Have you ever looked into the eyes of a person in a portrait hanging on the wall and had the eerie feeling that they were staring right back at you? Even when you walk around the room, their watchful gaze __1__ your every move. This phenomenon has actually been confirmed as a __2__ illusion with a scientific explanation. Long ago, it was given the term the “Mona Lisa effect” after the masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.
It occurs when the person portrayed in the picture has their gaze set at a zero-degree angle—looking directly ahead, that is. This would be the same as when a person looks straight into the camera lens when they have their __3__ taken. Even if there’s a slightly sideward glance to the left or right of 5° or less, you’ll still have the __4__ feeling that the person in the picture is looking you right in the eye.
Due to the name of the phenomenon, it would be natural to __5__ that it applies to the actual Mona Lisa itself. Ironically, however, this isn’t the case. In a 2019 study, researchers at Bielefeld University in Germany had 24 subjects look at __6__ of the Mona Lisa on a computer screen. They did so from different distances and angles and made over 2,000 __7__ in total. Interestingly, all of them indicated that she was not gazing directly at them. Instead, they found that her gaze was directed to their right-hand side.
This actually __8__ perfect sense. The Mona Lisa’s angle of gaze does not fall within the 0° to 5° limit required to experience the phenomenon. Rather, her gaze is set at over 15°, which is well outside the __9__ necessary to experience the effect bearing her name. So why is this phenomenon named after her even though the painting doesn’t even __10__ the illusion? Perhaps it is because the people who first coined the term simply thought it was a cool name.
(A) exhibit (B) makes (C) infer (D) images (E) follows
adv. 諷刺地
●
eerie [ˋɪrɪ]
a. 怪異而令人恐懼的
●
watchful [ˋwɑtʃfəl]
a. 注意的
●
sideward [ˋsaɪdwɚd]
a. 向旁邊的
Practical Phrases
●
apply to... 適用於……
The first half of the questionnaire applies only to graduate students.
這份問卷的前半部只適用於研究生。
●
數字 + in total 總共……
= a total of
Seven players left the team in total.
總共有 7 名選手離開球隊。
●
be (not) the case 情況(不)是如此
Life for the Johnsons is easier now, but that wasn’t the case a few years ago.
強森家的日子現在好過多了,但幾年前並非如此。
If what Peter said is the case, you will have to be more careful.
如果情況真如彼得所說,那你就得更加小心了。
●
look sb right in the eye 直視某人
Tim looked Mandy right in the eye and told her he loved her.
提姆直視曼蒂的眼睛說他愛她。
Tips & Analysis
1. Even when you walk around the room, their watchful gaze follows your every move.
理由
a. 空格前有名詞詞組 their watchful gaze(他們 的目光),而空格後亦有名詞詞組 your every move(你的一舉一動),故知空格應置入第三人 稱單數及物動詞。
b. 選項中有 (B) makes 及 (E) follows 符合條件, 根據語意,即使當你在房間裡走來走去,肖像中 的人的目光也會「跟隨」你的一舉一動,可知答案應選 (E)。
2. This phenomenon has actually been confirmed as a legitimate illusion with a scientific explanation.
理由
a. 空格前有不定冠詞 a,而空格後有名詞 illusion (錯覺),故知空格應置入形容詞以修飾 illusion。
3. This would be the same as when a person looks straight into the camera lens when they have their photograph taken.
理由
a. 空格前有所有格 their,空格後有過去分詞 taken, 故知空格應置入名詞。
b. 剩餘選項中除 (B) makes、(C) infer 及 (F) bizarre 外皆符合條件,根據語意,就像一個人在 「拍照」時直視相機鏡頭一樣,可知答案應選 (H) photograph,置入後亦符合 “take a photograph”的用法。
4. Even if there’s a slightly sideward glance to the left or right of 5° or less, you’ll still have the bizarre feeling that the person in the picture is looking you right in the eye.
理由
a. 空格前有定冠詞 the,而空格後有名詞 feeling(感 覺),故知空格應置入形容詞以修飾 feeling。
b. 選項中僅剩 (F) bizarre 符合條件,置入後表即使 圖片中人物的視線稍微向左或向右看五度或更小的 角度,你仍然會有照片中的人正直視你的「怪異」 感覺,故選之。
5. Due to the name of the phenomenon, it would be natural to infer that it applies to the actual Mona Lisa itself.
理由
a. 空格前有引導不定詞片語的 to,而空格後有 that 引導的名詞子句,故知空格應置入原形及物動詞。