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 difference. In fact, your brain
continuously process incoming sensory information—the sights and sounds of your
world, these incoming "signals" are compared against 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 school, 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, "His 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
wrong. 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 learn 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.
填空题
A. A Fairly New Development
B. Classics of Science Fiction
C. Difficulty in Keeping Ahead of Scientific Advances
D. Origins of Science Fiction
E. Themes of Modern Science Fiction
Paragraph 2 ______
填空题
Paragraph 3 ______
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Paragraph 4 ______
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Paragraph 5 ______
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A. concerned with the problems to solve in the future
B. to keep ahead of scientific advances
C. implication
D. a current theme
E. read worldwide
F. a recurrent theme
Sensory information is one that is perceived through ______.
填空题
You interpret ______ by comparing incoming information against the memories already stored in your brain.
填空题
The way we stereotype people is a less mature form of thinking, which is similar to ______.
填空题
We can use our more mature style of thinking thanks to ______.