Introduction

Have you ever wondered why seeing someone yawn also makes you yawn? According to researchers, it makes a difference if you think of yourself as similar to the person who started the yawning. Georgina and Rob discuss yawning and teach you related vocabulary.

This week's question

What biological function does yawning have?

a: To take in more oxygen

b: To get rid of carbon dioxide from our body

c: No one really knows

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Transcript

Note: This is not a word for word transcript??

Georgina

Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Georgina.

Rob

And I'm Rob.

Georgina

What do you do when you’re tired, Rob?

Rob

Mm, I go to bed.

Georgina

Before that?

Rob

Erm, I clean my teeth?

Georgina

But what does your body do to tell you you’re tired?

Rob

Right, well these days I just kind of fall asleep in front of the TV.

Georgina

Yes, but, OK – what am I doing now?

Rob

Oh yes, hang on – yes, you’ve set me off - yawning, yes yawning is a sign that we are tired! Or bored!

Georgina

Are you tired or bored now?

Rob

No, not particularly.

Georgina

So, why did you just yawn?

Rob

Well, because you did! That’s the thing about yawns. They are contagious – they can spread from one person to another.

Georgina

And that’s what we’re looking at in this programme. But first, today’s question. What biological function does yawning have? Essentially, why do we yawn? Is it:

A: To take in more oxygen

B: To get rid of carbon dioxide from our body

C: No one really knows

What do you think, Rob?

Rob

Ah – I know this. We yawn to take in more oxygen. I’m pretty sure that’s it.

Georgina

OK. We’ll see if you’re correct at the end of the programme. John Drury is a researcher from Sussex University. On the BBC Radio 4 series All in The Mind he spoke about yawning and why it is contagious. Which animal does he mention will also catch a yawn from its owner?

John Drury

Yawning is actually a difficult case when it comes to these contagious behaviours. It is the most contagious behaviour – it’s meant to be automatic, it’s something that you can’t stop. Dogs yawn when their owners yawn, animals yawn to each other. It happens whether you want to or not. These kind of effects have been found for other kinds of behaviour, so really, we were trying to push it as far as we could and see if there is a cognitive element to this influence behaviour.

Georgina

Which animal might yawn when its owner does?

Rob

Dogs! Dogs can catch a yawn from their owners.

Georgina

Yes, yawning is a very contagious behaviour. The use of the word behaviour here is interesting. Normally it is an uncountable noun to describe the way we act – either in a good or a bad way. We talk about, for example, dogs' or children’s behaviour being good or bad.

Rob

But it’s also used as an uncountable noun when we are talking about a particular action that, for example, an animal makes in particular situations. These behaviours are often not conscious, but are an automatic response to a situation.

Georgina

And the researchers were looking to see if there was a cognitive side to the behaviour. Which means they are looking at the mental process – what is happening in the mind to make us yawn, particularly when someone else yawns. Let’s listen again

John Drury

Yawning is actually a difficult case when it comes to these contagious behaviours. It is the most contagious behaviour – it’s meant to be auto matic, it’s something that you can’t stop. Dogs yawn when their owners yawn, animals yawn to each other. It happens whether you want to or not. These kinds of effects have been found for other kinds of behaviour, so really, we were trying to push it as far as we could and see if there is a cognitive element to this influence behaviour.

Georgina

The research discovered that contagious yawning is connected with our social group and how close we feel to the people in it. Here’s John Drury again.

John Drury

So, the more that you identify with the in-group target, the more likely you are to copy their behaviour. What we do when we see a behaviour is that at some level, we are making a judgement about whether the person exhibiting that behaviour, whether it’s an emotion, or a scratching behaviour, or anything, is relevant. Does their behaviour indicate to us how we should behave?

Georgina

So, essentially, yawning is more contagious if we identify with the person who yawns first. If we feel close to, and belong in, the same group as the person who exhibits the behaviour – the person who does the yawning – we are likely to yawn too.

Rob

So, you are less likely to yawn if a stranger yawns than if someone in your close family or circle of friends yawns.

Georgina

Let’s listen again.

John Drury

So, the more that you identify with the in-group target, the more likely you are to copy their behaviour. What we do when we see a behaviour is that at some level, we are making a judgement about whether the person exhibiting that behaviour, whether it’s an emotion, or a scratching behaviour, or anything, is relevant. Does their behaviour indicate to us how we should behave?

