2024届高考英语外刊阅读天天练：综合训练九

高考英语外刊阅读天天练 综合训练九 I 阅读理解 题源Human tears contain substance that eases aggression 【The Guardian (December 22, 2023)】 Human tears carry a substance that dampens down aggression, according to researchers, who believe the drops may have evolved over time to protect wailing babies from harm. Charles Darwin puzzled over the point of weeping. Writing in The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals in 1872, the great naturalist declared sobbing as “purposeless as the secretion of tears from a blow outside the eye”. But in the 150 years since, researchers have proposed all manner of roles, from signalling vulnerability and helplessness to clearing bacteria from the eyes. Previous work found that sniffing women’s tears reduced male testosterone but it was unclear whether this affected behaviour. For the latest study, Dr Shani Agron collected tears rolling down women’s faces as they watched sad movies. The experiments involved 31 men who sniffed either saline or women’s tears before having swabs dabbed with the droplets stuck to their upper lip. The men then took part in a computerised game used in psychology to provoke aggressive behaviour by unfairly deducting players’ points. Aggressive behaviour, in the form of retribution, was 43.7% lower when men were sniffing women’s tears versus saline, the scientists write in Plos Biology. Further tests in a brain scanner revealed that tear-sniffers had more functional connectivity between regions that handle scents and aggression, while activity in brain networks for aggression was lower. The chemicals in tears are unlikely to have much impact on the social interactions of adults, researchers concede, but they speculate that the composition of tears may have evolved to protect vulnerable babies. Ad Vingerhoets, an emeritus professor of emotions and wellbeing at the University of Tilburg, said: “It makes sense if tears in some way inhibit aggression because it’s common knowledge that infants that cry a lot are at risk for physical abuse. I