Gossiping has long been considered a bad habit. However, a new study shows that being a gossip* may be something to be proud of. After examining a group of 300 men and women, Dr. Nicholas Emler concluded that gossiping is "fundamental* to be human."
In his study, Dr. Emler discovered that eighty percent of our time with others is spent sharing social information. Basically, that mean we spend eighty percent of our time with others gossiping. This has allowed humans to build societies that are much more complex then other animals'.
So, who is gossiping in our complex society, and what are they talking about? According to Dr. Emler, men gossip twice as much as women. In addition, only five percent of gossip is mean. Most of the information passed on allows someone to know about other people without actually meeting them. This doesn't mean you should feel free to say bad things, though. By being a responsible gossiper, you can help build a positive society while still enjoying a nice chat with friends.
1. The dish on... = .....的八卦
2. Gossip (n.; v.)
n.
- 閒話,聊天;流言蜚語[C][U]
e.g. She had a gossip with her neighbor. 她與鄰居閒聊了一會。
- (報刊上有關個人隱私等的)社會新聞,小道傳聞[U]
- 愛傳流言蜚語的人;愛說長道短的人[C] = gossiper
v. 閒聊;傳播流言蜚語[(+about)]
e.g. Kay doesn't listen to gossip, and no one has ever heard her gossip about others.
3. Fundamental (adj.) 基本的; 十分重要的
e.g. The fundamental cause of his success is his hard work. 他成功的根本原因是他工作努力。
By Kay
Reference:
Live 互動英語1月號
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