Choosing a name for a child is often a headache for parents, but new research shows that picking well could be more crucial than previously thought.
给孩子取名字常常是令父母头疼的事，但最新研究显示，取个好名字可能比（我们）以前想的更重要。
Academics have found that your first name actually changes the way you look, a phenomenon dubbed "The Dorian Gray" effect, after Oscar Wilde's hero.
学者发现，事实上，你的名字会改变你的相貌，这种现象被称为"道林·格雷"效应，得名于奥斯卡·王尔德笔下的男主角。
Just as Gray's wicked deeds were etched onto the facial features of his portrait, so the cultural stereotypes linked to a name come to be written on the faces of their bearers.
就像格雷的恶行深深地刻在他的肖像上一样，因此与一个名字相关的文化成见也会刻在名字持有者的脸上。
For example, someone called "Bob" is expected by society to have a rounder more jovial face than a man called "Tim". That expectation finally leads "Bobs" to become more outgoing and cheerful, while "Tims" may appear more strained and reserved.
例如，社会期望一个叫鲍勃的人比一个叫蒂姆的人拥有一张更圆、更快乐的脸。这种期望最终会导致"鲍勃们"变得更外向、更开朗，而"蒂姆们"可能会显得更紧张、更保守。
The connection may be linked to the " bouba-kiki" effect which suggests that across languages, more bulbous smoother objects are labeled with rounded " bouba" sounds, while thinner spikier objects have "kiki" sounds.
这种联系可能和"bouba-kiki"效应有关，根据该效应，在各种语言中，更圆滑的球状物体的发音与bouba的发音相近，而更细而尖的物体的发音和kiki的发音相近。
Likewise "Winstons" are perceived as fairly gloomy, while "Marys" are considered to be moral, both traits which may change expression, and over time, change face shape.
同样地，"温斯顿们"也被认为是相当忧郁的，而"玛丽们"则被认为是道德高尚的，这两种特质可能会改变表情，久而久之，还会改变脸型。
And a woman named "Katherine" is considered to be more serious and dependable than a girl named "Bonnie". Such cultural expectations may encourage "Katherines" to be more industrious and academic, which could gradually influence the development of facial muscles, perhaps through increased concentration.
同样地，一位叫"凯瑟琳"的女士会被认为比一名叫"邦妮"的女孩更严肃、更可靠。这种文化期望可能会鼓励"凯瑟琳们"更加勤奋、学习更好，这可能会逐渐影响她们面部肌肉的发育，也许是通过提高注意力。
"Prior research has shown there are cultural stereotypes attached to names, including how someone should look," said lead author Dr Yonat Zwebner. "For instance, people are more likely to imagine a person named Bob to have a rounder face than a person named Tim. We believe these stereotypes can, over time, affect people's facial appearance."
研究报告的主要作者约纳特·齐韦布纳博士说，"以前的研究表明，与名字相关的文化成见很多，其中就包括一个人应该长什么样。例如，人们更倾向于想象一个叫鲍勃的人的脸型比一个叫蒂姆的人的脸型更圆。我们相信，随着时间的推移，这些成见会影响人们的容貌。"
The study implies that people live up to their given name. The possibility that our name can influence our look, even to small extent is fascinating. "We are subject to social structuring from the minute we are born, not only by our gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, but also by the simple choice that others make in giving us our names."
该研究表明，人们不会辜负自己的名字。我们的名字可能会影响我们的相貌，即使影响的程度很小，这一点也很吸引人。"从我们出生的那一刻起，我们就受到社会结构的影响，不仅仅是我们的性别、种族和社会经济地位，还有别人给我们起名字时做出的简单选择。"
知识积累
词汇积累
1.headache: n. 令人头痛的人（或事物）；麻烦
2.wicked: adj. 邪恶的
3.be etched onto: 铭刻在
4.stereotype: n. 模式化形象; 成见
5.bearer: 持有者
6.strained: adj. 紧张的
7.academic: adj. 学习好的
8.attach to 与……有关联
9.facial appearance 容貌；面容
难句分析
*The connection may be linked to the " bouba-kiki" effect which suggests that across languages, more bulbous smoother objects are labeled with rounded " bouba" sounds, while thinner spikier objects have "kiki" sounds.
which 引导限制性定语从句，修饰the "bouba-kiki"effect，作主语。that引导宾语从句，作suggests的宾语。while 连接并列句，表示对比。
本文英文来自telegraph，经改编已选入《快捷英语 活页英语时文阅读理解 高考17》，转载需注明出处。
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