How We Form First Impression

    1 We all have first impression of someone we just met. But why? Why do we form an opinion about someone without really knowing anything about him or her - aside perhaps from a few remarks or readily observable traits.
      2 The answer is related to how your brain allows you to be aware of the world.  Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in how a person's eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other make you see him or her as different1. In fact, your brain continuously processes incoming sensory information---the sights and sounds of your world. These incoming "signals" are compared against2 a host of "memories" stored in the brain areas called the cortex system to determine what these new signals "mean".
    3 If you see someone you know and like at school3, your brain says "familiar and safe". If you see someone new', it says, "new - potentially threatening". Then your brain starts to match features of this stranger with other "known" memories. The height, weight, dress, ethnicity, gestures, and tone of voice are all matched up. The more unfamiliar the characteristics, the more your brain may say, "This is new. I don't like this person". Or else, "I'm intrigued". Or your brain may perceive a new face but familiar clothes, ethnicity, gestures---like your other friends; so your brain says: “I like this person.” But these preliminary “impressions” can be dead wrong4.
    4 When we stereotype people, we use a less mature form of thinking (not unlike the immature thinking of a very young child) that makes simplistic and categorical impressions of others. Rather than    learn about the depth and breadth of people---their history, interest, values, strengths, and true character---we categorize them as jocks, geeks, or freaks.
    5 However, if we resist initial stereotypical impressions, we have a chance to be aware of what a person is truly like. If we spend time with a person, hear about his or her life, hopes, dreams, and become aware of the person's character, we use a different, more mature style of thinking---and the most complex areas of our cortex, which allow us to be humane.

    词汇：
    trait /treit／n．特点，特征，特性
    host /haust／，z．一大群，许多     simplistic /sim'phstik／以巧，过分单纯化的
    sensory /lsensar/日彩．感官的，感觉的 categorical /ik况tIlgDnkl／口彩．绝对的
    cortex／iko:teks／．脑皮层           jock/d3Dk／n．骗子  ’
    ethnicity /e01rusatI/n．种族特点       geek /gi：kl/ 以．反常的人
     intrigue／’mtng/v．激起兴趣          freak/fri：kln/ 隆人
    stereotype /'stenautaIp/v．对……产生成见；用成规的标准观察
    humane /hju'mem/口力．有人‘情味的，人文的

    注释：
    1. Your brain is so sensitive in picking up facial traits, even very minor difference in how a person's eyes, ears, nose, or mouth are placed in relation to each other make you see him or her as  different.从even开始到as different是个结果状语从句，相当于that even very minor…，而that是与主句中的so呼应的。
    2．Against：和……对比
    3．If you see someone you know and like at school，…如果你在学校看到某个你认识而且喜欢的人……     like在这里是动词。
    4．dead wrong：相当于completely wrong。dead wrong是口语表达用语。