No matter where in the world you go, facial attractiveness is a top priority for many people. Some even spend hours staring at themselves in front of the mirror. _(1)_ While beauty may only be in the eye of the beholder, when it comes to faces, research shows that certain qualities contribute to their overall attractiveness. This may explain why celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, and Angelina Jolie are considered attractive all over the world.
_(2)_ This means that there is the perfect amount of space between their eyes, nose, cheekbones, and mouth. Plato wrote that the "width of an ideal face would be 2/3 its length while a nose would be no longer than the distance between the eyes." _(3)_
In an experiment conducted at the University of Louisville, Plato's theory was proved correct. In the study, participants were shown pictures of Latinos, Asians, and Whites from 13 different countries. _(4)_ Evidence also suggests that our preference to see faces that are balanced begins from a very early age. In a different test, infants preferred to stare at pictures of symmetrical faces rather than asymmetrical ones.
In their desire to have a perfect face, some people resort to plastic surgery. _(5)_ But when all is said and done, the beauty that is of greatest importance actually lies within.
——by Jenny Chou
(A) Even though these celebrities weren't around in the days of Ancient Greece, what makes people consider them attractive now is much the same as it was back then — facial symmetry.
(B) They work on acquiring perfect beauty by carving, snipping, and chipping their faces into symmetry.
(C) Regardless of race, those with the most even faces were judged as being more pleasing to the eye.
(D) His ideas weren't perfect, but he was the first to imply that the space of a person's facial features played a role in one's attractiveness.
(E) Waking up at five in the morning isn't out of the question for some who want to make sure that their appearance is perfect.
單字
1. attractiveness n. 吸引力
2. beholder n. 觀看者
3. overall a. 全面的
4. celebrity n. 名人
5. cheekbone n. 顴骨
6. participant n. 參與者
7. preference n. 喜好
8. symmetrical a. 對稱的
asymmetrical a. 不對稱的
9. plastic surgery n. 整形手術
片語
1. a top priority 最優先∕重要的事物
例: You should make it a top priority to pay attention to his lectures.
（你應該將聽他的課視為最重要的事。）
2. contribute to + N/V-ing 造成∕導致……
例: Years of drinking contributed to his failing liver.
（經年累月喝酒造成他的肝功能衰退。）
3. conduct vt. 執行，實施
例: The experiment was conducted by scientists in L.A.
（該項實驗由洛杉磯的科學家所執行。）
4. balanced a. 平衡的
balance vt. 使平衡
例: Martha struggled to balance her work and family.
（瑪莎努力要在她的工作和家庭中取得平衡。）
5. resort to + N/V-ing 訴諸……（手段、方法等）
例: The poor villager resorted to begging to feed her children.
（那窮困的村婦靠乞討來餵孩子。）
6. When all is said and done, S + V 話說到底∕總之，……
例: When all is said and done, the car will soon be paid off and we can start saving for a house.
（總而言之，車款不久就會付清，我們便可以開始存錢買房子了。）
解題
1. 第一題空格應選 (E)
理由:
空格前提到有些人會花上幾小時照鏡子（Some even spend hours...in front of the mirror），選項(E)則說有些人會起個大早打扮以確保自己完美的外表（...for some who want to make sure that their appearance is perfect.），語意前後連貫，且some形成兩句關鍵字，可知(E)應為正選。
大補丸:
be out of the question 不可能的
例: Leaving the company isn't out of the question for me. It's just a matter of time.
（離開公司對我而言並非不可能。這只是時間問題。）
2. 第二題空格應選 (A)
理由:
空格前一段最後一句提到一些有魅力的名人（celebrities such as... are considered attractive），而選項(A)則說明這些名人（these celebrities）充滿魅力的原因為何（what makes people consider them attractive），語意前後連貫，且celebrities為兩句產生關聯，可知(A)為正選。
大補丸:
a. be around 存在；活躍
例: Even though this type of music has been around for ages, many people are just now discovering it.
