阅读理解
Mianzi(literally “face”)has long been observed by most Chinese.As a famous saying goes, “Men live for face as trees grow for bark.”
In a recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily, over 93 percent of the polled(接受测试的)people(1150)said they pay much attention to their mianzi, which concerns people’s decency, personality, and dignity.
When asked what the most humiliating(不光彩的)thing is, a heavy number accounting for 74.9 percent of the total chose public gaffes(失态)with the failed fulfillment of one’s promise coming in as second.More than a half of the people feel ashamed of being shown as ignorant before others.A total 47.5 percent of the polled considered it a loss of face to have no enough money on them when treating friends out to a dinner.
What would enhance one’s face then? In a ranking on this question, the survey revealed that doing what others cannot do topped the list, taking up a high proportion of 83.7 percent.Following at the second, with 53.9 percent, was being praised in public.Being outstandingly knowledgeable was third on the list for sharpening one’s mianzi, accounting for 51.7 percent.
According to the survey, face usually comes at a price.To pay or not to pay, it’s a problem.Deeply troubled with the face concept, many “fight” each other for the chance to foot the bill despite a barren pocket.Some 80.7 percent of those taking the poll thought it a tough life to always hold the face concept.Surprisingly, only 8.7 percent of the polled insisted that it tarnish(损害)a man’s authority and face in a family where the wife is the major breadwinner.
Armed to the teeth with the luxury name brand clothes, a limited 7.7 percent among all the polled prefer pricey cloths in order to gain more face.
Taking the social status into consideration, 82.9 percent of the polled nod at the opinion that those holding a superior position care far more than the general public about face.In another comparison, the manual labors pay less attention to face than brainworkers.The survey also revealed that men focus more on face than women and the senior more than the young.
While most people hold a neutral viewpoint about those who value mianzi a lot, nearly 80 percent of all the polled are willing to make friends with them.