stories

What makes a face trustworthy?

你的大脑在不到一秒钟内就能判断出一张脸是否值得信任。
你的 NI de Your
大脑 DA nao brain
在 ZAI in
不到 BU dao less than
一秒钟 YI miao ZHONG one second
内 NEI within
就能 JIU neng can
判断出 PAN duan CHU picks
一张脸 YI zhang LIAN a face
是否 SHI fou whether
值得信任。 ZHI de XIN ren trustworthy or untrustworthy.
一项研究使用了六张脸来测试这一点。
一项 YI xiang A
研究 YAN jiu study
使用了 SHI yong LE used
六张脸 LIU zhang LIAN six faces
来 LAI to
测试 CE shi test
这一点。 ZHE yi DIAN this.
Story image
三张脸是真人的。
三张脸 SAN zhang LIAN Three faces
是 SHI were
真人的。 ZHEN ren DE real people.
三张脸是电脑生成的。
三张脸 SAN zhang LIAN Three faces
是 SHI were
电脑 DIAN nao computers
生成的。 SHENG cheng DE made by.
人们认为有些脸看起来值得信任。
人们 REN men People
认为 REN wei thought
有些 YOU xie some
脸 LIAN faces
看起来 KAN qi lai looked
值得信任。 ZHI de XIN ren trustworthy.
人们认为其他脸看起来不值得信任。
人们 REN men People
认为 REN wei thought
其他 QI ta other
脸 LIAN faces
看起来 KAN qi lai looked
不值得信任。 BU zhi de XIN ren untrustworthy.
这种情况发生得很快，甚至在你意识到你看到了一张脸之前。
这种 ZHE zhong This
情况 QING kuang happens
发生得 FA sheng DE happens
很快， HEN kuai very fast,
甚至 SHEN zhi even
在 ZAI before
你 NI you
意识到 YI shi DAO know
你 NI you
看到了 KAN dao LE saw
一张脸 YI zhang LIAN a face
之前。 ZHI qian before.
高颧骨和眉毛让一张脸看起来值得信任。
高颧骨 GAO quan GU High cheeks
和 HE and
眉毛 MEI mao eyebrows
让 RANG make
一张脸 YI zhang LIAN a face
看起来 KAN qi lai look
值得信任。 ZHI de XIN ren trustworthy
这样判断人是不公平的。
这样 ZHE yang It’s
判断 PAN duan judge
人 REN people
是 SHI is
不公平的。 BU gong PING de not fair.
但每个人都在不经思考地这样做。
但 DAN But
每个人 MEI ge REN everyone
都 DOU all
在 ZAI in
不经思考地 BU jing SI kao DE without thinking
这样做。 ZHE yang ZUO does it.

Sources:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1807222115
Test your comprehension

How quickly can the brain judge if a face is trustworthy?

  • 几秒钟
  • 不到一秒钟
  • 一分钟
  • 立刻

How many faces were used in the study?

  • 六张
  • 四张
  • 八张
  • 两张

What features make a face appear trustworthy?

  • 圆脸和小眼睛
  • 高颧骨和眉毛
  • 大嘴和长鼻子
  • 瘦脸和小耳朵

What is a common behavior regarding judgments of trustworthiness?

  • 不经思考地判断
  • 认真分析每张脸
  • 仔细观察细节
  • 向他人询问意见

Grammar cards for this story

Present Simple Tense

  • Example: 你的大脑在不到一秒钟内就能判断出一张脸是否值得信任。
  • Explanation: The present simple tense is used to express general truths or habitual actions. In this example, “你的大脑” (your brain) is the subject, and “能判断” (can judge) indicates an ability that is true in the present.

Comparative Adjectives

  • Example: 人们认为有些脸看起来值得信任。
  • Explanation: Comparative adjectives are used to compare differences between the two objects they modify (in this case, faces). “值得信任” (worthy of trust) implies that some faces are more trustworthy than others, which is a comparison of qualities.

Passive Voice

  • Example: 三张脸是真人的。
  • Explanation: The passive voice is used here to focus on the action or the recipient of the action rather than the doer. “是真人的” (are real people) indicates that the faces are identified as real without stating who identified them.

Adverbial Clauses

  • Example: 这种情况发生得很快，甚至在你意识到你看到了一张脸之前。
  • Explanation: Adverbial clauses provide context such as time or reason. “在你意识到你看到了一张脸之前” (before you realize you have seen a face) gives a specific time frame for when the situation occurs, enhancing the sentence’s meaning.

Rhetorical Questions

  • Example: 你认为你的脸在别人看来是值得信任还是不值得信任的吗？
  • Explanation: Rhetorical questions are used to provoke thought rather than to elicit an answer. This question invites the reader to reflect on their own perception of trustworthiness without expecting a direct response.
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