烟花在世界各地都很受欢迎。每到重大节目，常常会有烟花表演，很多人都会观看。那么，为什么我们会喜欢烟花呢？
Why we love fireworks
by Anna Brooks
There's no question that we humans love fireworks. Last year, more than 110 million kilograms of fireworks erupted, generating $1.2 billion in revenue, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association. But what about fireworks makes them so appealing? The answer might not be what you expect.
firework /ˈfaɪəwɜːk/ n. 烟花、烟火
erupt /ɪˈrʌpt/ v. （发出光和声音地）爆炸
generate /ˈdʒenəreɪt/ v. 产生
billion /ˈbɪljən/ n. 十亿
revenue /ˈrev(ə)njuː/ n. 销售额、销售收入
appealing /əˈpiːlɪŋ/ adj. 吸引人的
Daniel Glaser, a neuroscientist（神经科学家） and the director of Science Gallery London at King's College in the United Kingdom, says the reason we like fireworks so much is because they scare us. Like lightning, the bright flashes warn us something – like the booming clap of thunder or the hollow pop of a firework – is about to happen.
scare /skeə(r)/ v. 惊吓、使害怕
lightning /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ n. 闪电
flash /flæʃ/ n. 闪光
booming /ˈbuːmɪŋ/ adj. 隆隆作响的
clap /klæp/ n. 霹雳声
thunder /ˈθʌndə(r)/ n. 打雷、雷声
hollow /ˈhɒləʊ/ adj. 中空的、（声音）沉闷的
pop /pɒp/ n. 啪啪声
This activates the amygdala, a little ball of nerves in the brain that detects fear. After the lights have stimulated the anticipation of a threat, the loud crack of the firework confirms this perception in our brains. In response, our reward centers release a surge of dopamine – a chemical that regulates pleasure.
activate /ˈæktɪveɪt/ v. 激活、使开始活动（由active加后缀-ate变成动词）
nerve /nɜːv/ n. 神经
detect /dɪˈtekt/ v. 侦测、发现
stimulate /ˈstɪmjuleɪt/ v. 刺激、激发
anticipation /ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 期望、盼望（由anticipate加后缀-ion变成名词）
threat /θret/ n. 威胁
crack /kræk/ n. 爆裂声
perception /pəˈsepʃ(ə)n/ n. 观念、看法
response /rɪˈspɒns/ n. 回答、回应
release /rɪˈliːs/ v. 释放
surge /sɜːdʒ/ n. 激增、猛增
chemical /ˈkemɪk(ə)l/ n. 化学物质
regulate /ˈreɡjuleɪt/ v. 管控、调节
But why would something that we fear generate happiness? According to Glaser, unlike the unchecked terror of the unknown, fireworks-induced fear is controlled. After seeing these light-up shows over and over again, our brains anticipate the bang that comes after the flashes of light. That's unlike a thunderstorm in which we know thunder follows lightning, but when or how loud the next boom will be is out of our control.
unlike /ʌnˈlaɪk/ prep. 不像、跟…不同（由like加上表示否定的前缀un-）
unchecked /ʌnˈtʃekt/ adj. 不受控制的
terror /ˈterə(r)/ n. 恐怖
unknown /ʌnˈnəʊn/ n. 未知、未知的事物（由known加上表示否定的前缀un-）
induce /ɪnˈdjuːs/ v. 引起、引发
control /kənˈtrəʊl/ v./n. 控制
anticipate /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt/ v. 期待、盼望
bang /bæŋ/ n. 一声巨响
boom /buːm/ n. 巨响
This also explains why these celebratory pyrotechnics（烟花展示） often terrify dogs. While we know a sound is coming after the firework takes flight, dogs are caught off guard by the sudden, loud noise.
celebratory /ˌseləˈbreɪt(ə)ri/ adj. 庆祝的（由celebrate加后缀-ory变成形容词）
terrify /ˈterəfaɪ/ v. 吓坏
catch someone off guard 使某人猝不及防
sudden /ˈsʌd(ə)n/ adj. 突然的
"People seem to be excited by the anticipation of a slightly scary experience," Glaser says. "Fireworks repeatedly set up this expectation. Each flash generates the anticipation of a bang, and that satisfaction seems to be what's exciting about the display."
slightly /ˈslaɪtli/ adv. 轻微地、稍微（由slight加后缀-ly变成副词）
repeatedly /rɪˈpiːtɪdli/ adv. 重复多次地
set up 安排好
expectation /ˌekspekˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 期待、期望（由expect加后缀-ation变成名词）
satisfaction /ˌsætɪsˈfækʃ(ə)n/ n. 满意、满足
Fireworks might also be especially intriguing to us because of their novelty. As we watch these magnificent pyrotechnic（烟花的） stars explode, Glaser says we're exposed to injections of color we don't normally see. "Fireworks genuinely synthesize（合成） new wavelengths of color," Glaser says. "Basically chemists have hijacked the system when it comes to fireworks, they can cook up colors outside the spectrum."
intriguing /ɪnˈtriːɡɪŋ/ adj. 令人着迷的
novelty /ˈnɒv(ə)lti/ n. 新颖、新奇
magnificent /mæɡˈnɪfɪs(ə)nt/ adj. 壮丽的
expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/ v. 暴露、直接接触
injection /ɪnˈdʒekʃ(ə)n/ n. 喷射
genuinely /ˈdʒenjuɪnli/ adv. 真正地（由genuine加后缀-ly变成副词）
wavelength /ˈweɪvleŋθ/ n. 波长（由wave和length组成；不同颜色的光，其波长也不同）
basically /ˈbeɪsɪk(ə)li/ adv. 基本上、大体上（由basic加后缀-ally变成副词）
hijack /ˈhaɪdʒæk/ v. 劫持、强行接管
cook up 发明、编造
spectrum /ˈspektrəm/ n. 光谱
This unexpectedness of color is also why fireworks are so captivating（有魅力的）; even if we wanted to, we're hardwired not to look away from the light. The rapid fire pops and bright, new pigments（颜料） force us to freeze as the brain investigates the sudden influx of sound and color.★
unexpectedness /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdnəs/ n. 没想到、出乎意料（由unexpected加后缀-ness变成名词）
hardwired /hɑːdˈwaɪəd/ adj. 与生俱来的、无法改变的
rapid /ˈræpɪd/ adj. 快速的
force /fɔːs/ v. 迫使
freeze /friːz/ v. 呆住、不动
investigate /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/ v. 调查研究
influx /ˈɪnflʌks/ n. 汇集
★ 这句话里的逗号相当于and，其作用是使bright和new并列，一起修饰pigments；而pigments和pops也通过and并列，一起做整句话的主语
So as you watch the skies ignite with light on the Fourth of July, keep in mind that your brain's having a little celebration all on its own.
ignite /ɪɡˈnaɪt/ v. 点燃
the Fourth of July 7月4日是美国的国庆节（独立日）
celebration /ˌseləˈbreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 庆祝（由celebrate加后缀-ion变成名词）
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