英语听力精选进阶版 6388

Perhaps because of traditional beliefs that men are tougher than women, it's common for British people these days to joke about men's weaknesses.

A man who complains he's ill with a cold might be told he just has 'man flu.' The implication is a woman keeps working when she has a cold, while a man exaggerates its effects, in order to get some sympathy and get out of doing any work.

According to the British saying, such a man is being 'a big girl's blouse,' a jokey way of saying he's not as manly¹ and brave as he could be.

But now it seems maybe men aren't such big girl's blouses after all.

Researchers at Leeds Metropolitan² University in England inflicted³ pain on 200 Libyan and British students, and studied how they responded. They found that although there was no difference in the unpleasantness of the pain, the men were much more stoical about it. They showed a higher pain threshold, and reported less pain afterwards.

The women showed more sensitivity. They tolerated less pain, and were happier to admit it hurt.

So why did the men put up with more pain than women? Gender⁴ stereotypes⁵ seem to be playing a part, with women expected to be sensitive and men feeling the pressure to show they're macho.

The research found that these gender differences were stronger in the Libyan students than the British ones. The Libyan men also had a higher pain threshold than British men. This suggests that cultural differences also play a part in how people cope with pain.

Research into pain is important, because it could help scientists develop better pain relief, and help people who live with chronic⁶ pain. Most pain killers⁷ are tested on men.

Quiz 测验

According to the research, who was more stoical about pain, men or women?

Men.

In the experiment, who tolerated more pain, the British or Libyan men?

Libyan men.

According to the article, why don't men show that they're in pain?

Because they want to seem macho or manly.

Why is research into pain important?

It could help develop better pain relief and help people live with chronic pain.

True or false? Calling a man a 'big girl's blouse' means he's brave.

False. It means he's not being brave.

Glossary 词汇表

traditional beliefs 传统观念

tougher 更强硬

implication 暗示，含义

exaggerates its effects 夸大它的影响

get some sympathy 博取一些同情

get out of 逃避，避免（事情）

manly 男子气概的

brave 勇敢的

inflicted pain 强加痛苦

stoical 坚忍的

pain threshold （生理）痛阈

sensitivity 敏感度

tolerated 忍受

admit it hurt 承认痛了

put up with 忍受

gender stereotypes 性别刻板印象、特征

macho 有男子气慨的

cultural differences 文化差异

cope with 应对

pain relief 缓解疼痛

chronic pain 慢性疼痛

pain killers 止痛药

1 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

2 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

3 inflicted   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
• Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。

4 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

5 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

7 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。