何为智者？

What makes a person wise?

常速 | 五级（易）| 350词 | 2min18s

刘立军供稿

Part I. QUESTIONS

Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.

Q1. According to the text, what do all cultures not agree on regarding wisdom?  

A. Its importance in society.  

B. Its definition and components.  

C. Its connection to intelligence.  

D. Its role in spiritual practices.  

Q2. What are the two characteristics associated with wisdom according to the study?  

A. Emotional stability and logical reasoning.  

B. Intelligence and cultural adaptability.  

C. Compassionate love and spiritual understanding.  

D. Socio-emotional awareness and reflective orientation.  

Q3. What can be inferred about the role of emotions in being perceived as wise?  

A. Emotions should always be suppressed to appear wise.  

B. Emotions are irrelevant to the perception of wisdom.  

C. Emotions need to be balanced with logical thinking.  

D. Emotions are more important than reflective orientation.  

Q4. What does the apple pie analogy in ‘The Cambridge Handbook of Wisdom’ illustrate?  

A. Different cultures have their own unique wisdom traditions.  

B. Wisdom is like an apple pie that everyone enjoys equally.  

C. Wisdom is universally agreed upon across cultures.  

D. Wisdom is best understood through spiritual practices.  

Q5. What is the main purpose of the text?  

A. To explore the universal definition of wisdom.  

B. To discuss how wisdom is perceived across cultures.  

C. To highlight the importance of emotional intelligence.  

D. To explain the relationship between wisdom and intelligence.  

Part II. TRANSCRIPT

What makes a person wise?

Think of the wisest person you know. What is it that makes them wise? What qualities do they have? Does wisdom mean the same for you as it does for me? (Q1) All cultures value wisdom, but not all cultures agree on its definition. For some, the focus is on intelligence, while others emphasise compassionate love for others. In some cultures, a spiritual component is required to be considered wise. Are there any aspects of wisdom that all cultures can agree on?

compassionate adj. 富有同情心的

A group of 34 researchers from all over the world and from fields like psychology, philosophy and anthropology got together to explore ‘Dimensions of wisdom perception across twelve countries on five continents’. The study found two characteristics that everyone — from urban university students in Peru to villagers in rural India — associated with wisdom.

anthropology n. 人类学  

perception n. 感知，认识  

(Q2-1) The first quality a wise person must have is ‘socio-emotional awareness’. This is about the ability to understand others’ point of view and really care about their thoughts and feelings.(Q2-2) However, this person must also have the second quality: ‘reflective orientation’, which is about using logic and past experience to make judgments. (Q3) If you are mindlessly driven by emotions and don’t think before you act, then you are unlikely to be perceived as wise. So, if you want to be wise, learn to both keep your cool and put yourself in others’ shoes.

But, while this study helps us build a more unified definition of wisdom, the world is vast and cultures vary hugely. In ‘The Cambridge Handbook of Wisdom’, the authors make an apple pie analogy, comparing pie to wisdom. Imagine your grandmother makes your favourite apple pie — she represents the wisdom you think is best. Now, imagine you take this apple pie to the Amazon rainforest, where apples don’t grow. For the locals, the pie isn’t as good as their own traditional desserts; they’ve grown up with different flavours and ingredients, (Q4) just as different cultures have developed their own wisdom traditions. Ultimately, the way wisdom is experienced, shared, and valued depends on the cultural ingredients involved.

analogy n. 类比，比喻  

Part III. KEY

Q1. B.【解析】细节题。根据“All cultures value wisdom, but not all cultures agree on its definition.”，可见所有文化都重视智慧，但都对智慧的定义看法不一致。正确答案为B。  

Q2. D.【解析】细节题。根据“The first quality a wise person must have is ‘socio-emotional awareness’.”以及“However, this person must also have the second quality: ‘reflective orientation’”，可知研究将智慧与两大特质联系起来。第一个特质是“社会情感认知”，第二个特质是“反思思辨能力”。正确答案为D。  

Q3. C.【解析】推理题。根据“If you are mindlessly driven by emotions and don’t think before you act, then you are unlikely to be perceived as wise.”，可知如果被情绪盲目驱使，且在行动前不假思索就不算有智慧，由此可推断，情绪需要与逻辑思维相互平衡，因此正确答案为C。  

Q4. A.【解析】细节题。根据“Just as different cultures have developed their own wisdom traditions.”，可知不同文化发展了自己的智慧传统。苹果派的类比意在说明不同文化拥有各自独特的智慧传统，因此正确答案为A。  

Q5. B.【解析】主旨题。根据全文，文章主要探讨了智慧在不同文化中的定义和感知方式，因此正确答案为B。  

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