Georgina

Right, before we review the vocabulary, let’s have the answer to our quiz. Why do we yawn? Is it:

A: To take in more oxygen

B: To get rid of carbon dioxide from our body

C: No one really knows

Rob, what did you say?

Rob

Well, I was pretty sure it’s A - to take in more oxygen.

Georgina

There is, in fact, no clear biological reason for yawning that is agreed upon. So no one really knows.

Rob

We’ve been talking about yawning. The action of opening our mouths wide open and stretching our eardrums when tired or bored.

Georgina

Yawning can also be contagious. This means it can pass from one person to another.

Rob

And a yawn can be described as a behaviour – a particular kind of automatic action in response to a particular situation.

Georgina

The word cognitive is related to our mental processes - the way our minds work.

Rob

If you identify with a particular group – you feel close to that group and feel that you belong in that group.

Georgina

And finally, to exhibit a behaviour is to actually do that particular behaviour. And before we all start yawning, it’s time for us to go. Do join us again soon and you can always find us online, on social media and on the BBC Learning English app. Bye for now.

Rob

Bye!

Vocabulary

a yawn / to yawn

breathe in and out with our mouth stretched open

contagious

can be spread from one person to another

a behaviour

an action, often automatic, in response to a particular situation

cognitive

connected to mental processes and the way our minds work

to identify with (a group)

to feel close to and have a sense of belonging to (a group)

exhibit (a behaviour)

do, show (a behaviour)

雙語版Transcript

Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'mGeorgina.

大家好，這里是六分鐘英語，我是喬治娜。

And I'm Rob.

我是羅伯。

What do you do when you're tired,Rob?

羅伯，你疲憊時(shí)會(huì)做什么？

Mm, well, I go to bed.

呃，好吧，我會(huì)上床睡覺。

Before that?

在那之前呢？

Erm, I clean my teeth?

呃，刷牙？

But what does your body do to tellyou you're tired?

但是你的身體會(huì)做什么來告訴你你累了？

Right, well these days I just kind offall asleep in front of the TV.

是的，這些天我在電視機(jī)前看著電視就睡著了。

Yes, but, OK – what am I doing now?

是的，但是，好吧，我現(xiàn)在在做什么？

Oh yes, hang on – yes, you've set meoff - yawning,?yes yawning is a sign that weare tired! Or bored!

哦，是的，等等——是的，你觸發(fā)了我做那件事——打哈欠，是的，打哈欠是我們累了或者感到無聊的一個(gè)標(biāo)志。

Are you tired or bored now?

你現(xiàn)在是累了還是感到無聊？

No, not particularly.

不，不見得。

So, why did you just yawn?

那你剛剛為什么打哈欠？

Well, because you did!

好吧，因?yàn)槟愦蚬妨恕?/span>

That's the thing about yawns.

那就是和打哈欠相關(guān)的。

They are contagious – they can spreadfrom one person to another.

它們會(huì)傳染，可以從一個(gè)人傳染給另一個(gè)人。

And that's what we're looking at inthis programme.

那就是我們?cè)谶@個(gè)節(jié)目中要研究的。

But first, today's question.

但首先是今天的問題。

What biological function does yawninghave?

打哈欠有什么生物學(xué)功能？

Essentially, why do we yawn?

本質(zhì)上，我們?yōu)槭裁创蚬罚?/span>

Is it: A: To take in more oxygen, B:To get rid of carbon dioxide from our body, C: No one really knows?

是A：吸入更多氧氣，B：排出體內(nèi)二氧化碳，還是C：沒人知道？

What do you think, Rob?

你覺得呢，羅伯？

Ah – I know this.

啊——我知道。

We yawn to take in more oxygen.

我們打哈欠是為了吸入更多氧氣。

I'm pretty sure that's it.

我相當(dāng)確定就是這樣。

OK.

好的。

We'll see if you're correct at theend of the programme.

我們將在節(jié)目最后來看看你是否回答正確。

John Drury is a researcher fromSussex University.

約翰·德魯里是蘇塞克斯大學(xué)的一名研究員。

On the BBC Radio 4 series All in TheMind he spoke about yawning and why it is contagious.

在BBC廣播4頻道的系列節(jié)目All in the Mind中，他談到了打哈欠以及它為什么會(huì)傳染。

Which animal does he mention willalso catch a yawn from its owner?

他提到哪種動(dòng)物也會(huì)被主人傳染打呵欠？

Yawning is actually a difficult casewhen it comes to these contagious behaviours.

