学位英语

How We Form First Impression

1　We all have first impression of someone we just met. But why? Why do we form an opinion about someone without really knowing anything about him or her — aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits.

2　The answer is related to how your brain, allows you to be aware of the world. Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in how a person’s eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other makes you see him or her as different1. In fact, your brain continuously processes incoming sensory information — the sights and sounds of your world. These incoming “signals” are compared against2 a host of “memories” stored in the brain areas called the cortex system to determine what these new signals “mean.”

3　If you see someone you know and like at school3, your brain says “familiar and safe. ‘‘If you see someone new, it says, “new — potentially threatening.” Then your brain starts to match features of this stranger with other “known” memories;The height, weight, dress, ethnicity, gestures, and tone of voice are all matched up. The more unfamiliar the characteristics, the more your brain may say, “This is new. I don’t like this person.” Or else, “I’m intrigued. “Or your brain may perceive a new face but familiar clothes, ethnicity, gestures — like your other friends;so your brain says: “I like this person.” But these preliminary “impressions” can be dead wrong4.

4　When we stereotype people, we use a less mature form of thinking(not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child)that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others. Rather than leam about the depth and breadth of people — their history, interest, values, strengths, and true character — we categorize them as jocks, geeks, or freaks.

5　However, if we resist initial stereotypical impressions, we have a chance to be aware of what a person is truly like. If we spend time with a person, hear about his or her life, hopes, dreams, and become aware of the person’s character, we use a different, more mature style of thinking — and the most complex areas of our cortex, which allow us to be humane.

词汇：

trait 特点，特征，特性

host 一大群，许多 simplistic 过分单纯化的

categorical 绝对的 jock 骗子

geek 反常的人 stereotype 对……产生成见

humane 有人情味的，人文的 sensory 感官的，感觉的

cortex 脑皮层 ethnicity n.种族特点

intrigue 激起兴趣 freak 怪人

注释：

1.Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in how a person’s eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other makes you see him or her as different：从even开始到as different是个结果状语从句，相当于that even very minor ... .，而that是与主句中的so呼应的。

2.against：和……对比

3.If you see someone you know and like at school ...：如果你在学校里看见某个你认识而且喜欢的人…… like在这里是动词。

4.dead wrong：相当于completely wrong。dead wrong是口语表达用语。

练习：

1.Paragraph 2 ________

2.Paragraph 3 ________

3.Paragraph 4 ________

4.Paragraph 5 ________

A　Ways of Departure from Immature and Simplistic Impressions

B　Comment on First Impression

C　Illustration of First Impression

D　Comparing Incoming Sensory Information against Memories

E　Threatening Aspect of First Impressions

F　Differences among Jocks, Greeks and Freaks

5.Sensory information is one that is perceived through ________.

6.You interpret by comparing it against the memories already stored in your brain ________.

7.The way we stereotype people is a less mature form of thinking, which is similar to ________.

8.We can use our more mature style of thinking thanks to ________.

A　a stranger’s less mature type of thinking

B　the most complex areas of our cortex

C　the immature form of thinking of a very young child

D　the meaning of incoming sensory information

E　the sights and sounds of the world

F　an opportunity to analyze different forms of thinking

答案与题解：

1.D　本段叙述的是人脑解读感官信息的过程。

2.C　本段举例说明第一印象解读的过程，将第二段叙述的内容具体化。

3.B　本段对第一印象进行了评论，说第一印象不成熟，simplistic and categorical。

4.A　本段说如果我们与某个人多接触，了解他的生活、希望、梦想和性格特征，我们对该人的认识就不会停留在第一印象的阶段，而是进入一个更深的层次。

5.E　选E的依据在第二段的第三句。

6.D　选D的依据在第二段的最后两句。sensory information的意思就是information perceived through sensory organs(视觉、听觉、味觉、触觉、嗅觉等)。

7.C　选C的依据在第四段的第一句，该句是：When we stereotype people, we use a less mature form of thinking(not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child)that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others.

8.B　选B的依据在第五段第二句。

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