1 . Have you ever been in mid-conversation with someone, when you look over and find them standing in the same position as you or holding the same facial expression? It may seem like they have consciously copied you, but it is much more likely that it is the chameleon (变色龙) effect at play.
The chameleon effect is the unconscious imitation of another person’s gestures or behavior. Just as a chameleon attempts to match any environment’s colors, people acquire the behavior of others to bring them closer together and help make their interactions smooth.
The chameleon effect was confirmed in an experiment by psychologists John Bargh and Tanya Chartrand in 1999. The part of their experiment included 78 people, who each spoke with an experimenter. During the test, Bargh and Chartrand studied whether participants would copy the actions of someone they hadn’t met before, like moving the foot and touching the face. The second part measured the impact that copying someone has on the person being imitated.
In the first stage, participants increased their face touching by 20% and their foot movement by 50% while in conversation about a photograph with the experimenter. The individuals weren’t aware of what they were being studied for, and the photograph was used to catch their attention to insure unconscious acts. The second stage involved half of the participants being copied, and then rating the likability of the experimenter. The results, showed that those who were imitated scored the experimenter higher. It has shown that when someone copies our behavior, we develop more positive feelings about them. These interactions could be a person unconsciously willing to be liked, and forming a moment of connection.
The main reasons behind humans’ imitation are positive. However, when people carry this chameleon effect to the extreme, they can lose their sense of self. Those who change their entire personalities in different groups often go undetected. But more common signs of the chameleon effect are easier to notice. Next time you are in a social gathering, take a look around and you might just see some chameleons for yourself.
1. Why do people imitate others’ behavior?A.To show admiration for others. | B.To adapt to the surroundings. |
C.To establish a connection with others. | D.To attract others’ attention. |
A.By directing their attention to a photo. | B.By keeping an eye on their actions. |
C.By telling them the purpose of the study. | D.By evaluating the impacts of imitation. |
A.People tend to like those who imitate their behavior. |
B.Too much of the chameleon effect can be beneficial. |
C.People imitating others are not easy to be detected. |
D.The copied movements help people to feel relaxed. |
A.Students adopt teachers’ accents for fun after class. |
B.People change their habits to please others on purpose. |
C.A comedian copies a celebrity vividly on stage. |
D.A husband and his wife share similar behaviors over time. |
2 . Being vulnerable (脆弱的) is not a choice. It’s a
Vulnerability
When some people
Indeed, it’s not easy for us to admit our vulnerability in front of others. In order to protect ourselves, we tend to struggle with
A.secret | B.reality | C.skill | D.purpose |
A.report | B.reveal | C.replace | D.prevent |
A.refers to | B.consists of | C.relies on | D.sticks to |
A.belief | B.error | C.rights | D.nature |
A.memories | B.lessons | C.experiences | D.pains |
A.follow | B.analyse | C.acknowledge | D.remove |
A.claim | B.doubt | C.celebrate | D.neglect |
A.hesitating | B.complaining | C.lying | D.waiting |
A.motivated | B.unwilling | C.desperate | D.unafraid |
A.blaming | B.spreading | C.teasing | D.exchanging |
A.criticism | B.fear | C.anger | D.hopelessness |
A.surprisingly | B.cautiously | C.safely | D.gratefully |
A.bravery | B.humor | C.ability | D.understanding |
A.impressed | B.affected | C.improved | D.reminded |
A.stand | B.request | C.strengthen | D.measure |
3 . Most of us associate awe (敬畏) with something rare and beautiful: nature, music or a spiritual experience. But people can waken awe too, and not just public heroes. Research shows that we can be awed by our nearest and dearest — the people sitting next to us on the couch, chatting on the other end of the phone, looking back at us over Zoom.
Often, interpersonal awe is a response to life’s big, sweeping changes, such as witnessing a baby’s first steps.
Though we can’t make someone else behave in a way that’s awesome, we can prepare ourselves to notice it when they do and boost the emotion’s positive effects.
Question your assumptions. Do you believe your partner is insensitive or your sibling is selfish? There may be a little truth to that, but it’s never the whole tale.
Name awe when you see it. Speaking out “Wow, that was awesome!” is a simple way to help you identify and remember a special experience. Savor (品味) it in the moment and then tell others about it. This will reinforce your positive emotions.
