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新编大学英语阅读部分第四册Unit5-1

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Unit 5
Appearance

In-Class Reading
Physical Attractiveness

1 What do you look for in a potential date? Sincerity1? Good looks? Character? Conversational2 ability? Asked to rank such attributes, most intellectuals put physical attractiveness near the bottom of the list. Of course. Sophisticated, intelligent people are not greatly concerned with such superficial qualities as good looks; they know that "beauty is only skin deep." At least they know that's how they ought to feel. As Cicero counseled, "The final good and the supreme3 duty of the wise man is to resist appearance."
2 This intuition that looks matter little may be another instance of our denying real influences upon us, for there is now a file drawer full of research studies indicating that appearance is a powerful determinant of initial attraction. The consistency4 and pervasiveness5 of this effect is startling, perhaps even disconcerting. Good looks are a great asset.
3 Like it or not, the fact is that a young woman's physical attractiveness is a moderately good predictor of how frequently she dates; a young man's attractiveness, slightly less a predictor of how frequently he dates. Does this simply imply, as many have surmised7, that women are better at following Cicero's advice to "resist appearance"? Or does it merely reflect the fact that men more often do the inviting8? If women were to indicate their preferences among various men, would looks be as important to them as to men?
4 Some researchers have addressed this question by providing men and women students with various pieces of information about someone of the other sex, including a picture of the person, or by briefly9 introducing a man and a woman, and later asking them how interested they would be in dating one another. In these experiments, women were virtually as much influenced by a man's looks as men were by a woman's.
5 Do the benefits of being good-looking spring entirely10 from one's being sexually attractive? Clearly not. Young children are favorably biased11 toward attractive children much as adults are biased toward attractive adults. When adults judge children they are similarly biased. Margaret Clifford and Elaine Hatfield showed Missouri fifth-grade teachers identical information about a boy or girl, but with the photograph of an attractive or unattractive child attached. The teachers who judged an attractive child saw the child as more intelligent and more likely to do well in school. Or think of yourself as a playground supervisor12 having to discipline an unruly child. Might you be tempted13 to give more benefit of the doubt if the child is attractive?
6 What is more, beautiful people, even if of the same sex, are assumed also to possess certain desirable traits. Other things being equal, they are guessed to be happier, more intelligent, more sociable14, more successful, and more competent. When in need, they receive more help. When good things happen (for example, a promotion), attractive people are perceived as more responsible for the outcome than are unattractive people; when bad things happen, attractive people are seen as less responsible. To top it off, attractive people, more than unattractive people, are guessed to have personalities15 like one's own. Added together, the findings point to a physical-attractiveness stereotype16: What is beautiful is good. Children are taught the stereotype quite early. Snow White and Cinderella are beautiful--and kind; the witch and the stepsisters are ugly--and wicked. As one kindergarten girl put it when asked what it means to be pretty, "It's like being a princess. Everybody loves you".
7 However, we should not overstate the potency17 of the attractiveness stereotype. To say that attractiveness is important, other things being equal, is not to say that physical appearance is always more important than other qualities. Attractiveness probably most affects first impressions; one's appearance is vivid, it draws immediate18 attention. As a relationship develops, appearance may diminish in importance. Nevertheless, first impressions are important, not only for one's prospects19 for dating, but also for job interviews. If first impressions are bad, there may never be a chance for second impressions. Indications are that attractiveness does figure strongly in hiring decisions. Moreover, as society has seemingly become more mobile and urbanized--our contacts with doctors, colleagues, and neighbors more fleeting--first impressions have probably become more important than ever before.
8 Is the physical-attractiveness stereotype accurate? Or was Leo Tolstoy correct when he wrote that it's "a strange illusion... to suppose that beauty is goodness"? There might well be a trace of truth to the stereotype. Children and young adults who are attractive tend to have higher self-esteem. They are more assertive20, though they are also believed to be more egotistical. They are neither more nor less academically capable (contrary to the negative stereotype that "beauty times brains equals a constant"). However, they are somewhat more socially polished.
9 Thus far, I have described attractiveness as if it were an objective quality like height, something some people have more of, some less. Actually, attractiveness is whatever the people of any given place and time find attractive. This, of course, varies. And even in a given place and time, there is (fortunately) some disagreement about who's attractive and who's not. Generally, though, "attractive" facial and bodily features do not deviate21 too drastically from the average. Noses, legs, or statures that are not unusually large or small tend to be perceived as relatively23 attractive.
10 We can conclude our discussion of attractiveness on a heart-warming note. Not only do we perceive attractive people as likable, but we also perceive likable people as physically24 attractive. Perhaps you can recall individuals who, as you grew to like them, became more attractive, their physical imperfections no longer so noticeable. For example, Alan Gross and Christine Crofton had University of Missouri students view someone's photograph after reading a favorable or unfavorable description of the person's personality. Those perceived as good appeared more attractive. Other researchers have found that the more in love a woman is with a man, the more physically attractive she finds him. Apparently25 Plato was right: "The good is the beautiful." (1002 words)

