Many of us feel uneasy when someone stands too close
to us, talks to us too loudly or makes eye contact(接觸) with us for too long. But have you ever wondered why
those things make you uncomfortable?
It’s all about personal
peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the
space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated(侵犯) when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or
look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile
phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume(香水) makes you feel angry.
Whether people have had a
stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say.
Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire(渴望) to have space to themselves. In a survey by
TripAdvisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for
some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food.
Although people may need
their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who
hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from
strangers.
Go and watch a library table.
You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first,
because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe
you will pile up books as if to make a wall.
Preference(偏好) for personal space are different from culture to
culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal
space than people from other cultures. In Latin(拉丁人的)
cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other.
1.The writer mainly _________ in this article.
A. tells us how to achieve personal space
B. explains why people need personal space
C. introduces some knowledge about personal space
D. argues for the importance of keeping personal space
2.Who might feel his personal space is safe according
to the passage?
A. A person who has to sit next to a lady putting on
strong perfume.
B. A person who has been watched by a stranger for a
long time.
C. A person who hears strange noises when reading at
home.
D. A Latin boy who is chatting with a friend sitting
close to him.
3.What can we know from the survey by TripAdvisor?
A. People need a smaller personal space in recent
times than before.
B. People have a strong desire for personal space in
recent times.
C. There are not enough seats on the plane to meet
people’s needs.
D. Food service is better provided than seats on the
plane.
4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the
passage?
A. The space around the body is more needed than that
around all the senses.
B. If you hold newspapers on the bus, your personal
space won’t be violated.
C. People usually choose the corner seats first in a
library for personal space.
D. Different cultures share the same preferences for
personal space.
