A human heart is so much more than an organ. No one says they left their pancreas (胰 腺) in San Francisco, for example, or that two kidneys (肾脏) beat as one. Yet most of us believe that two hearts can beat as one, and that the heart reveals our real emotions. Now there’s some evidence that such folk wisdom is true.
When people listen to the same story — each alone in their own home — their heart rates rise and fall together, according to a new study published last month in Cell Reports. Professor Lucas Perra, a senior author of the study, said, “It’s the story that drives the heart.”
This finding corresponds with a mountain of research showing that our brains synchronize (同步) when we interact in the same location or participate in the same activity. The new study goes one step further; it tests whether our heart rates become synchronized while taking in the same narrative — even though we’re not in the same room nor even listening at the same time as other listeners.
Marcel Proust wrote at the turn of the 20th century, “the heart does not lie.” Data tells us much the same: The heart’s connection to the brain is so tight that when we hear the same story, our heart rates synchronize. Subjects in the same group produced synchronized heart rate patterns that rose and fell at roughly the same times during the narrative.
The results are“heartwarming,”said Prof.Perra.“Heart rate correlation (关联) between subjects does not require them to actually be interacting, or even be in the same place. It’s not the interaction between people but the story itself that does the trick.”
The point, he said, is that when we listen to the same radio program or watch a Netflix show, our hearts beat together, showing that “we’re not alone.”
8. What does the underlined expression “folk wisdom”refer to in the first paragraph?
A.Kidneys beat like hearts. | B.Hearts are important organs. |
C.A human heart conveys feelings. | D.Organs have close links with emotions. |
9. What can we learn from the new study in Cell Reports?
A.People like listening to the same story in separate places. |
B.Human’s brains synchronize when driven by different stories. |
C.People tested in the same group have the same heart rates. |
D.The same story can make listeners have the same heart rates. |
10. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this article?
A.To report a research finding. | B.To argue against an opinion. |
C.To tell readers a moving story. | D.To call for immediate action. |
11. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.The Way Human Hearts Work | B.The Same Story, the Same Heartbeat |
C.The Heart’s Connection to Brain | D.The Importance of Heart Rates |