worth celebrating, consider a recent experiment from Li Huang, a psychologist at Insead’s business school in Fontainebleau, France.
In the experiment, participants were presented with a candle, a pack of matches and a box of tacks (图钉). Their task was to find a way to attach the candle to the wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. The correct answer is to empty the box of tacks, pin it to the wall, and then place the candle inside a solution that will only come to mind if you are prepared to think about the functions of each object.
Before working on the problem, some participants were asked to recall a sarcastic interaction, while others remembered a sincere or neutral exchange. Quite amazingly, the sarcastic memories more than doubled the participants’ success rate, from around 30% to more than 60%.
It may initially feel like a shock when parents notice their children using sarcasm——a sign, perhaps, of a more adult-like cynicism (愤世嫉俗) that conflicts with their impressions of their children’s youthful innocence. Parents may feel particularly helpless when dealing with a teenager who uses it in almost all interactions, as if they struggle. to express any sincere emotions.
But should we blame teens for applying this handy tool? Perhaps it’s better seen as the useful practice of a vital ability. Penny Pexman, a psycholinguist at the University of Calgary agrees and it is for this reason that she has produced Sydney Gets Sarcastic, a storybook that provides multiple examples of sarcasm and the reasons it was used. In a recent experiment on 5-to 6-year-olds, she showed that children who read and discussed the story found it easier to detect sarcastic statements in a following test.
25. Why does the author refer to Oscar Wilde’s words at the beginning of the text?
A.To give a definition of sarcasm. |
B.To stress the significance of sarcasm. |
C.To express his concern about sarcasm. |
D.To show the misunderstanding of sarcasm. |
26. What can we learn about sarcastic memories from Li Huang’s experiment?
A.They tended to stay long with participants. |
B.They offered clues to the problem to be solved. |
C.They could force participants to face problems. |
D.They contributed greatly to participant’s success. |
27. What might parents think of their children’s sarcasm?
A.It shows their innocence. |
B.It helps them express emotions. |
C.It is not appropriate for their age. |
D.It allows them to behave like adults. |
28. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To urge parents to learn from their children’s sarcasm. |
B.To teach parents how to respond to their children’s sarcasm. |
C.To show parents the positive side of their children’s sarcasm. |
D.To remind parents to teach their children to use words properly. |