Time taken: _______ minutes

Proper Names

Alan Gross
(男子名)艾伦.格劳斯

Christine Crofton
(女子名)克里斯廷·克罗夫顿

Cinderella
灰姑娘(童话人物)

Elaine Hatfield
(女子名)伊莱恩·哈特菲尔德

Margaret Clifford
(女子名)玛格丽特·克利福德

Leo Tolstoy
列·托尔斯泰(1828-1910,俄国作家。主要作品:《战争与和平》、《复活》等)

Plato
柏拉图(427-347BC,古希腊哲学家)

Snow White
白雪公主(童话人物)

University of Missouri
密苏里大学(美国一所大学)

New Words

academically *
adv. in terms of performance in academic courses学业上
e.g. All the candidates are well qualified26 academically.

assertive*
adj. confidently aggressive or self-assured, forceful 果断的,自信的,有冲劲的
e.g. I) A good army officer must be assertive.
II) His assertive nature helped him attain27 his goals.

attractiveness *
n. the quality of being pleasing to the eye or mind 魅力,吸引力
e.g. She doesn't have to worry about her attractiveness- everyone thinks she's beautiful.

consistency*
n. the state of always keeping to the same principles or course of action 一贯性,前后一
e.g. I) There's no consistency between what he says and what he does.
II) The consistency of the teacher's making the students work hard helps them learn a lot.

conversational *
adj. of or relating to conversation 善于辞令的,会话的
e.g. I) His family fascinated me with their brilliant conversational powers.
II) Business letters are not usually written in conversational style.

determinant *
n. something that controls or influences what will happen 决定因素
e.g. I) Social class is a major determinant of consumer spending patterns.
II) Is cost or reliability28 the main determinant in choosing a new car?

deviate
v. vary or move away, as from a norm or purpose 偏离,背离
e.g. I) The plane deviated29 from its usual route.
II) Their plans deviated from what we originally agreed to do.

disconcerting
adj. making someone feel confused or worried 令人不安的,令人烦恼的
e.g. The old man had this disconcerting habit of pausing before he spoke30.

drastically *
adv. extremely, severely31 极端地,严厉地
e.g. I) They kept cutting the budget drastically.
II) You can drastically alter your appearance by dyeing your hair.

favorable
adj.
1) approving, praising 赞同的,称赞的
e.g. I) The film received favorable reviews.
II) His request met with a favorable response.
2) helpful, advantageous32 有利的,顺利的
e.g. I) Conditions are favorable for skiing today.
II) The noisy environment of the office is scarcely favorable to the kind of concentration that is expected of us.

favorably *
adv. positively33, beneficially 赞同地,有利地
e.g. I) Television audiences responded favorably to the series.
II) Japan is thus favorably placed to maintain its lead as the most successful manufacturing nation.

heart-warming *
adj. causing feelings of happiness and pleasure 暖人心房的
e.g. Is there a sight more heart-warming than a family reunion?

imperfection *
n. a fault or defect that someone or something has 缺陷,缺点,不完美
e.g. I) There are no imperfections in this china.
II) A tendency to be lazy was his only imperfection.

