Part A: Reading Comprehension
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Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses.
Snap decisions can be important defense mechanisms; if we are judging whether someone is dangerous, our brains and bodies are hard-wired to react very quickly, within milliseconds. But we need more time to assess other factors. To accurately tell whether someone is sociable, studies show, we need at least a minute, preferably five. It takes a while to judge complex aspects of personality, like neuroticism or open-mindedness.
But snap decisions in reaction to rapid stimuli aren’t exclusive to the interpersonal realm. Psychologists at the University of Toronto found that viewing a fast-food logo for just a few milliseconds primes us to read 20 percent faster, even though reading has little to do with eating. We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we’re doing. Subjects exposed to fast-food flashes also tend to think a musical piece lasts too long.
Yet we can reverse such influences. If we know we will overreact to consumer products or housing options when we see a happy face (one reason good sales representatives and real estate agents are always smiling), we can take a moment before buying. If we know female job screeners are more likely to reject attractive female applicants, we can help screeners understand their biases—or hire outside screeners.
John Gottman, the marriage expert, explains that we quickly “thin slice” information reliably only after we ground such snap reactions in “thick sliced” long-term study. When Dr. Gottman really wants to assess whether a couple will stay together, he invites them to his island retreat for a much longer evaluation: two days, not two seconds.
Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals: dogs can think about the future only intermittently or for a few minutes. But historically we have spent about 12 percent of our days contemplating the longer term. Although technology might change the way we react, it hasn’t changed our nature. We still have the imaginative capacity to rise above temptation and reverse the high-speed trend.
31. The time needed in making decisions may
32. Our reaction to a fast-food logo shows that snap decisions
33. To reverse the negative influences of snap decisions, we should
34. John Gottman says that reliable snap reactions are based on
35. The author’s attitude toward reversing the high-speed trend is
答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)
31. [D] vary according to the urgency of the situation.
解析：第二段指出，如果我们是在判断某人是否“危险”（紧急情况），我们需要在几毫秒内（within milliseconds）做出快速决定。但要准确判断某人是否“好交际”（非紧急情况），至少需要一分钟，最好是五分钟。这说明做决定所需的时间会“根据情况的紧迫性而变化（vary according to the urgency of the situation）”，选D。
32. [A] can be associative.
解析：第三段提到，看到快餐标志会让我们阅读速度变快。原因是我们无意识地“将快餐与速度和急躁联系起来（associate fast food with speed and impatience）”，并把这种冲动带入其他活动中。这说明我们由快餐标志做出的快速决定（反应）具有“联想性（associative）”，选A。选项B、D与原文的意思相反（原文明确说这是一种 unconsciously 的 impulse）。
33. [B] think before we act.
解析：第一段首句即为全文主旨：“虽然我们容易做出快速的过度反应，但如果我们**花点时间想一想**（if we take a moment and think about...），我们就能减少甚至消除负面影响。” 第四段举例时再次强调“we can take a moment before buying”。这直接对应选项B“三思而后行（think before we act）”。
34. [C] adequate information.
解析：第五段中 John Gottman 解释道：只有在我们把快速的反应（thin slice）**建立在“厚片”的长期研究之上**（after we ground such snap reactions in “thick sliced” long-term study）时，这种快速提取信息才是可靠的（reliably）。这里的“thick sliced long-term study”意味着需要进行长时间的考察，收集大量的数据，即“充足的信息（adequate information）”，选C。
35. [B] optimistic.
