Is the woman pictured on the right more attractive than the woman on the left?

The photograph on the right was changed using a new "beauty making" computer program,   which uses a mathematical formula involving 234 measurements of distances between facial  features to get a theoretically more attractive version, while keeping the basic appearance of the face unchanged. Unlike changes done in fashion magazine photos, wrinkles were not smoothed and hair color was not changed.

The program is the latest attempt to combine beauty and science, a subject that has drawn increasing academic interest in the last decade.

Studies have shown there is surprising agreement among people of different cultures about what makes a face attractive. Most important is symmetry (勻稱), along with youthfulness, skin smoothness and vivid eyes and hair color. Yet, like the many other scientific or mathematical attempts to define beauty, this software program raises complex and difficult questions about the understanding of beauty.

"How can they prove something is more or less beautiful?" said Lois Banner, a history professor at Chicago University, who studies changing beauty standards. "There can never be a single standard of beauty because so much of it is culturally influenced."

After viewing "before" and "after" photographs of different people, Banner said the original faces were more attractive. "Irregular beauty is the real beauty," said Banner, adding that attempts to measure beauty are driven by the media’s efforts to define beauty and who is beautiful.

Martina Eckstut, the woman whose photo was beautified for this article, said she was struck by how different she looked. "I think the “after” picture looks great, but it doesn’t really look like me at all." She added, "I would like to keep my original face."

For centuries people have tried to define a universal ideal of beauty. "The first reaction we have to faces will be based on face symmetry." said Alexander Nehamas, a professor who has written about beauty. "But in real life we don’t just see a face. We see faces as people express their emotions and ideas, and all those aspects of the face are essential to our deciding whether a face or a person is beautiful."

46. How does the program work to beautify a face?

A. It changes the distances between facial features.

B. It smoothes the skin and softens the color of the hair.

C. It digitally repairs some obvious facial faults.

D. It replaces the original face with a similar one.

47. Banner believes that       .

A. there is no such thing as beauty

B. efforts to develop a beauty measure should be encouraged

C. the media is to blame for the failure to agree on beauty standards

D. it is impossible to show that one thing is more beautiful than another

48. When seeing the "after" picture, Martina Eckstut was            .

A. pleasantly surprised but thought she could look even better

B. eager to get her face changed although it didn’t look like her at all

C. amazed by the attractiveness but preferred not to have a different face

D. confused by how different she looked and had no idea what to do

49. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Beauty is mainly based on face symmetry.

B. There is no single standard or definition of beauty.

C. The program is likely to encourage people to change their appearance.

D. Mathematics should be used to help us create beauty.

50. The purpose of the passage is to         .

A. oppose the attempts to create artificial beauty

B. introduce a beauty program and a discussion about beauty

C. discuss what makes a person beautiful

D. show how a beauty engine can beautify a person

Is the woman pictured on the right more attractive than the woman on the left?

The photograph on the right was changed using a new “beauty making” computer program, which uses a mathematical formula involving 234 measurements of distances between facial features to get a theoretically more attractive version, while keeping the basic appearance of the face unchanged. Unlike changes done in fashion magazine photos, wrinkles were not smoothed and hair color was not hanged.

The program is the latest attempt to combine beauty and science, a subject that has drawn increasing academic interest in the last decade.

“How can they prove something is more or less beautiful?” said Lois Banner, a history professor at Chicago University, who studies changing beauty standards. “There can never be a single standard of beauty because so much of it is culturally influenced.”

After viewing “before” and “after” photographs of different people, Banner said the original faces were more attractive. “Irregular beauty is the real beauty,” said Banner, adding that attempts to measure beauty are driven by the media’s efforts to define beauty and who is beautiful.

Martina Eckstut, the woman whose photo was beautified for this article, said the was struck by how different she looked. “I think the ‘a(chǎn)fter’ picture looks great, but it doesn’t really look like me at all.” She added, “I would like to keep my original face.”

For centuries people have tried to define a universal ideal of beauty. “The first reaction we have to faces will be based on face symmetry.” said Alexander Nehamas, a professor who has written about beauty. “But in real life we don’t just see a face. We see faces as people express their emotions and ideas, and all those aspects of the face are essential to our deciding whether a face or a person is beautiful.”

