The Power of Beauty
美的力量
1. One of the most successful, influential and 1)beloved women in American history, Eleanor Roosevelt once said that she had one regret: she wished she had been prettier. Who hasn't felt the same way? We are all too 2)aware of our 3)physical 4)imperfections. To overcome them, we spend 5)billions upon billions of dollars every year-on 6)cosmetics, 7)diet products, fashion, and 8)plastic surgery.
身為美國史上最成功、最有影響力且最受人喜愛的女性之一的羅斯福夫人曾說她有一個遺憾：她希望自己長得更漂亮。誰沒有過同樣的想法呢?我們都強烈感覺到自己身體的缺陷。為了克服缺陷，我們每年都要花費幾十億美元--在化妝品、減肥食品、流行時尚與整容手術上。
1.1) beloved (a.) 受人喜愛的 2) aware (a.) 明白的 3) physical (a.) 身體的 4) imperfection (n.) 不完美，瑕疵 5) billion (n.) 十億 6) cosmetics (n.) 化妝品 7) diet (n.) (特種)飲食 8) plastic surgery (n.) 整形外科) 興奮的
2. Why do we care so much about how we look? Because it matters. Because beauty is powerful. Because even when we learn to value people mostly for being kind and wise and funny, we are still moved by beauty. No matter how much we argue against it or pretend to be 1)immune, beauty 2)exerts its power over us. There is simply no escape.
我們如此這么在意自己的外貌?因為它很重要。因為美的力量很大。因為即使我們學著基本上去看重仁慈、智能、風趣的人，但我們仍會受到美的感動。無論我們多么用力辯駁，或假裝對它免疫，美仍然對我們產生影響。根本無法逃避。
2.1) immune (a.) 免疫的 2) exert (v.) 發揮出
3. Aristotle said, "Beauty is a greater 1)recommendation than any letter of introduction." It's not fair, but it's true. We simply treat beautiful people better than we do others. 2)Attach a photograph of a beautiful author to an essay, and people will think that it is more creative and more 3)intelligently written than exactly the same 4)essay 5)accompanied by the photo of a 6)homely author.
亞里斯多德說：「美是比任何介紹信都要有用的推薦函。」這并不公平，但卻是事實。我們就是會對美麗的人比較好。把一位美麗作家的照片貼在作品上，讀者就會認為這篇文章較有創意，寫得更有智能。完全相同的文章配上相貌平凡的作家照片，評價就會較低。
3.1) recommendation (n.) 推薦 2) attach (v.) 貼上，附上 3) intelligently (adv.) 聰明地 4) essay (n.) 論文，小品文 5) accompany (v.) 伴隨 6) homely (a.) 平凡的
4. As children, beautiful people are more likely to become favorites with parents and teachers. Later, they're more likely to get good jobs and 1)promotions. Beautiful lawyers get paid more than their less attractive 2)colleagues. Good-looking 3)criminals are more likely to win the 4)sympathy of judges and 5)juries. Attractive people 6)in need are more likely to receive help from strangers.
