帶個「僚機」真的能幫你約到人嗎？：英語精讀講義

On a night out while looking for love, 片語搭配

晚上出門尋找愛情時，

there's nothing like having the support of a friend, 文法

沒有什麼比朋友的支持更讓人安心，

known sometimes as a wingman or wingwoman. 文化背景

這樣的朋友有時被稱為「男僚機」或「女僚機」。

The term originates from fighter jet pilots

這個稱呼源自戰鬥機飛行員，

where the wingman's job is to support and protect the leading pilot.

僚機的職責是支援並保護領航飛行員。

This same dynamic is applied when a friend needs support approaching potential partners.

當朋友需要有人幫忙接近潛在對象時，也會運用同樣的搭檔模式。

But what's the science behind this strategy, 片語搭配

但這種策略背後有什麼科學根據，

and do wingmen actually work?

僚機真的有用嗎？

First things first, 表達脈絡

首先，

you look better in a group than you do on your own. 講解

和一群人在一起時，你比獨自一人看起來更有魅力。

One study had participants evaluate pictures of 300 people 文法

一項研究請參與者評估了300個人的照片，

and found that faces were significantly more attractive

結果發現，以下方式會讓人臉顯得明顯更有吸引力：

when they were shown in a group photo

讓這些臉出現在團體照中，

compared to the same faces shown on their own.

而不是單獨展示同樣的臉。

Another good tactic a squad can use is that 文法

一群朋友還可以借鑑另一種妙招，

of a wild turkey.

那就是野生火雞的做法。

Wild turkeys attract mates in a coalition

野生火雞會結盟來吸引配偶，

where one turkey is dominant and

其中一隻佔主導地位，

the other turkeys are helpers.

其他火雞則負責協助。

These helper turkeys wear less colorful plumage,

這些幫手火雞的羽毛沒那麼鮮豔，

making the dominant one look like a better catch. 講解

因而讓佔主導地位的那隻顯得更值得選擇。

And this strategy almost doubles the reproductive success

而且，這種策略幾乎能讓繁殖成功率加倍，

compared to those turkeys who ride solo. 慣用語

相較於那些單打獨鬥的火雞。

Even male fireflies work together to attract ladies.

就連雄性螢火蟲也會合作吸引雌性。

Fireflies use bioluminescent flashes to signal a mate,

螢火蟲會用生物發光的閃爍訊號呼喚配偶，

and when male fireflies synchronize their flashes,

當雄性螢火蟲同步閃光時，

females responded 82% of the time 文法

雌性做出回應的機率是82%，

compared to 3% of the time with asynchronous flashes.

而閃光不同步時只有3%。

So maybe it's time for your squad to think of a coordinated dance, 文法

所以，也許你們這群朋友該考慮編一段整齊劃一的舞蹈了，

especially if you're the wingman to a lance-tailed manakin.

尤其是當你在替一隻矛尾嬌鶲當僚機時。

Males of this species team up in pairs 片語動詞

這個物種的雄鳥會兩兩組隊，

performing intricate dances,

表演複雜的舞蹈，

including leaping over one another. 文法

包括從彼此頭頂躍過。

But within the group,

但在這個組合中，

there is an alpha and a beta,

會有一隻阿爾法雄鳥和一隻貝塔雄鳥，

and the beta never gets lucky. 慣用語

而貝塔雄鳥永遠得不到交配機會。

So why be a wingman?

那為什麼還要當僚機呢？

A study that tracked and analyzed DNA of 457 birds

一項研究追蹤了457隻鳥，並分析牠們的DNA，

found that beta birds,

結果發現，貝塔雄鳥

after learning from the alphas, 文法

在向阿爾法雄鳥學習後，

had a better chance of becoming an alpha the following year. 片語搭配

隔年更有機會成為阿爾法雄鳥。

These strategies are often used among males,

這些策略往往由雄性採用，

but what about females? 表達脈絡

那雌性呢？

Across cultures, 表達脈絡

在不同文化中，

human women tend to be more selective or choosy than men when it comes to partnerships, 講解

人類女性在選擇伴侶時，往往比男性更謹慎、更挑剔，

though significant variation does exist among sexes. 文法

不過，各性別群體內部確實也存在顯著差異。

After all,

畢竟，

females expend more resources in pregnancy,

雌性在懷孕時要投入更多資源，

making it important that they choose a partner more selectively. 文法

因此更謹慎地挑選伴侶十分重要。

When asked to describe their courtship strategies, 文法

當研究人員請大家描述自己的求偶策略時，

interestingly,

有趣的是，

women were actually more likely to use cooperative techniques than men, 文法

女性其實比男性更常採用合作技巧，

but these techniques were used to avoid partners where there was no romantic interest. 文法

但這些技巧是用來避開自己沒有戀愛興趣的對象。

Again,

同樣要說明的是，

this certainly varies from person to person, 片語搭配

這肯定因人而異，

and these studies also only focused on heterosexual behavior.

而且這些研究也只關注異性戀行為。

How far will your squad go for you? 慣用語

你的朋友願意為你做到什麼程度？

Are they willing to lie?

他們願意說謊嗎？

It turns out the closer relationship you have with someone, 講解

事實證明，你和某人的關係越親近，

the more likely you are to lie to make them look good. 文法

就越可能為了讓對方顯得更出色而說謊。

This is why going out with your best friends to the bar can help boost your image. 片語搭配

這就是為什麼和最好的朋友一起去酒吧，能幫你提升形象。

Of course,

當然，

looking for love or a fling while in the company of friends is fun and often effective, 講解

和朋友一起尋找愛情或短暫豔遇既有趣，通常也很有效，

but just remember that finding romance doesn't need to be a strategic game where you have to trick someone.

但請記得，尋找愛情不必變成一場非得靠欺騙別人的策略遊戲。

If you just be yourself, 語氣意圖

只要做真實的自己，

you're more likely to find someone who likes you for you. 慣用語

你就更有可能遇到一個喜歡真實的你的人。

Special thanks to Audible for supporting this episode and giving you a free 30-day trial at audible.com/asap.

特別感謝Audible贊助本集，並透過audible.com/asap為你提供30天免費試用。

This week,

本週，

we wanted to recommend the book The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf,

我們想推薦Andrea Wulf的著作The Invention of Nature，

which is a fascinating investigation of the relationship between environments around the world and their connectedness with humanity.

這本書以引人入勝的方式探討世界各地的環境，以及它們與人類之間的連結。

You can get a free 30-day trial at audible.com/asap

你可以前往audible.com/asap獲得30天免費試用，

and choose from a massive selection.

並從海量內容中挑選。

We love them as they're great when you're on the go. 慣用語

我們很喜歡有聲書，因為它們非常適合在外出時收聽。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

別忘了訂閱，每週收看更多科學影片。