解析：文章最后一段作者总结道：尽管技术可能改变我们的反应方式，但它并没有改变我们的本性。“我们仍然拥有超越诱惑和逆转高速趋势的想象力（We still have the imaginative capacity to rise above temptation and reverse the high-speed trend.）” 这里的 “still have the capacity” 表现出作者对人类能够克服本能、逆转这种高速趋势充满了信心，即态度是“乐观的（optimistic）”，选B。
全文翻译
科学家发现，尽管我们容易做出快速的过度反应，但如果我们花一点时间思考我们可能会如何反应，我们可以减少甚至消除我们快速、固化的反应的负面影响。
快速决策可以是重要的防御机制；如果我们在判断某人是否危险，我们的大脑和身体天生就会在毫秒内迅速反应。但我们需要更多时间来评估其他因素。研究表明，为了准确判断某人是否善于社交，我们需要至少一分钟，最好是五分钟。判断性格的复杂方面，如神经质或开放性，需要一些时间。
但对快速刺激的快速反应不仅限于人际领域。多伦多大学的心理学家发现，仅仅看几毫秒的快餐标志就能让我们阅读速度加快20%，尽管阅读与吃几乎没有关系。我们下意识地将快餐与速度和急躁联系起来，并将这些冲动带入我们正在做的任何其他事情。暴露于快餐闪现的受试者也倾向于认为一首音乐曲子持续太久。
然而，我们可以逆转这些影响。如果我们知道在看到笑脸时（优秀销售代表和房地产经纪人总是微笑的一个原因），我们会对消费品或住房选择过度反应，我们可以在购买前停一下。如果我们知道女性简历筛选者更可能拒绝有吸引力的女性申请者，我们可以帮助筛选者了解他们的偏见——或聘请外部筛选者。
婚姻专家约翰·戈特曼解释说，只有在我们将这种快速反应建立在"厚切片"长期研究的基础上之后，我们才能可靠地快速"薄切片"信息。当戈特曼博士真正想判断一对夫妇是否会在一起时，他会邀请他们到他的海岛度假地做更长时间的评估：两天，不是两秒钟。
我们通过暂停来抑制固化反应的能力正是我们区别于动物的地方：狗只能间歇性地或几分钟地思考未来。但从历史上看，我们花费大约12%的白天思考更长远的未来。虽然技术可能改变我们反应的方式，但它并未改变我们的本性。我们仍然拥有想象力的能力来超越诱惑并逆转高速趋势。
核心长难句精解 (High-Light)
1. 条件状语从句与宾语从句的嵌套：
"Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses."
【解析】本句是全文的主旨句。that 引导 found 的宾语从句；在宾语从句内部，包含了一个由 although 引导的让步状语从句和一个由 if 引导的条件状语从句。而在条件句中，how 又引导了一个宾语从句作 about 的宾语。逻辑层层递进：尽管有本能反应 -> 但只要我们花时间思考 -> 就能消除负面影响。
"Scientists have found that although we are prone to snap overreactions, if we take a moment and think about how we are likely to react, we can reduce or even eliminate the negative effects of our quick, hard-wired responses."
【解析】本句是全文的主旨句。that 引导 found 的宾语从句；在宾语从句内部，包含了一个由 although 引导的让步状语从句和一个由 if 引导的条件状语从句。而在条件句中，how 又引导了一个宾语从句作 about 的宾语。逻辑层层递进：尽管有本能反应 -> 但只要我们花时间思考 -> 就能消除负面影响。
2. 动名词复合结构与介词短语的运用：
"We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we’re doing."
【解析】associate A with B 意为“将A与B联系起来”。句末的 whatever 引导了一个宾语从句，作介词 into 的宾语。这句话精准地解释了跨领域的“心理联想（associative）”现象（即解答第32题的关键）。
"We unconsciously associate fast food with speed and impatience and carry those impulses into whatever else we’re doing."
【解析】associate A with B 意为“将A与B联系起来”。句末的 whatever 引导了一个宾语从句，作介词 into 的宾语。这句话精准地解释了跨领域的“心理联想（associative）”现象（即解答第32题的关键）。
3. 表语从句与动名词作主语：
"Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals..."
【解析】句子的主语是 Our ability...。其中 by pausing 作方式状语修饰动词不定式 to mute。系动词 is 后跟 what 引导的表语从句。differentiate A from B 意为“使 A 区别于 B”。作者借此拔高了主旨：人类之所以为人，就在于能够通过“暂停思考（pausing）”来抑制本能反应。
"Our ability to mute our hard-wired reactions by pausing is what differentiates us from animals..."
【解析】句子的主语是 Our ability...。其中 by pausing 作方式状语修饰动词不定式 to mute。系动词 is 后跟 what 引导的表语从句。differentiate A from B 意为“使 A 区别于 B”。作者借此拔高了主旨：人类之所以为人，就在于能够通过“暂停思考（pausing）”来抑制本能反应。