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 from University of Glasgow, said that rather than scanning evenly 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, while Easterners favor the eyes and ignore the mouth.”
According to Jack and his colleagues, the discovery shows that communication of human emotions is more complex than previously believed. As a result, facial expressions that had been considered universally recognizable cannot be used reliably to convey emotions in crosscultural situations.
The researchers studied cultural differences in the recognition of facial expressions by recording the facial movements of 13 Western people and 13 Eastern people while they observed pictures of expressive faces and put them into categories: happy, sad, surprised, fearful, disgusted, or angry. 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 Westerners did. “The cultural difference in eye movements that they show is probably a reflection of cultural difference in facial expressions,” Jack said. “Our data suggests that while Westerners use the whole face to convey emotions, Easterners use the eyes more and the mouth less.”
In short, the data shows that facial expressions are not universal signals of human emotions. From here on, examining how cultural factors have diversified these basic social skills will help our understanding of human emotions. Otherwise, when it comes to communicating emotions across cultures, Easterners and Westerners will find themselves lost in translation.
1. 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 |
| 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. |
| A．The participants in the study. |
| B．The researchers of the study. |
| C．The errors made in the study. |
| D．The data collected from the study. |
| A．do translation more successfully |
| B．study the mouth frequently |
| C．examine the eyes more attentively |
| D．read facial expressions more correctly |
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【推荐1】People often say your feelings are “written all over your face” because our facial expressions are a main way we communicate emotions. Now according to a recent research led by Patty Van Cappellen of Duke University, besides our faces, our body posture (姿势) also plays a role.
In one study, Van Cappellen and her colleagues asked a group of participants to show four faceless mannequins (人体模型) in postures that represented four different emotions: dominance (支配), joy, hope and respect. The research assistants then looked at photos of the mannequins that participants had created and assessed their head positions, arm positions, and degrees of expansiveness — how much space they took up by standing straight or opening up different parts of their bodies. Then, the researchers compared these positions to the feelings they supposedly expressed.
Van Cappellen found that people viewed an expansive posture as representing dominance. But joy and respect were also represented by expansive postures, with hope involving the least expansive posture. “We’re finding that positive emotions are also marked by expansiveness — especially joy,” she says.
Besides, arm and head positions also mattered. For example, joyful postures were described by arms raised above the head, while respectful postures showed hands touching the face. Dominant postures, on the other hand, tended to show arms akimbo (双手叉腰) with the head facing forward.
To know if other people seeing the mannequins could recognize the feelings being expressed by different postures, Van Cappellen had a new group of participants look at photos of mannequins posed in many different ways. The participants found that expansive postures with arms held high represented positive emotion — with arms akimbo representing dominance and negative emotion.
Her research suggests that our body posture helps express our emotions and may help us feel certain emotions, too. This could be consequential — not just in the lab, but in real life, where it’s useful to know how we and other people are feeling in a certain situation.
1. Which emotion is most probably expressed by the least expansive posture?| A．Dominance. | B．Joy. | C．Hope. | D．Respect. |
| A．Hold his arms high. | B．Touch his face. |
| C．Have his arms crossed. | D．Shake his head. |
| A．To find why the participants showed the different feelings. |
| B．To know how people communicate with facial expressions. |
| C．To figure out what different body postures may represent. |
| D．To see if others can feel the same about the body postures. |
| A．Embarrassing. | B．Important. | C．Flexible. | D．Unusual. |
【推荐2】When you’re meeting someone for the first time, you’re eager to make a good impression. Your body language can make a great difference.
• Shake hands firmly.
Weak handshakes can make you seem shy and anything but confident.
•
Stand up straight, but don’t tighten, or you may look nervous. Be sure to check your posture and straighten up as needed.
• Keep a suitable amount of eye contact.
• Nod and smile when proper.
Try nodding three times to show that you’re really absorbing what he is saying.
• Laugh genuinely.
Even if you’re in a formal setting, if he has clearly said something that was intended to encourage a laugh, laugh!
| A．Keep your posture relaxed. |
| B．Keep your feet close together. |
| C．This applies to both sitting and standing. |
| D．Show him that you have a sense of humor, and you’re listening to what he is saying. |
| E．Your handshake should be firm but not too tight. |
| F．It is important to keep eye contact in a conversation. |
| G．When it comes to smiling, make sure it reaches your eyes. |
【推荐3】Modern research on body language — often called nonverbal behavior — began in the 1960s and 1970s with studies that aimed to demonstrate the universality (普遍性) of facial expressions of emotion. That work was inspired in part by Charles Darwin’s study The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). But it had received little attention for around a century, according to nonverbal communication expert David Matsumoto.
Then modern researchers examined how the brain reacts to facial expressions and how babies copy facial and hand gestures. And scientists have also realized the complexity (复杂性) of body language.
Much research has suggested that body language is often hard to interpret or understand. But for years some advisers and experts have been using their knowledge in many practical areas.
“I help people influence and persuade others around, how trustworthy and credible their message is by helping them with their specific nonverbal communication.” said Mark Bowden. He is the author of “Winning Body Language”. a guide for readers including business people and famous people. He focuses on where a person faces their body and how much space they take up, as well as those gestures.
Some experts also say they can use those signals to interpret hidden emotions. Joe Navarro is the author of What Every Body Is Saying. It is a book about reading a person’s mind from their nonverbal behavior. “It’s easy to spar a speaker’s lip movements when he faces a question he doesn’t like.” Joe said.
