リーディング練習

“The Fox and the Grapes” is one of Aesop’s Fables. One day, a fox sees delicious-looking grapes hanging from a vine. Although he jumps up with all his strength, he cannot reach them. He gives up and walks away, saying, “These grapes are sour. They’re not worth my time.” The fox’s words can be explained by the psychology term “cognitive dissonance”. Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling that we experience when our belief and behavior don’t match. The fox feels discomfort because his belief (he wants the grapes) doesn’t match his behavior (he can’t reach the grapes). Therefore, the fox changes his belief (the grapes are sour and not worth his time) to reduce the discomfort.

The Guggenheim Museum, located in New York City, is an art museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. While many art museums around the world are famous for their collection of artworks, this museum is most famous for its unique circular design. Its exterior resembles a snail’s shell, and its interior consists of a spiral ramp six stories high. Some visitors walk up and then walk down the ramp to see exhibitions both ways, while others take an elevator to the top and then walk down the ramp to view the artworks from the top down. Indeed, the interesting design makes the building itself a work of art.