(每日一读)高考英语考前突破阅读理解能力文化教育吃面或吃米造成人的个性差异素材

1吃面或吃米造成人的个性差异据外媒报道，在中国，北方人吃面，南方人吃米，研究发现，这一差别造成了巨大的个性差异。以面食为主的北方人具有更多的个人主义倾向，离婚率更高。相比之下，爱吃米的南方人更多地表现出东亚文化的传统品质，离婚率更低。InChina,asinmanycountries,thenorth-southdividerunsdeep.Peoplefromthenorthareseenashaleandhearty（精神充沛的）,whilesouthernersareoftenportrayedascunning（狡猾的）,culturedtraders.Northernersaretallerthansoutherners.Thenortheatsnoodles,whilethesoutheatsrice--andaccordingtonewresearch,whenitcomestopersonality,thatdifferencehasmeanteverything.AstudypublishedFridaybyagroupofpsychologistsinthejournalSciencefindsthatChina'snoodle-slurpingnorthernersaremoreindividualistic,showmoreanalyticthoughtanddivorcemorefrequently.Bycontrast,theauthorswrite,rice-eatingsouthernersshowmorehallmarkstraditionallyassociatedwithEastAsianculture,includingmoreholisticthoughtandlowerdivorcerates.Thereason?Cultivatingrice,theauthorssay,isalotharder.Picturearicepaddy（稻田）,itsdelicateseedlingstuckedinabedofwater.Theyrequirecarefultendingandmanyhoursoflabor--bysomeestimates,twiceasmuchaswheat--aswellasrelianceonirrigationsystemsthatrequireneighborlycooperation.Astheauthorswrite,forsouthernersgrowingrice,strictself-reliancemighthavemeantstarvation.Growingwheat,bycontrast,thenorth'sstaplegrain,ismuchsimpler.OneChinesefarmingguidefromthe1600squotedinthestudyadvisedaspiringfarmersthatifoneisshortoflaborpower,itisbesttogrowwheat.Toproducetheirfindings,theauthorsevaluatedtheattitudesof1,162HanChinesestudentsinBeijingandLiaoninginthenorthandinFujian,Guangdong,YunnanandSichuaninthesouth.Tocontrolforotherfactorsthatdistinguishthenorthandsouth--suchasclimate,dialectandcontactwithherdingcultures--theauthorsalsoanalyzeddifferencesbetweenvariousneighboringcountiesinfivecentralprovincesalongChina'srice-wheatborder.Accordingtotheauthors,theinfluenceofricecultivationcanhelpexplainEastAsia'sstrangelypersistentinterdependence.Forexample,theysaySouthKoreaandJapanhaveremainedlessindividualisticthanWesterncountries,evenasthey'vegrownmorewealthy.Theauthorsaren'taloneinobservingtheinfluencevariouscropshaveonshapingculture.MalcolmGladwellinhis2008bookOutliersalsodrewconnectionsbetweenahard-workingethic(measuredbyawillingnesstofilloutlong,tedious2questionnaires)toahistoricaltraditionofricecultivationinplacessuchasSouthKorea,TaiwanandJapan,giventhatthefarmingofsuchcropsisarguablyanequallytediouschore.Butwhatwillhappentosuchdifferencesafterpeoplemoveawayfromtendingsuchcrops,asisnowhappeningacrossChina?ThestudycitesfindingsthatUSregionssettledbyScottishandIrishherdersshowmoreviolenceevenlongaftermostherders'descendantshavefoundotherlinesofworkasevidencethatculturaltraitsstubbornlyresistchange,evenovertime.(Herders,psychologiststheorize,arereadytoputtheirlivesonthelinetoprotecttheiranimalsagainstthievesorattack.)InthecaseofChina,theauthorsconclude,onlytimewilltell.