雙語:你還在迷信所謂的"約會祕笈"嗎?
Self help books that espouse clever chat up lines, psychological mind-games and manipulation of body language actually make it harder to find a soulmate, it was said.
據稱，自助手冊中建議的妙語連珠、心理遊戲以及肢體語言，這些手段的運用事實上反而會增加覓得意中人的難度。
Instead, singles of both sexes should focus on just being themselves and having fun, according to Dr Petra Boynton, an expert in sex and relationships.
兩性關係學專家帕特拉•博因頓博士指出，單身的男性與女性最好還是做回自己，放鬆心態。
The social psychologist from University College London, dismissed most of the advice given in dating guides and self-help books as unscientific "bunkum".
這位來自倫敦大學的社會心理學家指出，大部分約會指南和自助手冊中提出的建議，都是沒有科學依據的“廢話”。
Speaking at the British Science Festival in Birmingham, she said: "They talk about `science has shown` or `biology says` or `in evolutionary terms men are programmed to be the aggressors and women are not`. "
她在伯明翰舉辦的英國科學節上表示：“他們常說‘科學證明’、‘生物學研究表明’或者‘從進化的角度而言男性天生就比女性主動’”
“But they never cite any of the science they`re talking about and when you look at the way they apply it, it`s just rhetoric. There`s no science to actually back up what they`re saying. ”
“但是他們從來沒有引用任何所談到的科學依據，當你想看看他們的研究方法時，就會發現這只不過是一種虛誇的言辭。事實上沒有科學能支持他們的論調。”
This week Dr. Boynton invited 60 members of the public to a speed dating event at Aston University where they discussed the art of match-making.
本週，博因頓博士邀請了60個人參加在阿斯頓大學舉行的速配聚會，在那裏他們討論了相親的技巧。
Her advice to nervous daters was to keep things simple, be themselves, and get into practice talking."If you`re thinking about having to present yourself in a particular way and having to manage a line it comes over as contrived," she said."Certainly what doesn`t particularly help is when you`ve got to do a lot of game-playing, posing or reading body language."
對於情緒緊張的相親者，她建議順其自然，展現自己，練習交談。“如果你考慮要用特殊的方式展示自己，並採用精心編造的辭令，那會顯得很不自然”“玩心理遊戲、刻意擺出各種姿勢或者試圖分析身體語言，這些顯然不會有什麼特別的幫助。”
She debunked a number of myths related to the so-called expert "rules" of dating. She said for men clever chat-up lines do not generally work. They appear contrived and can be horribly fluffed.
她揭穿了不少所謂專家提議的約會“規則”中的奧祕。她認爲詼諧的閒談語句通常並不管用。這些言辭看上去矯揉造作，反而會壞事。
Also a popular phenomenon known as negging or offering a "back-handed" compliment which was meant to make a man look confident and self assured, was more likely to cause her to "run for the hills".
此外，有一種流行的趨勢，就是批評抨擊或者諷刺挖苦，能使男性看起來更加自信，但這更有可能把身旁的女性嚇跑。
Not calling him first, or not answering his calls, and generally playing hard to get to keep him "on his toes" is bad advice, Dr. Boynton said. Instead he might just walk away.
博因頓博士指出，女性不主動打電話給男性，不接對方電話，或不擇手段讓對方圍着你忙個不停，這些都不是好主意。他有可能就因此棄你而去了。
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adj. 進化的，發展的，演變的
contrived[kən'traivd]想一想再看
adj. 人爲的，做作的 動詞contrive的過去式和
related[ri'leitid]想一想再看
adj. 相關的，有親屬關係的
unscientific['ʌn,saiən'tifik]想一想再看
adj. 不科學的，不符合科學原理的；非學術的；無科學知
popular['pɔpjulə]想一想再看
adj. 流行的，大衆的，通俗的，受歡迎的
聯想記憶X單詞popular聯想記憶：popul人民+ar…的→流行的 espouse[is'pauz]
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vt. 支持，贊成，嫁娶
聯想記憶X單詞espouse聯想記憶：spouse（n 配偶）讀：死抱死－死也要抱着死，太令人感動了，一對苦命的鴛鴦 social['səuʃəl]
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adj. 社會的，社交的
n. 社交聚會
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n. 心理學家
聯想記憶X單詞psychologist聯想記憶：源於：psyche（n 心智；精神） manipulation[məu'leiʃən]
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n. 操縱，控制，竄改
rhetoric['retərik]想一想再看
n. 修辭，華麗虛飾的語言，修辭學
聯想記憶X單詞rhetoric聯想記憶：rhetor修辭學大師+ic表名詞，“人或學科”→修辭學
