Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it’s because we have mirror neurons (镜像神经元) in our brains.
Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains copy it, whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further: mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions, they also tell us that there is biological basis for the way we understand other people.
Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example: The hand took hold of the ball), the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball).
Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.
Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and communicate. Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent (相等物) for neuroscience of what Enstein’s theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does—well, perhaps you’ll understand why.
32. Mirror neurons can explain _________.
A. why we cry when we are hurt
B. why we cough when we suffer from a cold
C. why we smile when we see someone else smile
D. why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late
33. The underlined word “triggered” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_________”.
A. broken up B. set of
f C. built up D. cut off
34. Which of the following statements is TRUE about mirror neurons?
A. They result in bad behavior and social disorders
B. They control human physical actions and feelings
C. They determine our knowledge and language abilities
D. They relate to human behavior and communication
35. What is the passage mainly about?
A. Existence of mirror neurons. B. Functions of mirror neurons.
C. Ways to find mirror neurons. D. Problems of mirror neurons.