Question

Everybody likes taking selfies (自拍照), from your best friend to your favorite pop star. Selfies are taking over Renren and Sina Weibo. The word “selfie” was even named Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries in 2013. But why do people feel the need to take them? And are they doing us more harm than good?

According to Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in the US, posting a selfie shows a biological need for self-validation (自我验证). Humans have an area in their brain that controls social activity. Receiving positive feedback (反馈) on a selfie you have posted can be the same as someone stopping you in the street and praising your appearance. The act of taking a selfie also puts you in a position of power. You are the director and the subject of your own work of art. It helps people feel in control of their self-image and can be a powerful tool.

But can it go too far? The experts warn that too much time spent on selfies can affect people’s confidence, particularly in teenagers. If you are spending a lot of time choosing the perfect selfie outfit (着装) or finding the right angle (角度), then there could be a problem. Likewise (同样地), posting selfies can harm your personal relationships. UK studies found that many people find it hard to relate to people who are often posting selfies.

So next time you catch your smartphone to take a quick selfie, it may be better to drop it straight back into your pocket.

1.What does Rutledge think of posting selfies?

A. It helps people get to know each other.

B. It helps people take better pictures.

C. It just lets people show off their new clothes.

D. It meets (满足) people’s need for self-validation.

2.From Paragraph 2, we learn the following EXCEPT .

A. it needs some art to take good selfies

B. the brain controls people’s social activity

C. people want good comments (评论) on their selfies

D. taking selfies helps people feel in control of their self-image

3.The experts think spending too much time taking selfies can .

A. affect people’s confidence

B. give away people’s personal information

C. make people spend more on smartphones

D. cause people to spend less time with their friends

Answer 1