[Science ★★]
(P1) Have you ever seen an animal so cute that you just wanted to explode with happiness? Science has finally explained why you feel that way, and why it’s actually good for your mood.
(P2) Student researchers at Yale University decided to name our strong desire to hug things as “cute aggression”. They discovered that if we’re too happy, our body and our brain look for ways to get rid of that energy. The fastest way our bodies can get rid of energy is by being aggressive just a little more than usual. For example, instead of punching people after seeing a cute kitten, you might hug someone a little harder.
(P3) The researchers found out that the cuter the picture was, the more aggressive the volunteers would be. The volunteers were told to pop bubbles after looking at a few pictures. Those who looked at cute pictures popped 40 more bubbles on average than the others.
(P4) There are two theories about why we have cute aggression. The first reason is that we feel a need to take care of the cute creature, so we become frustrated when we can’t. The second is that our brains need to balance out our happiness with negativity, like crying while laughing.
(P5) In the end, most agree that cute aggression is not a big deal. So, continue to hug cute things, or learn to sprint if you’re just too cute.
WORDS: 233
SOURCE: http://easyenglisharticles.com/science-explains-why-we-squeeze-cute-animals/
VOCABULARY: explode, mood, aggression, punching, volunteers, bubbles, creature, frustrated
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly, summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- When was the last time you felt or displayed “cute aggression”?
- What things in life make you happy?
- When was the last time you felt sad?
READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
- What college conducted the research?
- The fastest way for our bodies release energy is to be _____________.
- Who was popping the bubbles in the study?
- How many opinions does the study suggest for “cute aggression”?
- Sometimes people display positive and negative feelings at the same time like _____________ and ______________.
EXPRESSIONS or PHRASES:
What do the following expressions or phrases mean?
- get rid (P2)
- just a little more than usual (P2)
- after looking at (P3)
- on average (P3)
- a big deal (P5)
Image source: Photo by flickr user smlp.co.uk