Unspoken Language—Body Language

王宇

Body language is the quiet， secret and most powerful language of all！ It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent. So， while your mouth is closed， your body is just saying...

Arms. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet. If you keep your arms to the sides of your body or behind your back， this suggests you are not afraid of taking on whatever comes your way. Outgoing people generally use their arms with big movements， while quieter people keep them close to their bodies. If someone upsets you， just cross your arms to show youre unhappy！

Head. When you want to appear confident， keep your head level. If you are a monitor in class， you can also take on this position when you want your words to be taken seriously. However， to be friendly in listening or speaking， you must move your head a little.

Legs. Your legs tend to move around a lot more than normal when you are nervous or telling lies. If you are at interviews， try to keep them still！

Posture. A good posture makes you feel better about yourself. If you are feeling down， you normally dont sit straight， with your shoulders inside. This makes breathing more difficult， which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

Mouth. When you are thinking， you often purse your lips. You might also use this position to hold back an angry comment you dont wish to show. However， it will probably still be noticed， and people will know youre not pleased.

Face. When you lie， you might put on a false face. But that expression would crack briefly，allowing displays of true emotions such as happiness， sadness， disgust and fear to come through.

【難句解析】

1. It is said that our body movements communicate about 50 percent of what we really mean while words only express 7 percent.

釋義：據說，我們的肢體語言表達了50%我們所想要傳達的意思，而口頭語言只表達了7%的意思。

點撥：在此句中，It is said that... 意為“據說……”，it作形式主語，that引導的從句作真正的主語。類似的結構還有：It is reported / believed / thought / known / considered+that-clause，意為“據報道/大家認為/眾所周之/人們認為……”。

It is reported that this plant can prevent cancer. 據報道，這種植物可以防治癌癥。

2. How you hold your arms shows how open and receptive you are to people you meet.

釋義：如何放置你的手臂表明你對會見的人開放和樂于傾聽的程度。

點撥：如果how open and receptive you are to people是一個單獨的句子，這個句子是感嘆句，結構為：how + adj.+主語+系動詞。但是在此句中，how open and receptive you are to people作shows的賓語從句，you meet是省去關系代詞who， whom或that的定語從句，修飾先行詞people。

You dont know how happy they were to see each other. 你不知道他們彼此見面是多么高興。

Mr. Liu is the person you talked about on the bus. 劉先生就是你們在公共汽車上談論的那個人。

3. If you are feeling down， you normally dont sit straight， with your shoulders inside.

釋義：如果你情緒低落，你通常坐不直，肩膀向內。

點撥：with your shoulders inside是由“with+名詞+副詞”構成with的復合結構，在句中作狀語。

He stood before his teacher with his head down. 他低著頭站在老師面前。

4. This makes breathing more difficult， which can make you feel nervous or uncomfortable.

釋義：這使得呼吸變得更困難，由此使你感到緊張或不舒服。

點撥：在此句中，this作主語，makes作謂語，breathing作賓語，more difficult作賓語補足語，which引導非限制性定語從句，which指代前面這句話的內容。

The police found him innocent. 警察發現他是無辜的。

He won a winning cup， which made me happy. 他贏得了一個獎杯，這令我很開心！

【閱讀鏈接】

I. Choose the right answer.

1. When someone is keeping his arms behind his back， he tries to tell you that he is ____.

A. outgoing?? ??????? B. angry???????????????? C. not afraid????? ?? D. cool

2. If you want to appear confident， you should ____.

A. move your arms a lot?????????? ??????? B. keep your head level

C. move your head a little???????? ???????? D. cross your arms

3. Which of the following movements tells someone is nervous？

A. Moving around a lot more than normal.

B. Not sitting straight with the shoulders inwards.

C. Having the lips pursed to hold back an angry comment.

D. Keeping the arms to the sides of the body.

4. What can we infer from the passage？

A. Different people in different countries must have the same understanding of the same body movement.

B. Body language can express more meanings than words do in communication.

C. We cannot communicate with others without words.

D. Its not polite to use body language in formal communication.

II. Fill in the blanks.

1. The whole city ____ ____ （呈現） a holiday appearance.

2. None of them ____ ____ ____ （害怕） difficulties; we are all determined.

3. ____ ____ ____ ____ （據信） health is above wealth.

4. He was lying on the bed ____ ____ ____ ____ （穿著衣服）.

5. ____ ____ （多么可口） these cakes are！

6. He came to my birthday party， ____ I didnt expect at all.