likable *
adj. easy to like, with a pleasing personality 可爱的,值得喜欢的
e.g. He is a likable boy, always friendly.

moderately *
adv. to a certain extent, not excessively 适中地,有限地
e.g. I) His handwriting was moderately good.
II) She is moderately happy with her new car.

overstate *
v. state something too strongly, exaggerate 言过其实,夸大
e.g. We must not frighten people by overstating the dangers.

pervasiveness
n. the state of spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people 遍布,普遍蔓延
e.g. The book deals with the pervasiveness of television in our culture.

polished *
adj. polite and graceful34 有礼貌的,文雅的
e.g. The hostess has a polished manner towards her guests.

sexually *
adv. in a way that relates to sex 两性之间地

sincerity *
n. honesty in thought and action 真诚,诚挚,诚实
e.g. I) She said it in all sincerity.
II) I like her sincerity; she means what she says.

startling *
adj. very unusual or surprising 令人吃惊的,惊人的
e.g. I) I've got some startling news for you!
II) The results were quite startling-a 78% increase in six months.

stature22
n. someone's height 身高
e.g. Most professional basketball players are tall in stature.

stepsister*
n. one's stepfather's or stepmother's daughter by a previous marriage 同父异母(或同母异父)的姐姐或妹妹

surmise6
v. make a reasonable guess 推测,猜测
e.g. After seeing that the room was empty, he surmised that the party was over.

unfavorable*
adj. negative, disapproving35, bad 否定的,不利的
e.g. I) He has formed an unfavorable opinion of my work.
II) The unfavorable weather prevented the game from being played.

unruly
adj. not easily controlled, disobedient and wild 不守规矩的,不受约束的
e.g. The little boy's parents think he's energetic, but his teacher finds him unruly.

urbanize*
v. change (especially a rural place) into a town-like area 使都市化
e.g. The coastal36 regions are highly urbanized and industrialized.

wicked
adj. bad, wrong, immoral37 坏的,邪恶的
e.g. I) It is wicked to make other people suffer.
II) It was very clear to him that he had done something wicked.


Phrases and Expressions

be concerned with
be involved in something because it interests someone or because someone thinks it's important 关心
e.g. I) We are more concerned with efficiency than expansion.
II) The novelist is not concerned with other people's attitude to his work.

give someone the benefit of the doubt
believe that someone is telling the truth, or is innocent of wrongdoing, in the absence of any proof for or against the person(在没有相反的语气之前)给予肯定的判断,或者假定某人是无辜的
e.g. I) They decided38 to give the President the benefit of the doubt.
II) We don't really know if Jane was cheating or not; I'd be inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt.

point to
suggest the strong possibility of, be a sign of 显出大有可能......,表明是......的迹象
e.g. I) All the facts point to the same conclusion.
II) All the evidence points to Randall as the murderer.

spring from
be the result of 出于,由......而来,由......造成
e.g. I) Her unhappiness has sprung from her lack of self-confidence.
II) His fear of dogs springs from a bad experience as a child.

top it (all) off
in addition, usually something especially good or very bad 更有甚者,最妙的是,最糟糕的是
e.g. Tom hadn't finished his homework, he was late for school, and to top it all off he missed a surprise test(事先不知道的考试)


