【推荐2】For all the importance we place on words, whether spoken or written, much of the communicating we do regularly comes through body language. According to pioneering research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, only 7 percent of the meaning we get from human communication comes from the actual spoken words used. An additional 38 percent comes from tone of voice while a large 55 percent comes from body language alone.

Researchers have long identified that certain kinds of body movements and facial expressions can communicate information about the emotions we happen to be experiencing at the time. But are these emotional signals shaped by different cultures or are they universal to all humans?

A new research article published in the journal Emotion attempts to answer this question through a cross-cultural study. The researchers traveled to Ratanakini, Cambodia to study members of a distant Kreung hill tribe (部落). Living in Cambodia’s highlands, the Kreung are still largely remote from the outside world except for occasional visitors. They have yet to be assimilated (被同化) as many other societies have been.

In the study, a set of videos were prepared featuring an American woman, displaying three positive emotions (happiness, love, and pride) and three negative emotions (anger, fear, and sadness) using body language alone. The effectiveness of these videos was tested using thirty-four American participants. The videos were then presented to twenty-six Kreung individuals (eleven of whom were female). They were asked to describe the emotions being displayed in their own words.

Results showed that the Kreung participants tended to be quite accurate in guessing which emotions were being presented. The overall accuracy rate was sixty-two percent though their accuracy in detecting specific emotions such as anger and happiness was far higher. Overall, there was no significant discrepancy between Kreung and American raters in detecting emotions, though American participants did much better in detecting pride and love.

Still, the study does suggest that body movements can express emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, and love even for individuals belonging to different cultures. Emotional signals reflect basic human needs and desires that all humans share. Learning more about how basic biology and social factors shape the way we communicate may well be essential in helping to understand ourselves better.

【推荐3】We all know that our body language can give off signals to those around us about how we’re truly feeling. Crossed arms or closed body language suggests that we are feeling defensive (防御的) and we didn’t really believe what we’re listening to. Walking here and there suggests that we’re bored. And poor eye contact can suggest that we’re lying.

One major development in the field of body language that hit the headlines is the “power pose.” This is a theory put forward in 2011 by U.S. social psychologists Amy Cuddy, Dana Carney and Andy Yap. They proposed that when you pretend to be powerful, you are more likely to actually feel powerful.

What the theory suggests is that the simple act of holding a powerful pose can have powerful impact. For example, sitting with your legs up on the desk and arms held behind your head can raise your androgen levels and lower your cortisol (皮质醇) levels. Androgen is the hormone that affects dominance (控制); cortisol is the stress hormone. The study assessed participants’ hormone levels before and after they held high-power and low-power poses.

Just as a male gorilla beats his chest to tell his dominance, humans can use body language to enhance their confidence, increase feelings of power, and lower their stress levels. These findings build on several psychological studies suggesting that some aspects of body language can change your emotional state. For instance, someone nodding “yes” to you can make you easier to persuade, and when you smile, you can feel more positive.

So, how can powerful poses help us in the workplace? Well, the study proposes that, simply by striking a powerful pose, you can better prepare yourself for difficult or stressful situations. Perhaps you’ve got a presentation that you’re nervous about giving, or a job interview coming up. Holding a power pose, even in private, can help you to approach these events in a confident and less-stressed way. In contrast, a weak pose with closed body language can make you perform poorly.

【推荐1】There are many challenges such as kayaking （划独木舟）the Colorado River Rapids, climbing to the summit （顶峰）of Qomolangma, mountain biking Colorado’s 100-mile Leadville Trail and skydiving solo. Adventurers take on these challenges all the time. One thing that makes an American named Erik Weihenmayer stand out is that he has done them all without the sense of sight.

He is the first blind person to have climbed the tallest peak in every continent. When he was 4 or 5 years old, he was diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called retinoschisis （视网膜劈裂症）and when he finally went blind, he felt it was an unbelievable relief as if the worst thing had happened, so there’s nothing else to lose.

He began rock climbing with the help of a recreational group taking blind kids rock climbing and fell in love with it immediately. He felt it was just for him. It was sort of the full package of adventure, all the things he wouldn’t have as a blind person. He has learned to do the things, which sighted people learn to do with their eyes, with his hands.

He stated “When people say they climb for the view, I think they’re misunderstanding why we do the things we do. Honestly, the summit is not the destination. The movement is for me the most exciting part.”

As a blind climber, it’s really hard, but he has to accept that suffering. Blindness is just a thing that happened to him. He thinks he likes all challenges and that people have got to use them as a drive to push them in new directions. It’s the idea of turning bad things into good things, and it’s something all could use.

【推荐2】In the summer of 2020, a wildfire caused by lightning tore through 43,000 acres of Cima Dome in the Mojave National Preserve in California, which is home to the world’s largest Joshua tree forest, and destroyed 1.3 million Joshua trees-that’s about a quarter of the trees. Repairing the forest would not be easy. But a special solution was adopted: using camels to help restore the unique desert trees.

During the ice age, giant sloths (巨型树懒) used to feed on the trees and this helped spread the seeds. But these sloths are extinct and now small mammals (哺乳动物) that are less effective have taken up the role. “Joshua tree seeds don’t spread very quickly,” said Debra Hughson, who worked at the Mojave National Preserve. “They don’t move very fast or they don’t move very far with just small mammals around.”