A.Thank the person who awed you. |
B.And recall it or write about it later. |
C.Psychologists call this interpersonal awe. |
D.It’s easy to forget that it can be awesome too. |
E.But interpersonal awe does happen in smaller moments. |
F.Here’s why you should recognize those moments of interpersonal awe. |
G.The story you tell yourself gets in the way of catching people at their best. |
4 . When romantic partners argue over things like finances, jealousy, or other interpersonal issues, they tend to employ their current feelings as fuel for a heated argument. But thinking about the future helps overcome relationship conflicts, according to a University of Waterloo study just published online in Social Psychological and Personality Science. Alex Huynh, a doctoral candidate in psychology is the lead author of the study, which he published with Igor Grossmann from the University of Waterloo, and Daniel Yang from Yale University.
Previous research has shown that third-perspective reasoning can be a positive strategy for reconciliation (调解) of interpersonal struggles. Huynh and his collaborators investigated whether similar benefit can be induced by simply thinking about the future. Study participants were instructed to reflect on a recent conflict with a romantic partner or a close friend. One group of participants were then asked to describe how they would feel about the conflict one year in the future, while another group was asked to describe how they feel in the present.
The team examined participants’ written responses through a text-analysis program for their use of pronouns — such as I, me, she, he. These choices of pronouns were used to capture participants’ focus on the feelings and behaviour of those involved in the conflict. Written responses were also examined for forgiveness and reinterpreting the conflict more positively, both of which implied the participants’ use of reasoning strategies.
The researchers found that envisioning future relationship affected both participants’ focus on their feelings, and their reasoning strategies. As a result, participants reported more positivity about their relationship altogether, especially when study participants extended their thinking about the relationship a year into the future.
“Our study demonstrates that adopting a future-oriented perspective in the context of a relationship conflict — reflecting on how one might feel a year from now — may be a valuable coping tool for one’s psychological happiness and relationship well-being,” said Huynh.
1. What do romantic partners do in face of most disagreements?A.They lose faith in their future. | B.They focus on their present feelings. |
C.They look forward to a fierce conflict. | D.They care more about financial problems. |
A.Caused. | B.Explained. |
C.Reduced. | D.Improved. |
A.All the study participants described how they felt both in the present and in the future. |
B.Study participants described their recent relationship with their romantic partners or friends. |
C.A text-analysis program was employed to examine participants’ use of negative words. |
D.The reasoning strategies in participants’ written responses were well worthy of note. |
A.You have a year to solve your interpersonal problems! |
B.Thinking about future is essential for relationship maintenance! |
C.Your current feelings are the real cause of your heated arguments! |
D.Beneficial reasoning is a positive strategy for reconciliation! |
5 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package.
The package consisted of a long, narrow box
Oscar was 16 when he first saw the
Oscar
Oscar talked his grandparents into going by Mrs. O'Brien's house on their way home. An elderly woman opened the door. “May I help you?” she asked. “I'd like to return it if it's yours,” Oscar said,
Years later, Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O'Brien. It was in perfect condition, considering how
A.strictly | B.carefully | C.obviously | D.curiously |
A.After | B.When | C.Since | D.Although |
A.adapted | B.reserved | C.recognized | D.removed |
A.ordinary | B.unusual | C.simple | D.formal |
A.beauty | B.shape | C.size | D.history |
A.ordered | B.demanded | C.encouraged | D.persuaded |
A.laid | B.found | C.confirmed | D.searched |
A.putting up | B.referring to | C.picking up | D.holding out |
A.as if | B.as long as | C.due to | D.instead of |
A.wide | B.confident | C.confusing | D.shy |
A.patience | B.kindness | C.impression | D.determination |
A.officially | B.naturally | C.exactly | D.probably |
A.old | B.amazing | C.valuable | D.unique |
A.in turn | B.in return | C.in exchange | D.in answer |
A.professional | B.mean | C.selfless | D.wise |
6 . Avoid These Mistakes in Your Social Interaction
Breaking into an existing conversation
Timing is everything. If you see two or more people actively engaged in conversation, they’re probably not ready for you to cut in. First, wait for a rest.
Starting talking without having something to say
If someone appears distant or lost in thought, moving into their personal space and saying “hello” is hardly a way to start a conversation. Try asking permission (e.g., “Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you something?”) and make sure you have a fully formed question or comment in mind (e.g., “Are you having a good time?”).
Bringing up controversial(有争议的) topics
If you’re talking to someone new, it’s generally best not to talk about weighty or of-putting topics.
Once you’ve made a connection with each other, keep that connection going by making yourself easy to understand. If you speak different languages, for example, slow your speech and pronounce clearly. If they ask you what you do for work, don’t use a lot of technical expressions.
Talking too much about yourself - or about the other person
It’s often said that people love to talk about themselves, and that asking questions is the secret to good conversations.