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 sincerity zyZwY     
n.真诚,诚意;真实
参考例句:
  • His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
  • He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。
2 conversational SZ2yH     
adj.对话的,会话的
参考例句:
  • The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。
  • She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。
3 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
4 consistency IY2yT     
n.一贯性,前后一致,稳定性;(液体的)浓度
参考例句:
  • Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。
  • We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。
5 pervasiveness 39357a08caf13b58fffa2b46afd3fd1d     
n.无处不在,遍布
参考例句:
  • The consistency and pervasiveness of this effect is startling, perhaps even disconcerting. 外表的这种作用始终存在、影响甚广,这实在令人惊讶,甚至烦恼不安。 来自互联网
  • A major cause of this pervasiveness is the structural difference between application logic and security logic. 这种普遍性的主要因素是应用逻辑和安全逻辑之间的结构差。 来自互联网
6 surmise jHiz8     
v./n.猜想,推测
参考例句:
  • It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
  • I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。
7 surmised b42dd4710fe89732a842341fc04537f6     
v.臆测,推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 );揣测;猜想
参考例句:
  • From the looks on their faces, I surmised that they had had an argument. 看他们的脸色,我猜想他们之间发生了争执。
  • From his letter I surmised that he was unhappy. 我从他的信中推测他并不快乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 inviting CqIzNp     
adj.诱人的,引人注目的
参考例句:
  • An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
  • The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人,使人感到亲切温馨。
9 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
10 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
11 biased vyGzSn     
a.有偏见的
参考例句:
  • a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
  • The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。
12 supervisor RrZwv     
n.监督人,管理人,检查员,督学,主管,导师
参考例句:
  • Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说,我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
  • He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。
13 tempted b0182e969d369add1b9ce2353d3c6ad6     
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚,但还是没开口。
  • I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。
14 sociable hw3wu     
adj.好交际的,友好的,合群的
参考例句:
  • Roger is a very sociable person.罗杰是个非常好交际的人。
  • Some children have more sociable personalities than others.有些孩子比其他孩子更善于交际。
15 personalities ylOzsg     
n. 诽谤,(对某人容貌、性格等所进行的)人身攻击; 人身攻击;人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
  • Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。
16 stereotype rupwE     
n.固定的形象,陈规,老套,旧框框
参考例句:
  • He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
  • There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。
17 potency 9Smz8     
n. 效力,潜能
参考例句:
  • Alcohol increases the drug's potency.酒精能增加这种毒品的效力。
  • Sunscreen can lose its potency if left over winter in the bathroom cabinet.如果把防晒霜在盥洗室的壁橱里放一个冬天,就有可能失效。
18 immediate aapxh     
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的
参考例句:
  • His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
  • We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。
19 prospects fkVzpY     
n.希望,前途(恒为复数)
参考例句:
  • There is a mood of pessimism in the company about future job prospects. 公司中有一种对工作前景悲观的情绪。
  • They are less sanguine about the company's long-term prospects. 他们对公司的远景不那么乐观。
20 assertive De7yL     
adj.果断的,自信的,有冲劲的
参考例句:
  • She always speaks an assertive tone.她总是以果断的语气说话。
  • China appears to have become more assertive in the waters off its coastline over recent years.在近些年,中国显示出对远方海洋的自信。
21 deviate kl9zv     
v.(from)背离,偏离
参考例句:
  • Don't deviate from major issues.不要偏离主要问题。
  • I will never deviate from what I believe to be right.我绝不背离我自信正确的道路。
22 stature ruLw8     
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材
参考例句:
  • He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
  • The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。
23 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地,相对地
参考例句:
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
24 physically iNix5     
adj.物质上,体格上,身体上,按自然规律
参考例句:
  • He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服,心绪也很乱。
  • Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。
25 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
26 qualified DCPyj     
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的
参考例句:
  • He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
  • We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。
27 attain HvYzX     
vt.达到,获得,完成
参考例句:
  • I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
  • His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。
28 reliability QVexf     
n.可靠性,确实性
参考例句:
  • We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
  • I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。
29 deviated dfb5c80fa71c13be0ad71137593a7b0a     
v.偏离,越轨( deviate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • On this occasion the plane deviated from its usual flight path. 这一次那架飞机偏离了正常的航线。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His statements sometimes deviated from the truth. 他的陈述有时偏离事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》
30 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
31 severely SiCzmk     
adv.严格地;严厉地;非常恶劣地
参考例句:
  • He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
  • He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。
32 advantageous BK5yp     
adj.有利的;有帮助的
参考例句:
  • Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。
  • You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。
33 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
34 graceful deHza     
adj.优美的,优雅的;得体的
参考例句:
  • His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
  • The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。
35 disapproving bddf29198e28ab64a272563d29c1f915     
adj.不满的,反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
36 coastal WWiyh     
adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的
参考例句:
  • The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
  • This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。
37 immoral waCx8     
adj.不道德的,淫荡的,荒淫的,有伤风化的
参考例句:
  • She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
  • It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。
38 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
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