20．Have you ever wondered what goes through your mind when you choose where to sit in a new classroom？Or in a waiting room full of strangers？Or on a bus？Researchers have found out some interesting facts．
Perhaps unsurprisingly，we prefer to sit closer to people like ourselves．Girls sit by girls and boys sit by boys．Adults sit together and young people choose another young person to sit near．But it goes further than this．We even choose to sit near someone who looks like us．People with glasses are more likely to sit near other people with glasses．People with long hair sit closer to other people with long hair．
We seem to believe that people with similar habits or hobbies will share similar attitude and we are more likely to be accepted by people like ourselves or even，we think we may be safer with people who look like us．Sometimes that's true but it's a pity if we always stick to the same people，the same group．The danger in always staying in our comfort zone （舒適區(qū)） is that we just recycle the same opinions，the same tastes and the same ideas．We lose the chance to learn something new，find out about interesting things，hear funny stories and discover difference．
When we always stick to the same people，how can we ever break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas？And how can we avoid the ignorance （無知），whic h too often leads to prejudice （偏見） and even fe ar？If instead you want to live in a society that opens to changes and new things and different opinions，be the cat among the pigeons．
Move out of your comfort zone．Go and sit next to someone different．And don't just sit there in silence．Say hello．Ask a question．Start a conversation．That's how we make friends．That's how we learn about people．That's how we open our minds to new ideas．That's how we live an exciting life．
| Some interesting （56）factsabout where to sit |
| Phenomena | We would rather sit beside people like ourselves | Girls sit by girls，boys sit by boys，adults sit by （57）adults，young people sit near young people． |
| Some people （58）chooseto sit near someone like us． | It's highly （59）likely that people with glasses sit near others with glasses．
People with short hair sit near others with （60）shorthair． |
| Advantages | People will share similar attitude and may be accepted by people （61）wholook like ourselves． |
| People can break down the barriers which prevent us from getting to know people with different ideas． |
| People can avoid the ignorance． |
| （62）disadvantage | We recycle the same （63）opinions，tastes and ideas． |
| We have no （64）chanceto learn something new． |
| Conclusion | Don't sit there （65）in silence，learn more about people． |
