Several decades ago, US sociologists developed a series of universal facial images supposed to represent the seven basic human emotions: happiness, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust, anger and neutrality . But now, a new study by researchers at the University of Glasgow indicates that these standardized facial images aren't so universal at all. For the study, the Scottish researchers found 13 Western Caucasians (mainly Europeans) and 13 East Asians (mostly Chinese students). The volunteers were shown the standardized facial images and asked to identify the emotions being expressed. At the same time, the researchers electrically monitored the eye movements of the volunteers. According to the results, published in the journal Current Biology, the Asian participants had a harder time than the Caucasians telling the difference between a face meant to look fearful compared with one showing surprise, and a face supposedly expressing disgusting compared with one displaying anger. "This strongly suggests that the meanings of facial expressions are different across cultures," says Rachael Jack, who led the study. The study also showed that the volunteers focused on different parts of the face in their efforts to understand the underlying emotions. "Westerners look at both the eyes and the mouth to the same degree, yet Easterners favor the eyes and overlook the mouth. This means that Easterners has difficulty distinguishing facial expressions that are similar around the eyes," Ms Jack says. The faces representing fear and surprise" both have big, wide open eyes, while the mouths are very different," she notes. "It would be difficult to distinguish between the two if you didn't look at the mouth." So why would different cultures express emotions in different ways? Ms Jack thinks it may be considered impolite in some Asian cultures to display certain emotions in an obvious manners, and that they use more subtle ways to express them. In particular, muscle movements around their eyes could be more important for expressing... In the experiment, the Asian volunteers had difficulty distinguishing between fear and surprise because _ . A) they found no differences between the mouths B) they focused on the eyes and neglected the mouth C) they were not good at reading facial expressions D) they expressed fear and surprise in the same way
B
(Question)
Our body clock,or natural body rhythm,influences our energy and alertness.Paying attention to it can help us choose the suitable time of day when we best perform specific tasks. The reality,however,is that most of us organize their time around work demands,school deadlines,commuting or social events.Doing whatever your body feels like doing is a luxury in today's fast-paced modem society. But that doesn't mean it isn't worth trying.Obeying our body clock has significant health benefits.Disrupting our natural body rhythm,on the other hand,has been linked to problems such as depression,obesity,or headache,says Steve Key,a biology professor. When the body clock can synchronize(......)the rhythms of its natural processes,it "gives us an advantage in daily life",says Key. According to him,when it comes to cognitive work,most adults perform best in the late morning.As our body temperature starts to rise just before awakening in the morning and continues to increase until midday,our memory,alertness and concentration gradually improve. However,he adds,our ability to concentrate typically starts to decrease soon thereafter.Most of us are more easily distracted between noon and 4 pm. Alertness also tends to fall after eating a meal and sleepiness tends to peak around 2 pm,making that a good time for a nap. Surprisingly, tiredness may increase our creative powers.For most adults,problems that require open ended thinking are often best dealt with in the evening when they are tired, according to a study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning. When choosing a time of day to exercise,paying attention to your body clock can improve results.Physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 pm,says Michael Smolensky,a professor of biomedical engineering. Of course, not everyone's body clock is the same,making it even harder to synchronize natural rhythms with daily plans. Which of the following can be the suitable title for the passage? A) What is natural body rhythm? B) Natural body rhythm is good for us. C) Something about natural body rhythm. D) The latest research about natural body rhythm.
(Answer)
C
Ques: Beijing opera or Peking opera (Pinyin: Jingju) is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century.The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.Major performance troupes (,) are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north,and Shanghai in the south.The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan,and has spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan. Beijing opera features four main types of performers.Performing troupes often have several of each variety,as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers.With their elaborate (,) and colorful costumes,performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically small stage.They make use of the skills of speech,song,dance,and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive,rather than realistic.Above all else,the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements.Performers also hold a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production.The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music.The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles.Melodies include arias ,fixed-tune melodies,and percussion patterns.The repertoire of Beijing opera includes over 1,400 works,which are based on Chinese history,folklore,and,increasingly,contemporary life. In recent years,Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers.These reforms,which include improving performance quality,adapting new performance elements,and performing new and original plays,have met with mixed success.Some Western works have been adopted as new plays,but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the 21st century. How long has Beijing Opera become a popular art form? A) About one and a half centuries. B) More than two centuries. C) More than one century. D) About half a century.
Ans: A
Ques: I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another _ because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those in New York, "I'm having a dinner party" means: "I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant and we'll be sharing the cheque evenly , no matter what you eat." In Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don't drink, end up paying even more. But if you try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going ?" And I cannot say I have somewhere to go because everyone knows I have nowhere to go. But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India, Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations. In New York, the mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdatle's, a well-known department store. For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was, while In New York people would think it was a usual club. What does the author think of the parties in London? A) A bit unusual B) Full of tricks C) Less costly D) More interesting
Ans:
D