大多數時候，我們都喜歡更加美麗的事物。那麼，為什麼在美國的加利福尼亞地區每年都會舉辦 “世界最醜狗狗” 比賽呢？為什麼我們又會選擇養育那些與完美的外表相去甚遠的寵物？本文介紹人類與這些既醜又惹人憐愛的寵物之間復雜的歷史和情感關系。
詞匯：animal appearance 動物的外觀
In a world that favours beauty, from aesthetically pleasing interior design to an attractive physical appearance, why are we suddenly fawning over goofy-looking pets, particularly dogs, with exaggerated features? There’s been a pet paradigm shift – perfection is out, and droopy eyes are in. What’s going on?
First, we must understand our attraction to cuteness. Human babies are pretty helpless, so there had to be an evolutionary adaptation to ensure we looked after them. According to Konrad Lorenz’s “baby schema” theory, infantile features like big eyes, big heads and soft bodies trigger the instinct to protect our offspring. When animals have similar traits, we think they’re “in need of our companionship or care,” causing “the rush of warm emotion that is the cuteness response,” says Joshua Dale, co-editor of ‘The Aesthetics and Affects of Cuteness’.
During the Victorian era, dog shows were all the rage, and with them came selective breeding for cuteness rather than health or functionality. This led to a rise in flat-faced breeds with squashed snouts and bulging eyes like bulldogs and pugs – a reminder that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These breeds remain very popular today. The French Bulldog became the most popular dog in the US in 2022, according to the American Kennel Club. Rowena Parker, lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK, believes this is partly driven by social media influencers. “The ugly-cute thing is very fashionable,” she says. Despite the growing love for these dogs, there are ethical concerns. Many flat-faced breeds suffer from breathing difficulties and skin infections.
A testament to the pet paradigm shift is the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest, held in California since the 1970s. In a line-up of pooches with lopsided ears, snaggled teeth and patchy fur, who will be the loveable underdog that tugs on our heartstrings this year?
詞匯表
aesthetically pleasing 審美上令人愉悅的
fawn over 過度贊揚
goofy-looking 看起來滑稽可笑的
exaggerated features 誇張的五官
paradigm shift 根本性的變化
infantile 嬰幼兒的
cuteness response 對可愛事物的本能反應
all the rage 風靡一時
selective breeding 選擇性繁育
flat-faced 臉部扁平的
squashed snouts 扁平的口鼻部位
bulging 鼓起的，隆起的
beauty is in the eye of the beholder 情人眼裡出西施，對美的看法因人而異
lopsided 向一側傾斜的
snaggled tooth 不整齊的牙齒
patchy （毛發）斑駁的
underdog 不被看好的人，弱勢者
tug on the heartstrings 觸動心弦，激發情感
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. According to the article, there’s been a ‘pet paradigm shift’. What is the change in our pet preferences?
2. According to Konrad Lorenz’s “baby schema” theory, what happens when we see infantile features like big eyes?
3. True or False? Humans have a nurturing response to animals with baby-like traits.
4. Which dog breeds became popular during the Victorian era and remain popular now?
5. What is a downside of breeding flat-faced dogs?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Minimalist home decor is _______ this year.
all the rage ugly-cute bulging exaggerated
2. The relatives _______ the newest baby at the family reunion.
fawned over fawning over fawn overed fawns over
3. The team, considered the _______, surprised everyone by winning the game.
infantile underdog snaggled tooth aesthetically pleasing
4. The flowers needed watering because they looked ________.
snaggled bulging droopy squashed
5. Charity ad campaigns aim to _______ to encourage donations.
selective breed shift cuteness response tug on the heartstrings
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. According to the article, there’s been a ‘pet paradigm shift’. What is the change in our pet preferences?
The change in our pet preferences is that we are now fawning over goofy-looking animals.
2. According to Konrad Lorenz’s “baby schema” theory, what happens when we see infantile features like big eyes?
According to Konrad Lorenz’s “baby schema” theory, when we see infantile features, it triggers the instinct to protect our offspring.
3. True or False? Humans have a nurturing response to animals with baby-like traits.
True. When animals have similar traits to babies, we think they’re “in need of our companionship or care,” causing “the rush of warm emotion that is the cuteness response”.
4. Which dog breeds became popular during the Victorian era and remain popular now?
During the Victorian era, flat-faced breeds with squashed snouts and bulging eyes like bulldogs and pugs became popular.
5. What is a downside of breeding flat-faced dogs?
The downside of breeding flat-faced dogs is that many suffer from breathing difficulties and skin infections.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. Minimalist home decor is all the rage this year.
2. The relatives fawned over the newest baby at the family reunion.
3. The team, considered the underdog, surprised everyone by winning the game.
4. The flowers needed watering because they looked droopy.
5. Charity ad campaigns aim to tug on the heartstrings to encourage donations.
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