The plan was to restore the Cima Dome area first because its higher elevation allows the trees to survive the effects of climate change. Hughson and her professional volunteer team began to plant seedlings (幼苗) in the burned area. However, what had been considered effective in theory didn’t really work. The area is a wilderness and even the hike to it takes several hours.

That’s where Herbie, Sully and Chico came to the rescue.

The idea of using the three camels came from Nance Fite, a 70-year-old volunteer at the reserve. When she heard about the restoration project, she made efforts to convince the Park Service to let the camels help. She also eventually persuaded her friend, Jennifer Lagusker, who owns the camels to bring them to the reserve. The three camels have been helping in the restoration process since 2021 and around 3,500 young Joshua trees have been planted. The camels helped to carry water and the seedlings on the long trips through the desert reserve.

After this work is finished, the Park Service will focus on a different area that was destroyed by the wildfire. The camels will be ready to help out wherever they are needed.

【推荐3】Wearing high heels, lipstick and trendy dresses, a group of “chic grandmas” with an average age of 68, can still walk the walk as models. But they are not trained models. They are, in fact, ordinary retirees. They all share a love for fashion, and they come together to add a bit of enjoyment to their lives. These “chic grandmas” share a common goal now but their backgrounds could barely be more different.

Sang Xiuzhu, 77, is one of them. She used to be an automatic control engineer. She initially planned to journey across continents with her husband after retirement, but during a literary event, Sang, 1.7 meters tall, was spotted by a modeling coach. In the beginning, she joined the senior model team and attended events organized by her local community and enterprises. Later, she was invited to participate in Beijing International Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and her new career just grew.

Sang is learning to compose music, form lines and write scripts. She is so occupied that she really has no time to think about the aging issue. As for the future, Sang doesn’t know how to define it, as she really enjoys the present. She suggests that after retirement, people must cope with the transition period, and they should enjoy life.

As long as the heart is not old, life is always sweet. All “chic grandmas” are full of enthusiasm for new things and they live to learn. This kind of enthusiasm that is rooted deeply in their heart fills them with energy.

【推荐1】Lily

Studying abroad is an area that is becoming increasingly interesting for researchers, as more students are choosing to do a semester, a year or even a degree in another country. In my research, I set out to establish whether young people attending a course abroad acquire more global awareness than students enrolled on similar courses in their home country, Using a comparative study of 50 Canadian undergraduates, half of whom studied abroad for varying lengths of time, there were shown to be considering gains in global awareness and these were not only noted by the students themselves but also their tutors.

Thomas

My research project asked ten students starting a year of study abroad to keep a daily record of their experiences. Having begun the diary a month before leaving home they continued it for a month after they returned. The primary reason for studying abroad in all cases was to polish their language skill. The students were allowed to write as freely as they wished by were asked to include comments on their language learning experience as well as on the strategies they used to cope with living in a new culture. Analysing the diaries, we found remarkably similar patterns. All the participants demonstrate a gradual recognition and acceptance of difference in other cultures and a new objectivity about their own culture as a result of their experience.

Jasmine

This paper reports on some research carried out last year into why students choose a period of study abroad, their reasons for selecting a specific destination, their behaviour when abroad and the extent to which the experience matches their expectations. Having administered a questionnaire to 1,000 international students studying at a number of universities in Australia, we got 696 responses. An initial analysis of the responses has revealed some interesting data suggesting that the key factor affecting all the areas we were investigating was the individual's personality and study interests. Country of origin and 'gender proved less significant than expected.

Jimmy

This research looked at the career paths of 35 young business people who had spent part of their university course at a foreign educational institution in order to ascertain whether those people had acquired greater cross-cultural perspectives through their experience of study abroad. Concerned about the lack of cultural awareness of their staff, a group of US business corporations proposed the research. The results are less conclusive than expected, but they do suggest that a period of study in a foreign country may help students to develop the cross-cultural awareness that US employers currently seek.

【推荐3】5 of the Most Interesting Customs in the World

Switzerland—Honesty shopping

There are little shops in the middle of the Swiss Alps that allow you to buy your fresh cheese, milk, bread, honey, and butter without anyone to watch you. In fact, no one watches these shops because they are owned by farmers who are out taking care of the animals.

South Korea—NOT tipping

Tipping is in the blood for someone who is raised in the United States along with many other European countries. But in South Korea, employees in the food service industry are given fair wages and take pride in their work, and it is insulting to attempt to tip them.

Iceland—Christmas Eve books giving

People puzzle over the eternal question of Christmas gifts. Iceland has solved this problem with the Christmas Eve tradition of giving a book. After everyone unwraps the books, they spend the evening reading together.

Japan—Pushers on the subway

Japan's subway is crowded during rush hours. But instead of settling for the inefficiency that personal space demands, Japan has "pushers". They are exactly what they sound like-employees whose only job during rush hour is to push more people onto the train.

Russia—Offering vodka

It is the custom to welcome new friends with shots of vodka. What better way to break the ice than with some stomach- warming shots of this Russian tradition? That's something we can all toast to, or, as they say in Russia, "Na zdorovye!".