While the work of these experts attracts large audiences many scientists are unsure whether their methods are reliable. “Our facial expressions show certain types of emotional states.” David Matsumoto said. So do some body movements. “But people do all kinds of things with their bodies.” he said. Your raised eyebrow (眉毛) could express doubt — but in might also signal discomfort or surprise. “The same hand gesture could mean different things in different cultures,” he said.
1. What role did Charles Darwin’s study play according to paragraph 1?| A．It unlocked the secret of the human mind. |
| B．It promoted the development of human language. |
| C．It helped start modern research on body language. |
| D．It encouraged people to care more about animals. |
| A．He gives advice on business language. | B．He focuses mainly on facial expressions. |
| C．He pays more attention to spoken language. | D．He teaches people about body language. |
| A．They were instructional. | B．They were doubtful |
| C．They were experimental. | D．They were necessary. |
| A．Can body language tell important truths? | B．Is nonverbal behavior that complex? |
| C．Should you know more about body language? | D．Do experts know how to interpret emotions? |
【推荐1】If you walk through a park in the morning, you’ll see a series of beautiful movements performed in a slow, focused manner with deep breathing. While this may be a common sight for many, this practice was recently attractive.
On Dec, 17, China’s taijiquan (also known as tai chi) was officially listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Tai chi is a traditional physical practice by relaxed, circular (环形的) movements. The origins of tai chi can date back to Wenxian County in Henan province in the mid-17th century. Now it has spread to more than 150 countries and regions, attracting more than 100 million people to practice.
Tai chi can be practiced any time and anywhere without equipment. It is a practical way for one to further balance, movement control and rhythm (节奏) of movement. However, for many, it is more than just exercise.
“Taijiquan is not just a sport to make people fit, but also contains Chinese culture and philosophy that can make people peaceful,” Yan Shuangjun, a researcher of taijiquan, told Xinhua.
Marleni Calcina from Peru is an example of the many people who have benefited from tai chi. She has practiced tai chi for more than 10 years. For her, it’s a way of life. Tai chi has taught her the value of “going slowly”.
She once felt great stress at work and in her life, but that began to change thanks to tai chi, which helped her “gain peace and inner harmony”, she told Xinhua News Agency. “For me now, practicing tai chi is like speaking with my soul.”
1. What is the main purpose of Paragraph1?| A．To tell us what is Tai chi. |
| B．To stress the importance of workout. |
| C．To introduce the topic of the article. |
| D．To describe an image of Tai chi. |
| A．more than 350 years | B．about 200 years | C．about 300 years | D．less than 250 years |
| A．Tai chi benefits her a lot in many ways. |
| B．Tai chi keeps her free of stress from work. |
| C．Tai chi has changed her attitude to life. |
| D．Tai chi costs her too much time and energy. |
Apple company must earn a fortune from London commuters. Since the iPhone was put on market in 2007, over 40,000 --- yes, that’s 40,000 “apps” (programs downloaded for the iPhone) have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music --- iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied. Then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all this entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train.
1. People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy_______.
| A．going to work |
| B．talking to others |
| C．thinking private things |
| D．playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films. |
| A．iShoot | B．Tube Exits | C．ISteam | D．iPod |
| A．students | B．passengers |
| C．designers | D．businessmen |
| A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers |
| B．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 iPhones |
| C．technology has totally changed the way London commuters spend their traveling time |
| D．with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train |
【推荐3】French children are saying "Hello" to the new academic year and "Bye" to their cell phones during school hours． That's because a new law has come into effect which bans phone use by students up to the age of 15． The legislation， which follows a campaign promise by French President Emmanuel Macron， also bans tablets and smart watches．
The ban is also in place at break times， with exceptions in cases of emergency and for disabled children， the French Education Ministry said in a statement． In emergencies， students can ask their teachers for permission to use their phones． Meanwhile， high schools can voluntarily carry out the measure．
Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said the new rules aim to help children focus on lessons， better socialize and reduce social media use． The ban is also designed to fight online bullying and prevent thefts and violence in school． Blanquer has claimed the legislation would improve discipline among France's 12 million school students， nearly 90% of whom have mobile phones． "Being open to technologies of the future doesn't mean we have to accept all their uses，" Blanquer said in June as the bill was going through in Parliament．
As for enforcement， it's up to individual school administrations to decide how to put through the ban． School principals can decide to store students' phones in lockers or allow them to keep them， switched off， in their backpacks． The law allows teachers to take away the phones until the end of the day in case of someone disobeying the bans．
Jacqueline Kay-Cessou， whose 14-year-old son， David， is entering eighth grade at the Camille See International School， told the reporter she was happy to hear of the ban． "It's fantastic news． It's something I've wanted for years，" Kay-Ccssou said． "I think phones are socially harmful． Kids can't think and sit still anymore and it's highly addictive．"
1. What is the new rule for ordinary French students in the new term？ ______| A．They are not allowed to use their watches． |
| B．They should follow President Macron． |
| C．They should say "Hello" to school teachers． |
| D．They can't use their cell phones at school． |
| A．Cell phones are the main reason for school violence． |
| B．The society should be strict with the school students． |
| C．New technology should be properly applied at school． |
| D．None of the young students should have mobile phones． |
| A．The school administrators． | B．The student monitors． |
| C．The students' parents． | D．The Education Minister． |
| A．To show the parental response to the ban． |
| B．To provide a conclusion for the text． |
| C．To offer an example for the new law． |
| D．To make a list of cell phone's harms． |
