Animal phobias

Animalphobias动物恐惧症为什么我们会害怕那些对自己没有造成威胁的动物呢？今天的6分钟英语里，Sophie和Neil将会直面自己的恐惧，并且探讨人们普遍都害怕蜘蛛的原因。本周问：以下哪个词语可以用来描述对昆虫无来由的害怕？是：a)昆虫恐惧症b)死亡恐惧症c)胡须恐惧症我们将会节目的最后，听到正确的答案。听力：Neil: Helloandwelcometo6MinuteEnglish.I'mNeil…Sophie: AndI'mSophie.Neil,whatareyouafraidof?Neil: I'mnotkeenonanythingwithwings,butIparticularlyhatemoths.They'redisgusting,withtheirfathairybodiesand…flutterywings!Sophie: Oh,Neil.Mothsarecompletelyharmless.Theyaren'tsomethingtobescaredof.Neil: Yes,theyare…Theygetinmyface…andmyhair.Itmakesmyfleshcreepjustthinkingaboutthem.Sophie: Ifsomethingmakesyourfleshcreepitmakesyoufeelveryfrightened.Well,Ihopeyou'regoingtosurvivetheshowtoday,Neil,becauseit'sallaboutanimalphobias–anda phobia isastrongand irrational fear.That'safearnotbasedonreason.Neil: OK–I'lltry.Doyouhaveanyanimalphobias,Sophie?Sophie: Ican'tstanddogs.Neil: Man'sbestfriend?Howcanyounotlikedogs–they'recuteandloveable.Theyprotectyou.Theycandotricks!Sophie: Look,foryouit'smoths–andthat'sprettyridiculous,bytheway–andformeit'sdogs.Andthatisn'tridiculous.Dogscanbeaggressive–theyhavesharpteeth,theybeartheirteethandbark.Neil: What,likethis?[soundofdoggrowlingandbarking]Sophie: Yes–andpleaseturnthatoff,it'supsettingme.It'stimefortoday'squizquestion.Canyoutellme,Neil,what'sthewordthatdescribesan irrational fearofinsects?Isit…a)entomophobia?b)thanatophobia?Orc)pogonophobia?Neil: I'llsaythanatophobia.Sophie: Well,we'llfindoutifyougottheanswerrightlateronintheshow.Butnowlet'slistentoDrDeanBurnett,neuroscientistatCardiffUniversityintheUK,talkingaboutwhatcausesphobicreactionsinus.INSERTDrDeanBurnett,neuroscientistatCardiffUniversity,UKThesensoryinformationisjustrelayeddirectlyintoyourbrain.Onepartofitisroutedintothecortex,whereit'ssortofthoughtabout:'that'sthatthing,IknowthatfromlasttimeIexperiencedthis',andyoucankindofrationaliseyourwaythroughit.Butitalsosendsamessagedirectlytotheamygdala,whichimmediatelytriggersthe'fightorflight'response–bang,firealarm,offitgoes,floodthebodyjustincase.It'sasurvivalmechanism.Neil: DrDeanBurnettthere.So,thesensoryinformationformeisamothflutteringaround,gettinginmyhair.Sophie: That'sright–Orforme,it'sadoggettinganywherenearme!Anyway,thisinformationgoesintoourbrainsandisprocessedintwodifferentpartsofthebrain–thecentralcortexandtheamygdala.Neil: Andtheinformationsenttothecentralcortextriggersarationalresponse,like,ohit'sonlyaharmlessmoth–andthestuffthatgoestotheamygdalatriggersaninstinctivereaction–the fightorflightresponse –like,aaarrrggghhh!It'sadisgustingmoth!Getawayfromme!Sophie: The fightorflightresponse isanormalresponsetostressordanger,anditinvolvesthehormoneadrenalinbeingpumpedquicklyroundthebody.Theproblemisthisresponsecangettriggeredwhenthereisn'tanydanger.Andthisisattheheartofwhata phobia is.Neil:So,that'sthemothflyinginmyfacewhileI'mreadinginbed,andIfeelmyheartbeatingsofastIthinkI'mgoingto passout andInearlydiefromanxiety.Sophie: PoorNeil! Passout meanstofaintorloseconsciousness,bytheway.Well,we'regoingtohearfromStephenandReenanow,twoself-confessedarachnophobes.Theyhavestrongemotionalreactionsjustlikeyou,Neil.Canyouidentifywhichanimaltheyfear?INSERTStephenandReena,arachnophobes'SowhenIseeaspider,IfeellikeI'vebeenpunchedinthechest.''Completefear–it'sabsolutelyparalysing.They'veneverbeenOKwithme.I'vealwayshatedthem.''I'vespentalotoftimedrivingaroundinthecarafraidtogohomewhilemyhusbandworkedinLondon.''Allrationalitygoesoutthewindow,andit's…myemotionscompletelytakeover.''Ijust….Ijustrun.'Sophie: So arachnophobes haveastrongfearofspiders.Andit'sthemostcommonanimal phobia apparently.Neil: YoucouldunderstandthatifyouwerelivinginAustralia–whereabitefromaspidermightkillyou.ButthelittlespidersyougethereintheUKdon'tseemthreateningatall.Sophie: Yes,butrecentresearchhasshownthatwehavea reflexiveawareness ofspiders–whetherwefearthemornot–whichmeanswecanspotthemautomaticallywithoutthinkingaboutit.Andwedon'thavethesame reflexiveawareness ofhouseflies–ormoths–forexample.Nei: lIexpectthisawarenessistodowithourancestors.Itwould'vebeenextremelyusefultospotaspiderasanearlyhumanontheplainsoftheAfricanSavannah.Abitemightkillyou–ormakeyouvulnerabletoattackfromotheranimals.Sophie: You'reright,Neil!Butdoyouthinkyouwererightabouttoday'squizquestion?Iasked:What'sthewordthatdescribesan irrational fearofinsects?Isit…a)entomophobia,b)thanatophobiaorc)pogonophobia?Neil: Isaidthanatophobia!Sophie: That'sthewronganswer.It'sactuallya)entomophobia.Entomophobia(alsoknownasinsectophobia)isaspecific phobia characterizedbyanexcessiveorunrealisticfearofoneormoreclassesofinsect.Thanatophobiaisthefearofdeathandpogonophobiaisthefearofbeardsorbeardedpeople.Neil: Well,mothsarekindofhairy…Let'sremindourselvesofsomeofthewordsweheardtoday:makeyourfleshcreepphobiairrationalfightorflightresponsepassoutarachnophobesreflexiveawarenessSophie: Andthat'stheendoftoday's6MinuteEnglish.Don'tforgettojoinusagainsoon!Both: Bye!