If you applied for a job in some countries you would almost certainly be asked for a sample of your handwriting.And it would be the hand- writing,as much as anything else,that would determine your suitability for the job.

　　Handwriting analysis,or graphology,is accepted as a genuine science in many countries.Researchers say it can be a useful tool in indicating such illnesses as heart disease and cancer,and can reveal psychological states and emotional disturbances.

　　Handwriting analysis is increasingly being used for vocational guidance and as an adjunct to interviews.Many big companies now employ graphologists to analyze the handwriting of potential candidates for key jobs.

　　Patricia Marne,a professional graphologist for more than 20years,believes that handwriting can be a powerful indicator of psychological characteristics,certain medical conditions,social class and intelligence.But more than that, it can be used to assess mental potential, whether a person should concentrate on arts or sciences.

　　According to Ms Marne,graphology can be particular useful in assessing possible criminal tendencies：criminals all have disturbed hand-writing,mostly illiterate and poorly shaped. Most criminals come from deprived back- grounds and have arrested emotional development.This often shows up in unusually childish handwriting and in going over letters several times.

　　Young male offenders frequently have very high ascenders,indicating that they live in a world of fantasy and dream of making it big.Graphologists can tell whether violence is about to erupt,whether the writer is under unbearable pressures,and whether there are psychopathic tendencies.Handwriting can be used to predict would-be suicides.

　　People with writing in which letters form'thread'instead of being individually formed are,apparently,devious and clever.Those who write mainly in capitals are trying to conceal their true selves from others.Very light pressure indicates sensitivity and lack of vitality.Originality in handwriting-how far the writer derivates from copybook script-indicates confidence and artistic ability.Disconnected writing is the cardinal sign of the loner.

　　Very small signatures indicate inhibition and an inferiority complex,circles over the'i' are a bid for attention and crossing the't' heavily over the whole word is a sign of intolerance and a patronizing attitude.

　　Ms Marne believes,"It is actually far more accurate than psychoanalysis,as you can tell the whole history of the person,including all their emotional crisis,without asking them questions to which they may give wrong answers."Hand- writing,some psychiatrists say,is a product of education,artistic ability and the type of writing taught-and has no other significance.

　　笔迹比心理分析更具说服力

　　在一些国家你若申请份工作用人方总要取一份你的笔迹字样。很大程度上是你的笔迹最终决定你是否适合做那项工作。

　　笔迹分析,或称笔迹学，在许多国家都被认为是一门真正的科学。笔迹研究者们声称，笔迹学可能成为一种用来显示像心脏病、癌症等疾病的有用工具，还可用来揭示一个人的心态和情绪波动情况。

　　笔记分析正在愈来愈多地充当选才顾问

　　以及面试中的一项附加测试内容。如今，许多大公司纷纷雇用笔迹学家来分析那些竞选要职的、有发展潜力的候选人的笔迹。

　　帕特里西娅·马恩女士是一位从事笔迹研究长达20多年的笔迹学专家。她相信一个人的笔迹足以显示出一个人的心理特点、体能状况、社会地位和智力水平。不仅如此，笔迹还可用以估测一个人的发展潜力，看看一个人能否集中精力从事艺术研究还是科学研究等等。

　　马恩女士还讲，在估测犯罪动向方面笔迹分析的作用尤为明显：罪犯们的笔迹大都潦草凌乱，这些人中多数没受过良好的教育，写起字来横竖不成样。许多罪犯来自贫困家庭，感情也没得到良好的培养。体现在他们的字迹上就极为幼稚，有的写起字母来要反复描上几次。

　　年轻的男性罪犯经常写起字来向上挑，这说明他们想入非非，幻想有一天能飞黄腾达。笔迹学家们可以辨认出暴力是否即将发生。写字的人是否处于难以承受的压力之下，这个人是否有精神变态的可能。看人的笔迹可以预测是否可能发生自杀事件等。

　　如果一个人写字母时'成一条线'而不是单个书写，说明这个人为人油滑，颇有心计。那些总是用大写字母书写的人在试图掩盖真实的自我。用力很轻说明这个人反应敏锐但缺乏朝气。无论他们的笔迹与字帖相差多大，写的字有所创新表明这个人很有自信和较高的审美能力。字连不起来表明该人很可能是位孤独者。

　　把字写得很小则表明此人心情压抑，有自卑感。在字母'i'上画上许多圆圈说明该人意欲引起他人的注意；在整个't'字母上重重地打上叉，表明此人缺乏耐心和骄傲自大的心态。

　　马恩女士相信，"笔迹研究要比心理分析准确得多，因为你可以不问那些有可能得到错误答案的问题，就可以说出一个人的人生经历，包括他们所有经历过的感情危机。"有些精神病专家则说：笔迹是一个人受教育的产物，是他的审美能力的体现，也是他所学的书法风格的表露--除此之外，笔迹分析也就没有其他意义了。

　　(文/河北衡水师专赵金东供稿；英语通大学英语六级考试版2003年第11期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)