就這些會(huì)傳染的行為而言，打哈欠實(shí)際上是一個(gè)復(fù)雜的例子。

It is the most contagious behaviour.

它是最具傳染性的行為。

It's meant to be automatic, it'ssomething that you can't stop.

那指的是它是自動(dòng)的，是你無法阻止的。

Dogs yawn when their owners yawn,animals yawn to each other.

狗在主人打哈欠時(shí)也打哈欠，動(dòng)物之間也會(huì)互相打哈欠。

It happens whether you want to ornot.

不管你愿不愿意，它都會(huì)發(fā)生。

These kind of effects have been foundfor other kinds of behaviour,?so really we were trying to push it as faras we could and see if there is a cognitive element to this influencebehaviour.

這些影響已經(jīng)在其它類型的行為中被發(fā)現(xiàn)，所以我們真的試圖盡可能對(duì)它進(jìn)行研究，看看這種影響行為是否存在認(rèn)知因素。

Which animal might yawn when itsowner does?

哪種動(dòng)物會(huì)在主人打哈欠的時(shí)候打哈欠？

Dogs!

狗狗！

Dogs can catch a yawn from theirowners.

狗狗會(huì)被主人傳染打呵欠。

Yes, yawning is a very contagiousbehaviour.

是的，打哈欠是一種傳染性很強(qiáng)的行為。

The use of the word behaviour here isinteresting.

這里使用"行為"這個(gè)詞很有趣。

Normally it is an uncountable noun todescribe the way we act,?either in a good or a bad way.

通常情況下它是一個(gè)不可數(shù)名詞，用來描述我們的行為方式，無論是好是壞。

We talk about, for example, dogs' orchildren's behaviour being good or bad.

例如，我們說狗狗或孩子的行為是好是壞。

But it's also used as a countablenoun,?when we are talking about a particular action that, for example, ananimal makes in particular situations.

但它也可以用作可數(shù)名詞，例如，但當(dāng)我們談到動(dòng)物在特定情況下所做的特定行為時(shí)。

These behaviours are often notconscious,?but are an automatic response to a situation.

這些行為通常是無意識(shí)的，但卻是對(duì)某種情況的自動(dòng)反應(yīng)。

And the researchers were looking tosee if there was a cognitive side to the behaviour.

研究員想看看該行為是否有認(rèn)知方面的原因。

Which means they are looking at themental process – what is happening in the mind to make usyawn,?particularly when someone else yawns.

這意味著他們會(huì)觀察心理過程——大腦中發(fā)生了什么讓我們打哈欠，特別是當(dāng)別人打哈欠時(shí)。

Let's listen again.

讓我們?cè)俾犚槐椤?/span>

Yawning is actually a difficult casewhen it comes to these contagious behaviours.

就這些會(huì)傳染的行為而言，打哈欠實(shí)際上是一個(gè)復(fù)雜的例子。

It is the most contagious behaviour.

它是最具傳染性的行為。

It's meant to be automatic, it'ssomething that you can't stop.

那指的是它是自動(dòng)的，是你無法阻止的。

Dogs yawn when their owners yawn,animals yawn to each other.

狗在主人打哈欠時(shí)也打哈欠，動(dòng)物之間也會(huì)互相打哈欠。

It happens whether you want to ornot.

不管你愿不愿意，它都會(huì)發(fā)生。

These kind of effects have been foundfor other kinds of behaviour,?so really we were trying to push it as faras we could and see if there is a cognitive element to this influencebehaviour.

這些影響已經(jīng)在其它類型的行為中被發(fā)現(xiàn)，所以我們真的試圖盡可能對(duì)它進(jìn)行研究，看看這種影響行為是否存在認(rèn)知因素。

The research discovered thatcontagious yawning is connected with our social group and how close we feel tothe people in it.

研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，傳染性打哈欠與我們的社會(huì)群體以及我們與其中的人的親密程度有關(guān)。

Here's John Drury again.

再聽聽約翰·德魯里說了什么。

So, the more that you identify withthe in-group target, the more likely you are to copy their behaviour.

所以，你越認(rèn)同群體內(nèi)的目標(biāo)對(duì)象，你就越有可能模仿他們的行為。

What we do when we see a behaviour isthat at some level,?we are making a judgement about whether the personexhibiting that behaviour,?whether it's an emotion, or a scratchingbehaviour, or anything is relevant.

