2023届高考英语二轮复习外刊阅读训练：我们为什么打哈欠？

23年高考英语外刊阅读理解训练——我们为什么打哈欠？ ——改编自Why do we yawn? Yawning: A Biological and Social Behaviour We've all done it - let out a big yawn, maybe because we're bored or tired, or maybe just seeing others yawn can set us off. But is this biological function contagious, and what's the reason behind it? Although many people think we yawn to take in more oxygen, research suggests that there is no clear biological reason. The latest theory suggests that yawning cools the brain down and prevents it from overheating like a laptop fan. This may explain why we yawn more in warm temperatures. Interestingly, we tend to yawn more when we're exhausted and ready for a nap. Furthermore, once we start, we can't stop until the yawn runs its course! But what makes yawning particularly compelling is that it's highly contagious. Research by John Drury, a Sussex University researcher, found that yawning is an automatic response and that dogs, animals, and humans all yawn when they see others yawning, whether they want to or not. Drury also discovered that our social group and closeness to those around us linked to our propensity to initiate the behavior. Another study conducted by the University of Nottingham confirmed that yawning is contagious between humans, and our inability to resist yawning when we observe others is limited. They further found that when volunteers were told they couldn't yawn, their urge to do so increased drastically. Studies have discovered that electrical stimulation can increase people's desire to yawn, offering potential benefits for treating other neurological conditions, such as Tourette's, which relates to the same area of the brain. In conclusion, yawning remains something mysterious and intriguing, creeping up on us even when we are not particularly tired. So, if you suddenly feel like yawning while reading this article, remember that it's normal! 【重点词汇】 1. yawning /ˈjɔː.nɪŋ/ n.打哈欠；呵欠 2. biological /baɪəˈlɒdʒɪkl/ adj.生物学的 3. social /ˈsəʊʃl/ adj.社交的 4. behaviour