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Take Away English 随 身 英 语29 November 2012Men take the pain 男 性 不 怕 疼Vocabulary: feeling pain 词 汇 : 有 关 疼 痛 的 词 语Perhaps because of traditional beliefs that men are tougher than women, it's commonfor British people these days to joke aboutmen's weaknesses.A man who complains he's ill with a coldmight be told he just has 'man flu.' Theimplication is a woman keeps working whenshe has a cold, while a man exaggerates itseffects, in order to get some sympathyand get out of doing any work.According to the British saying, such a man isbeing 'a big girl's blouse,' a jokey way ofsaying he's not as manly and brave as hecould be.But now it seems maybe men aren't such big girl's blouses after all.Researchers at Leeds Metropolitan University in England inflicted pain on 200 Libyanand British students, and studied how they responded. They found that although therewas no difference in the unpleasantness of the pain, the men were much more stoicalabout it. They showed a higher pain threshold, and reported less pain afterwards.The women showed more sensitivity. They tolerated less pain, and were happier toadmit it hurt.So why did the men put up with more pain than women? Gender stereotypes seem tobe playing a part, with women expected to be sensitive and men feeling the pressure toshow they're macho.The research found that these gender differences were stronger in the Libyan studentsthan the British ones. The Libyan men also had a higher pain threshold than British men.This suggests that cultural differences also play a part in how people cope with pain.Research into pain is important, because it could help scientists develop better painrelief, and help people who live with chronic pain. Most pain killers are tested on men.词 汇 表 请 参 看 答 案 与 词 汇 部 分Take Away English 随 身 英 语 © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012Page 1 of 4bbcukchina.com/learningenglish

Quiz 测 验阅 读 短 文 并 回 答 问 题 。1. According to the research, who was more stoical about pain, men or women?2. In the experiment, who tolerated more pain, the British or Libyan men?3. According to the article, why don't men show that they're in pain?4. Why is research into pain important?5. True or false? Calling a man a 'big girl's blouse' means he's brave.Exercise 练 习请 你 在 不 参 考 课 文 的 情 况 下 完 成 下 列 练 习 。 从 每 个 表 格 中 选 择 一 个 意 思 合 适 的 单 词 填 入 句 子的 空 格 处 。1. She says she's feeling ill, but I think she's just trying to _________ out of doing any work.run get leave send2. He's had some very bad luck recently, but he never complains. He's very _________.stoical suitable static stable3. I don't feel pain easily, I have a very _________ pain threshold.strong high low weak4. You can call me a big girl's blouse, but I'll admit that injection _________ !inflicted tolerated hurt coped5. He likes _________ films with guns and car chases and stuff.brave macho stoical painTake Away English 随 身 英 语 © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012Page 2 of 4bbcukchina.com/learningenglish

Answers and Glossary 答 案 与 词 汇Quiz 小 测 验1. According to the research, who was more stoical about pain, men or women? Men2. In the experiment, who tolerated more pain, the British or Libyan men? Libyan men3. According to the article, why don't men show that they're in pain? Because they want toseem macho or manly.4. Why is research into pain important? It could help develop better pain relief and help peoplelive with chronic pain.5. True or false? Calling a man a 'big girl's blouse' means he's brave. False. It means he's notbeing brave.Exercise 练 习1. She says she's feeling ill, but I think she's just trying to get out of doing any work.2. He's had some very bad luck recently, but he never complains. He's very stoical.3. I don't feel pain easily, I have a very high pain threshold.4. You can call me a big girl's blouse, but I'll admit that injection hurt !5. He likes macho films with guns and car chases and stuff.Take Away English 随 身 英 语 © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012Page 3 of 4bbcukchina.com/learningenglish

Glossary 词 汇 表traditional beliefstougherimplicationexaggerates its effectsget some sympathy传 统 观 念更 强 硬暗 示 , 含 义夸 大 它 的 影 响博 取 一 些 同 情get out of 逃 避 , 避 免 ( 事 情 )manlybraveinflicted painstoicalpain thresholdsensitivitytoleratedadmit it hurtput up withgender stereotypesmachocultural differencescope withpain reliefchronic painpain killers男 子 气 概 的勇 敢 的强 加 痛 苦坚 忍 的( 生 理 ) 痛 阈敏 感 度忍 受承 认 痛 了忍 受性 别 刻 板 印 象 、 特 征有 男 子 气 慨 的文 化 差 异应 对缓 解 疼 痛慢 性 疼 痛止 痛 药Take Away English 随 身 英 语 © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012Page 4 of 4bbcukchina.com/learningenglish