Eye behavior can give subtle messages which
% k- b6 b2 E( b0 p3 W9 y people pick up in their daily life. It tells more than1 T$ v" }! Z* {. _, X; m
words can. Meeting or failing to meet another person's
/ z, L% K& `' o/ {4 E eyes produce a particular effect.When two Americans __1__) w, D# Q, R- j: }$ y
look searchingly at each other's eye, emotions are __2__2 t9 u) ^. {9 ~- b
heightened and the relationship becomes closer. How-
5 O( o% M: Z! o" y! T- c ever, Americans are careful about where and when to __3__
3 ?$ ]" |. {% H8 m# I meet other's eye. In our normal conversation, each
" \$ N, g" ]! k5 J" r% N eye-contract lasts only a few seconds before one or7 o7 p3 X. R1 f M! A1 r/ J
both individuals look away, because the longer meeting
0 l" @9 I7 ?! j6 |3 l of the eyes is rare, and, after it happens, can generate __4__. T' H, v0 `% B9 e) J8 A& F
a special kind of human-to-human awareness. For instance,
) g4 ]; G2 @, O2 M by simple using his eyes, a man can make a woman aware
0 r& I3 p5 S2 e6 O9 u T of him comfortably or uncomfortably; a long and steady
7 E" f, _& D$ A" D+ e gaze from a policeman or judge intimidates accused. __5__
1 o) H- q$ b/ d7 Z In the U.S., proper street behavior requires a nice
7 R! j, a$ j) L2 N$ o# w/ ] balance of attention and inattention. You are supposed* `4 u; W% Z4 H7 V
to look at a passer-by just enough to show that you6 h: }. i$ C0 I
are being aware of his presence. If you look too little, __6__
+ o! Z2 ]5 S I& q' G you appear haughty; too much, inquisitive. Much eye# E0 d# g. [0 n
behavior is such subtle that our reaction to it is __7__- U7 ^: L& t) S/ d% ?
largely instinctive. Besides, the codes of eye behavior e' Q Q2 }6 U6 l, e) b
vary dramatically from one culture to other. In the __8__9 ]! Z4 D9 x2 S. |& D9 S
Middle East, it is impolite to look at the other person
# k4 I) p: I0 ~, H/ _6 y all the time during a conversation; in England, the
; q9 W; C* a4 P, Z% E2 c' k) Y1 D polite listener fixes the speaker with an inattentive __9__2 x' k) y. F/ j; e2 k- t4 G, T
stare and blinks eye occasionally as a sign of interest
- _8 a0 R: q7 W3 W' R; ~ and attention. In America, eye behavior functions as
) O4 u/ Y+ u8 \ a kind of conversational traffic signal control the __10__
' f0 O8 e& E4 o1 S5 N talking pace and time, and to indicate a change of topic. |