在某種程度上，我們看到一種行為時(shí)所做的就是，我們?cè)谂袛嗄莻€(gè)人是否表現(xiàn)出那種行為，無論是一種情緒，還是抓撓行為，或者其它什么相關(guān)的。

Does their behaviour indicate to ushow we should behave?

他們的行為是否表明我們應(yīng)該如何行事？

So, essentially, yawning is morecontagious if we identify with the person who yawns first.

所以，從本質(zhì)上講，如果我們認(rèn)同第一個(gè)打哈欠的人，打哈欠就更有傳染性。

If we feel close to, and belong in,the same group as the person who exhibits the behaviour – the person who doesthe yawning,?we are likely to yawn too.

如果我們感覺自己和表現(xiàn)出該行為的人——打哈欠的人——很親近，屬于同一群體，那么我們很可能也會(huì)打哈欠。

So, you are less likely to yawn if astranger yawns than if someone in your close family or circle of friends yawns.

所以，陌生人打呵欠時(shí)你打呵欠的可能性，要比你親近的家人或朋友圈里的人打呵欠時(shí)你打哈欠的可能性小。

Let's listen again.

再聽一遍。

So, the more that you identify withthe in-group target,?the more likely you are to copy their behaviour.

所以，你越認(rèn)同群體內(nèi)的目標(biāo)對(duì)象，你就越有可能模仿他們的行為。

What we do when we see a behaviour isthat at some level,?we are making a judgement about whether the personexhibiting that behaviour,?whether it's an emotion, or a?scratchingbehaviour, or anything is relevant.

在某種程度上，我們看到一種行為時(shí)所做的就是，我們?cè)谂袛嗄莻€(gè)人是否表現(xiàn)出那種行為，無論是一種情緒，還是抓撓行為，或者其它什么相關(guān)的。

Does their behaviour indicate to ushow we should behave?

他們的行為是否表明我們應(yīng)該如何行事？

Right, before we review thevocabulary, let's have the answer to our quiz.

好的，在我們復(fù)習(xí)詞匯之前，讓我們先來揭曉今天測(cè)驗(yàn)問題的答案。

Why do we yawn?

我們?yōu)槭裁创蚬罚?/span>

Is it: A: To take in more oxygen, B:To get rid of carbon dioxide from our body or C: No one really knows?

是A：吸入更多氧氣，B：排出體內(nèi)二氧化碳，還是C：沒人知道？

Rob, what did you say?

羅伯，你說什么？

Well, I was pretty sure it's A - totake in more oxygen.

好的，我很確定是A選項(xiàng)——吸收更多氧氣。

There is, in fact, no clearbiological reason for yawning that is agreed upon.

事實(shí)上，打哈欠沒有公認(rèn)的明確生物學(xué)原因。

So no one really knows.

所以沒人真正知道。

We've been talking about yawning.

我們一直在談?wù)摯蚬贰?/span>

The action of opening our mouths wideopen and stretching our eardrums when tired or bored.

當(dāng)我們感到疲倦或無聊時(shí)，張大嘴巴并拉伸耳膜的動(dòng)作。

Yawning can also be contagious.

打哈欠也會(huì)傳染。

This means it can pass from oneperson to another.

這是說它可以從一個(gè)人傳染給另一個(gè)人。

And a yawn can be described as abehaviour?– a particular kind of automatic action in response to aparticular situation.

打哈欠可以被描述為一種行為——一種特殊情況下的自動(dòng)反應(yīng)。

The word cognitive is related to ourmental processes - the way our minds work.

"認(rèn)知的"這個(gè)詞和我們的心理過程有關(guān)，也就是我們大腦工作的方式。

If you identify with a particulargroup,?you feel close to that group and feel that you belong in thatgroup.

如果你認(rèn)同一個(gè)特定的群體，你會(huì)覺得和那個(gè)群體很親近，覺得自己屬于那個(gè)群體。

And finally, to exhibit a behaviouris to actually do that particular behaviour.

最后，表現(xiàn)出一種行為就是實(shí)際上做出那種特定行為。

And before we all start yawning, it'stime for us to go.

在我們開始打哈欠之前，是時(shí)候結(jié)束本期節(jié)目了。

Do join us again soon and you canalways find us online, on social media and on the BBC Learning English app.

歡迎你的下次參與，你可以在網(wǎng)上、社交媒體和BBC教學(xué)英語應(yīng)用程序上找到我們。

Bye for now.

再見了。

Byebye!

拜拜！