跳舞是我們無法自控的一個本能反應。當好心情遇到美妙動聽的旋律時，我們不由自主地挪動雙腳，翩翩起舞，放飛煩惱。然而是什麼驅使我們情不自禁地跟著節奏擺動身體？本集《隨身英語》討論舞蹈的益處，以及為什麼專傢認為它是人類培育的一種生存方式。
Vocabulary: dancing 詞匯: 跳舞
If you asked me to dance, I’d probably freeze on the spot. I lack rhythm and coordination and some people say I have two left feet! But with some persuasion and Dutch courage I can be tempted to take to the dance floor and shake some moves – and that, apparently, is only natural.
Experts have found as well as being fun, dancing might have helped us to survive as a species.
Evolutionary anthropologist Bronwyn Tarr from the University of Oxford has been telling the AYYBLOG World Service CrowdScience programme that when we dance with others, we are rewarded with feel-good endorphins that change how we feel about ourselves and those around us.
Dancing alone is one thing but it’s dancing as a group that makes our brain reward us with a cocktail of feel-good hormones and is likely to lead to profound social effects. It’s being in-sync with others that makes us happy. She says that “dancing fosters social closeness between people. It helps us build social connections and communities. In our past, those social connections would have been critical for surviving.”
You certainly need the right kind of music to help you shimmy, boogie or even twerk, but once you get the right beat and get into the groove with others, it can be an uplifting experience. Even my cringeworthy dad dancing makes me feel good sometimes. And in Swindon in the UK, this ‘style’ of dancing has been taken to a new level, where babies, attached to their fathers’ chests in a sling, have been dancing with the aim of increasing the bond between parent and child.
Dance is also a good way to keep fit and improve our mental health. In Wales there have been calls for doctors to prescribe dance classes to people who are unwell. The Arts Council of Wales claims there are many health benefits. And Bronwyn Tarr says “more and more we’re actually discovering that your longevity – your life expectancy – is predicted by the social connections that you have… still today it’s something we should do more of.”
It could be part of being an uptight Englishman that makes me a reluctant dancer. Look at other nationalities such as Cubans where dancing is at the heart of their cultural identity. And in Brazil at Carnival time, people let their hair down by dancing together day and night. They seem to be having a good time – so maybe I should get on my feet and dance!
詞匯表
rhythm 節奏感
coordination 協調性
two left feet “兩隻左腳”，跳舞時舞步笨拙
Dutch courage 借酒壯膽，酒後之勇
shake some moves 扭動幾下
evolutionary anthropologist 人類進化學傢
endorphin 內啡呔
hormone 荷爾蒙
in-sync 與…同步的
foster 培養，促進
social connection 社會關系
shimmy 跳希米舞（抖動肩部和臀部的舞蹈）
boogie 跟著流行樂跳舞
twerk 抖臀
get into the groove 進入理想狀態
uplifting 令人精神煥發的
dad dancing “爸爸式舞姿”（較笨拙、過時的舞步）
bond 紐帶
prescribe（醫生）開（藥）
longevity 長壽
cultural identity 文化認同
let one’s hair down 放松，盡情享受
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or false: Dancing in a group makes us feel good.
2. According to Bronwyn Tarr, what is it about dancing that once helped us survive?
3. Why does The Arts Council of Wales want dance classes to be prescribed to ill people?
4. Which word used in the article means ’embarrassing or making you ashamed’.
5. What chemical produced in our body makes us feel good when we dance?
2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. I’m trying to ______ a good relationship with my neighbour.
foster bond prescribe boogie
2. After a day in the office, I find it ______ to take a long walk along the beach.
lift-up uplift uplifting uplifted
3. My sister is a moody teenager, it must have something to do with her ______!
two left feet shimmy hormones endorphins
4. The exams are over so I am having a party where we can all ______.
have a hair do let our hair out keep our hair on let our hair down
5. I’m going to change to a healthier diet because I know it promotes ______.
longevity hormones coordination Dutch courage
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. True or false: Dancing in a group makes us feel good.
True. Dancing in a group does make us feel good, probably more than dancing alone.
2. According to Bronwyn Tarr, what is it about dancing that once helped us survive?
It helped us build social connections which meant we could survive as a group.
3. Why does The Arts Council of Wales want dance classes to be prescribed to ill people?
It claims that dancing has health benefits – it’s good for us.
4. Which word used in the article means ’embarrassing or making you ashamed’.
The word is ‘cringeworthy’.
5. What chemical produced in our body makes us feel good when we dance?
The chemical is a type of hormone called endorphins.
2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。
1. I’m trying to foster a good relationship with my neighbour.
2. After a day in the office, I find it uplifting to take a long walk along the beach.
3. My sister is a moody teenager, it must have something to do with her hormones!
4. The exams are over so I am having a party where we can all let our hair down.
5. I’m going to change to a healthier diet because I know it promotes longevity.
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