Question

Most damagingly, anger weakens a person’s ability to think clearly and keep control over his behaviour. The angry person loses objectivity in evaluating the emotional significance of the person or situation that arouses his anger.

Not everyone experiences anger in the same way; what angers one person may amuse another. The specific expression of anger also differs from person to person based on biological and cultural forces. In contemporary culture, physical expressions of anger are generally considered too socially harmful to be tolerated. We no longer regard duels (决斗) as an appropriate expression of anger resulting from one person’s awareness of insulting behaviour on the part of another.

Anger can be identified in the brain, where the electrical activity changes. Under most conditions EEG (脑电图) measures of electrical activity show balanced activity between the right and left prefrontal (额叶前部) areas. Behaviourally this corresponds to the general even-handed disposition (意向) that most of us possess most of the time. But when we are angry the EEG of the right and left prefrontal areas aren’t balanced and, as a result of this, we’re likely to react. And our behavioural response to anger is different from our response to other emotions, whether positive or negative.

Most positive emotions are associated with approach behaviour: we move closer to people we like. Most negative emotions, in contrast, are associated with avoidance behaviour: we move away from people and things that we dislike or that make us anxious. But anger is an exception to this pattern. The angrier we are, the more likely we are to move towards the object of our anger. This corresponds to what psychologists refer to as offensive anger: the angry person moves closer in order to influence and control the person or situation causing his anger. This approach-and-confront behaviour is accompanied by a leftward prefrontal asymmetry (不对称) of EEG activity. Interestingly, this asymmetry lessens if the angry person can experience empathy (同感) towards the individual who is bringing forth the angry response. In defensive anger, in contrast, the EEG asymmetry is directed to the right and the angry person feels helpless in the face of the anger-inspiring situation.

1.The “duels” example in Paragraph 2 proves that the expression of anger ________.

A. usually has a biological basis

B. varies among people

C. influences one’s thinking and evaluation

D. is socially and culturally shaped

2.What changes can be found in an angry brain?

A. Balanced electrical activity can be spotted.

B. Unbalanced patterns are found in prefrontal areas.

C. Electrical activity corresponds to one’s behaviour.

D. Electrical activity agrees with one’s disposition.

3.Which of the following is typical of offensive anger?

A. Approaching the source of anger.

B. Trying to control what is disliked.

C. Moving away from what is disliked.

D. Feeling helpless in the face of anger.

4.What is the key message of the last paragraph?

A. How anger differs from other emotions.

B. How anger relates to other emotions.

C. Behavioural patterns of anger.

D. Behavioural responses to anger.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：生气是非常具有危害性的。生气会削弱一个人清晰思考的能力，还会控制我们的行为。生气的人会失去判断情形的客观性。生气可以在大脑中反映出来。人在生气的时候，大脑左右前额叶的脑电图会失去平衡。

1.In contemporary culture, physical expressions of anger are generally considered too socially harmful to be tolerated.”可知，在当代文化中，用肢体来表达愤怒被认为太具有社会危害性而不会被人们容忍。说明表达愤怒的方式受到文化和社会的影响，故选D。

2.But when we are angry the EEG of the right and left prefrontal areas aren’t balanced”可知，生气的时候，大脑左右前额叶区域的脑电图会变得不均衡，故选B。

3.This corresponds to what psychologists refer to as offensive anger: the angry person moves closer in order to influence and control the person or situation causing his anger.”可知，生气的时候，人们会接近让他们生气的人或者事物，故选A。

4.But anger is an exception to this pattern.”可知，生气与前面所述的行为模式不同，一个人越生气，就越有可能接近让他生气的人或事物，由此可知，本段主要讲的是生气的行为模式，故选C。

考点：心理科学类短文阅读