1．How does the program work to beautify a face?

       A．It changes the distances between facial features.

       B．It smoothes the skin and softens the color of the hair.

       C．It digitally repairs some obvious facial faults.

       D．It replaces the original face with a similar one.

2．Banner believes that          .

       A．there is no such thing as beauty

       B．efforts to develop a beauty measure should be encouraged

       C．the media is to blame for the failure to agree on beauty standards

       D．it is impossible to show that one thing is more beautiful than another

3．When seeing the “after” picture, Martina Eckstut was           .

       A．pleasantly surprised but though she could look even better

       B．eager to get her face changed although it didn’t look like her at all

       C．a(chǎn)mazed by the attractiveness but preferred not to have a different face

       D．confused by how different she looked and had no idea what to do

4．According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?

       A．Beauty is mainly based on face symmetry.

       B．There is no single standard or definition of beauty.

       C．The program is likely to encourage people to change their appearance.

       D．Mathematics should be used to help us create beauty.

5．The purpose of the passage is to           .

       A．oppose the attempts to create artificial beauty

       B．introduce a beauty program and a discussion about beauty

       C．discuss what makes a person beautiful

       D．show how a beauty engine can beautify a person

Is the woman pictured on the right more attractive than the woman on the left??

The photograph on the right was changed using a new "beauty making" computer program,　 which uses a mathematical formula involving 234 measurements of distances between facial features to get a theoretically more attractive version, while keeping the basic appearance of the face unchanged. Unlike changes done in fashion magazine photos, wrinkles were not smoothed and hair color was not changed.?

The program is the latest attempt to combine beauty and science, a subject that has drawn increasing academic interest in the last decade.?

Studies have shown there is surprising agreement among people of different cultures about what makes a face attractive. Most important is symmetry (勻稱), along with youthfulness, skin smoothness and vivid eyes and hair color. Yet, like the many other scientific or mathematical attempts to define beauty, this software program raises complex and difficult questions about the understanding of beauty.?

"How can they prove something is more or less beautiful?" said Lois Banner, a history professor at Chicago University, who studies changing beauty standards. "There can never be a single standard of beauty because so much of it is culturally influenced."?

After viewing "before" and "after" photographs of different people, Banner said the original faces were more attractive. "Irregular beauty is the real beauty," said Banner, adding that attempts to measure beauty are driven by the media’s efforts to define beauty and who is beautiful.?

Martina Eckstut, the woman whose photo was beautified for this article, said she was struck by how different she looked. "I think the “after” picture looks great, but it doesn’t really look like me at all." She added, "I would like to keep my original face."?

For centuries people have tried to define a universal ideal of beauty. "The first reaction we have to faces will be based on face symmetry." said Alexander Nehamas, a professor who has written about beauty. "But in real life we don’t just see a face. We see faces as people express their emotions and ideas, and all those aspects of the face are essential to our deciding whether a face or a person is beautiful."?

1. How does the program work to beautify a face??

A. It changes the distances between facial features.?

B. It smoothes the skin and softens the color of the hair.?

C. It digitally repairs some obvious facial faults.?

D. It replaces the original face with a similar one. ?

2. Banner believes that 　　　.?

A. there is no such thing as beauty?

B. efforts to develop a beauty measure should be encouraged?

C. the media is to blame for the failure to agree on beauty standards?

D. it is impossible to show that one thing is more beautiful than another ?

3. When seeing the "after" picture, Martina Eckstut was 　　　　　 .

A. pleasantly surprised but thought she could look even better?

B. eager to get her face changed although it didn’t look like her at all?

C. amazed by the attractiveness but preferred not to have a different face?

D. confused by how different she looked and had no idea what to do

4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE??

A. Beauty is mainly based on face symmetry.?

B. There is no single standard or definition of beauty.?

C. The program is likely to encourage people to change their appearance.?

D. Mathematics should be used to help us create beauty. ?

5. The purpose of the passage is to 　　　 .?

A. oppose the attempts to create artificial beauty?

B. introduce a beauty program and a discussion about beauty?

C. discuss what makes a person beautiful?

D. show how a beauty engine can beautify a person