Americans are careful about how and when they meet one another’s eyes. In their normal conversation， each eye contact lasts only about a second before one or both individuals look away. When two Americans look searchingly into each other’s eyes， emotions are heightened and the relationship becomes more intimate. Therefore， they carefully avoid this， except in appropriate circumstances①.
Proper street behaviors in the United States requires a nice balance of attention and inattention. You are supposed to look at a passerby just enough to show that you’re aware of his presence. If you look too little， you appear haughty② or secretive③ ； too much and you’re inquisitive. Usually what happens is that people eye each other until they are about eight feet apart. At which point both cast down their eyes. In England the polite listener stares at the speaker attentively④ and blinks his eyes occasionally as a sign of interest. That eye-blink says nothing to Americans， who expect the listener to nod or to murmur something—such as “mm-hum.”
Americans abroad sometimes find local eye behaviors hard to interpret. Such complaints⑤ can often be heard：“People there were disturbing. They stared right at me on the street； they looked me up and down. I kept wondering if I was uncombed or unzipped.” They don’t know that people in some places think nothing of staring at others on the street.
① circumstancen. 情况，环境；情势
② haughtyadj. 高傲的，傲慢的，自大的
③ secretiveadj. 隐隐藏藏的
④ attentivelyadv. 聚精会神地；周到地
⑤ complaint n. 抱怨；抗议；怨言；抱怨的缘由
美国人的眼睛行为
美国人对如何以及何时进行目光接触是较为认真的。在通常的交谈中，他们每次目光接触往往持续不过约1秒钟，然后便有一方或双方转移视线。如果两个美国人探究地望着彼此的眼睛，其感情便会升温，其间的关系便会更为亲密。因此除非在适当的场合，他们小心避免这样的目光接触。
在美国得体的路遇行为是保持注意与不注意间的平衡。你应当正视迎面而来的路人——但时间长短的掌握要以能表明你意识到对方的出现为准。如果你投去的目光过于短促，你会显得目中无人或有所遮掩；但如果你投去的目光过长，你则会显得有些过于好奇了。通常美国人看着对方直至彼此相距约8英尺（约2.5米）远，然后双方都会垂下眼帘。在英国，礼貌的听者会认真地注视讲话者并不时眨眨眼睛表示感兴趣。但眨眼对美国人来说并不意味什么，他们希望听者点头或发些哦、嗯之类的声音表示兴趣。
出国在外的美国人有时发现很难解释当地人的眼神。他们常常抱怨：“那儿的人真让人心烦。他们在大街上就那么盯着我；他们上上下下打量我。我总怀疑自己是不是没梳头或没系好拉锁。”他们不知道有些地方的人并不觉得在大街上盯着他人看有什么不妥。