（儘管這種類型的音樂已經存在很久，許多人直到現在才發現它。）
b. symmetry n. 對稱（性）
3. 第三題空格應選 (D)
理由:
空格前說柏拉圖（Plato）寫過其對完美臉蛋的標準，而選項(D)則說他是第一位暗示五官間的距離為吸引力重要一環的人，語意前後連貫，而選項中的His即等於Plato's ，為兩句之關鍵字，可知(D)應為正選。
大補丸:
a. imply vt. 暗示
例: I am not implying anything about your cooking. But can we eat out tonight?
（我不是在暗示你的廚藝有任何問題。但我們今晚可以出去吃嗎？）
b. play a role in... 對……造成影響∕起作用
例: Germany played a role in starting World War II.
（德國是導致二次世界大戰爆發的元兇之一。）
4. 第四題空格應選 (C)
理由:
空格前說參與研究的人觀看不同種族的照片（pictures of Latinos, Asians, and Whites），而選項(C)一開始即說不論種族，臉部對稱的人被視為最美（Regardless of race, those with the most even faces...pleasing to the eye），正解釋本段第一句所說，柏拉圖的理論在現代得到證實，且選項中的race與其前的Latinos、Asians and Whites為關鍵字，故(C)應為正選。
大補丸:
a. regardless of... 不論∕儘管……
例: Regardless of her pain and sorrow, Emma still went to work.
（儘管痛苦又傷心，艾瑪仍去上班。）
b. even a. 平衡的
c. be pleasing to the eye 賞心悅目的
例: Although Tammy is very pleasing to the eye, she isn't very smart.
（雖然泰咪長得好看，卻不太聰明。）
5. 第五題空格應選 (B)
理由:
空格前說有些人為變美會去動整形手術（plastic surgery），選項(B)則說這些人為了美貌而將自己的臉又挖、又剪、又削（by carving, snipping, and chipping their faces），其中的carving、snipping、chipping等字與空格前提到的plastic surgery相呼應，故(B)應為正選。
大補丸:
a. work on... 致力於……
例: You should really work on improving your French before you go on vacation.
（你去渡假前應該要好好努力讓法文進步。）
b. carve vt. 切，雕刻
c. snip vt. 剪去
d. chip vt. 削
不論你走到世界哪個角落，臉蛋的吸引力對許多人來說極為重要。有些人甚至會花上好幾小時在鏡子前盯著自己瞧。對一些想確保自己的外表完美無暇的人而言，清晨5點起床也不是不可能的事。雖說情人眼裡出西施，但是談到臉蛋，研究顯示某種特質會促進整體的吸引力。這可能也解釋了為什麼全世界的人都覺得布萊德‧彼特、珍妮佛‧羅培茲和安潔莉娜‧裘莉這些名人別具魅力。
雖然這些名人並不生活在古希臘，但他們吸引人的原因在現代和當時都十分雷同――對稱的臉蛋。這表示他們的雙眼、鼻子、顴骨和嘴巴的間距十分完美。柏拉圖曾寫過：『一個完美臉蛋，寬度必須是長度的3分之2，鼻子不能比兩眼的距離還長。』他的看法並非完善，但他是第一位暗示五官間的距離對吸引力很重要的人。
在路易斯維爾大學所執行的一項實驗中，柏拉圖的理論獲得證實。在實驗中，參與研究的人看了分別來自13個國家的拉丁人、亞洲人和白種人的照片，結果不分種族，那些擁有對稱臉蛋的人被認為最賞心悅目。證據也顯示，我們對這種臉蛋的喜好從小就這樣。在另一項實驗裡，嬰兒比較喜歡看的照片是對稱的臉，而非不對稱的臉。
為了追求完美，有些人會去動整形手術。他們致力追求無可挑剔的美麗，將他們的臉孔又挖、又剪、又削地達到對稱。但是說到底，最重要的美麗事實上來自我們的內在。
標準答案: 1. (E) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (C) 5. (B)
from 常春藤解析英語雜誌
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