A.Being hard to follow |
B.Making too much connection |
C.But that’s not true for everyone |
D.They will lead to a deeper interaction |
E.Then once you have someone’s attention or receive a nonverbal go-ahead |
F.Aim for something simple that you and the other person can observe together |
G.It’s all about creating a comfortable opportunity for the other person to respond |
7 . There he was, turning the corner of Hawley and Main Street like clockwork. His red hair seemed to catch the sunlight, giving his head a soft candle-flame glow. He caught my eye, and up went his arm in his usual wave. As usual, I
Having moved from a larger city, I wasn't used to waves from
Perhaps that's why I enjoyed these daily waves. It-felt great to be
One night I was walking in the street, my thoughts traveled to "The Waver", wondering if I could be
Everyone at some point in their lives wonders if they've made any
A.waved | B.took | C.saluted | D.glanced |
A.cautious | B.reliable | C.friendly | D.thankful |
A.strangers | B.relatives | C.colleagues | D.employers |
A.informed | B.encouraged | C.encountered | D.acknowledged |
A.behaviors | B.business | C.appearance | D.manners |
A.worried | B.noticed | C.relieved | D.checked |
A.agree | B.attempt | C.promise | D.happen |
A.vehicles | B.buildings | C.street | D.children' |
A.mildness | B.curiosity | C.eagerness | D.brightness |
A.crave | B.mature | C.lucky | D.crazy |
A.attacking | B.escaping | C.following | D.approaching |
A.lengthened | B.softened | C.worsened | D.tightened |
A.cool | B.tough | C.fresh | D.curious |
A.comment | B.impact | C.decision | D.sense |
A.accurately | B.slightly | C.thoroughly | D.generally |
8 . At some point, everyone has the desire(渴望)to fit into a group. If you're interested in sports, you might hang out with those who like sports.
But what if people in your group start doing things that are wrong, hurtful, or even against the law? And what if these people are your friends?
You need to think about the risks ahead of time.
Now, let's lighten up. You can also use peer(同辈)pressure to your advantage.
For example, if you're active in sports, your teammates probably pressure you to be the best you can be. If you're working hard for good grades, you compare your scores to those at the top of the list. If you're in the band, and there are musicians better than you, you are pressured into trying to be the best musician you can be.
A.Think of it as competitive peer pressure. |
B.This is what we refer to as peer pressure. |
C.Most people have followed others in their teenage lives. |
D.Consider these questions before you make up your mind. |
E.Now is your chance to believe in yourself and to stand alone. |
F.You often hear your friend say, "Come on! Everyone's doing it." |
G.If you're interested in music, you spend time with others who enjoy music. |
9 . Empathy, the ability to understand and co-experience the feelings and thoughts of other people, is probably one of the most important skills a person can have.
• Humans are social animals.
There are very few activities that humans take part in that don’t involve others.
• It lets you better understand non-verbal components of communication.
•
When you unconsciously perceive what the other party wants and needs and can understand exactly why they want it, reaching a “win-win” solution gets easier. You don’t have to blindly search for a way out.
• It broadens your horizons.
Seeing the world from other people’s perspectives lets you perceive it to a fuller extent. When you are able to look at life from other people’s point of view, you are able to live a more fulfilled life.
A.It makes you better at handling conflicts. |
B.It helps you introduce your ideas to others. |
C.Empathy basically is what makes us human. |
D.Humans always live and work with each other. |
E.So why exactly is empathy so important for us? |
F.Communication is so much more than what words express. |
G.Therefore, the ability to better understand others and read their feelings is an advantage. |
10 . False Memories or Parallel (平行的) Realities?
Here is a common situation: You’re talking with someone about an event, only to discover that you both remember things quite differently. Usually, you’d put it down to a poor memory, but what if it wasn’t just one person who remembered things differently? What if it was millions?
In fact, this isn’t a “what if” situation. It’s known as the Mandela Effect, and it was first noticed in 2009 by paranormal researcher Fiona Broome. Broome was chatting with people about the South African activist Nelson Mandela, and she commented how sad it was that he had died in prison in the 1980s.
Broome was so shocked at this that she started an investigation.
More likely, however, is that the Mandela Effect has to do with how our brains store information.
All things considered, if you’re stuck arguing with someone about whose version of events is correct, it may indeed be easier to agree that neither of you is wrong. You just come from different realities.
A.Before we explain let’s look at an example. |
B.It turns out she wasn’t the only one who’d experienced this. |
C.If several people make these memory errors, the false memory gets stronger socially. |
D.The story of Nelson Mandela is not the only example of this type of false group memory. |
E.Some claim the Mandela Effect happens because we live in one of many parallel realities. |
F.Many in her group agreed, while others mentioned that Nelson Mandela had not died in prison. |
G.As more incidents of the Mandela effect continue to occur, perhaps more research into the origins will tell us the causes. |