Solace¹" in Tokyo November 25, 2008." width="450" border="0" src="/upimg/091017/4_024158_1.jpg" />
In this combination photo, Actor Orlando Bloom (L) attends a meeting with city officials in Sarajevo August 12, 2008, and British actor Daniel Craig waves to Japanese fans as he arrives at the Japanese premiere for his latest James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" in Tokyo November 25, 2008.

Why do some women's hearts race over the feminine features of Orlando Bloom while others are more attracted to macho men like Daniel Craig?

Being on the contraceptive pill could be the reason, according to British scientists.

Researchers said that women whose hormones² are chemically controlled are less likely to seek out muscular, rugged³ men.

Whereas, they say, ovulating women not on the pill "exhibit a preference for more masculine features, are particularly attracted to men showing dominance and male-male competitiveness and prefer partners who are genetically⁵ dissimilar to themselves."

Women on the pill tend to pick more effeminate men who look like themselves. This could lead to problems conceiving, according to the study conducted at the University of Sheffield.

"There is evidence that genetic⁴ similarity between couples might be linked with infertility," said the study, published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution medical journal.

The birth control pill could also throw a spanner in the works of the laws of natural attraction as it prevents women giving off monthly fertility signals believed to be subtly alluring⁶ to men.

"Ovulation is associated with a profound shift in some female physical characteristics, behaviors and perceptions related to male attraction," the report said.

为什么有些女性见到具有阴柔之美的奥兰多•布鲁姆就心跳加速，而另一些则更倾心于丹尼尔•克雷格的阳刚之气呢？

英国科学家研究认为，这可能是服用避孕药造成的。

研究人员称，激素分泌受化学药品控制的女性更不会倾慕强健而粗犷的男性。

然而研究人员指出，处于排卵期且未服用避孕药的女性“更偏爱男子气概，而且特别倾慕那些表现出控制欲和与同性竞争意识的男性，她们倾向于选择与自己基因相异的伴侣。”

谢菲尔德大学开展的此项研究表明，服用避孕药的女性倾向于选择更具阴柔之美，有女人气的男性，而这会给怀孕带来麻烦。

研究报告指出：“有证据表明，伴侣基因相似可能与不育有关。”这项研究成果发表在《生态和进化趋势》医学期刊上。

避孕药还可能扰乱异性间自然吸引的规律，因为它会阻止女性每月释放生育信号，而这被认为可以吸引男性。

报告称：“女性某些与吸引男性有关的体征、行为和感知会发生巨大变化，这与排卵有关。”

Vocabulary:

macho：having or characterized by qualities considered manly⁷, esp. when manifested in an assertive⁸, self-conscious, or dominating way（男子气概的）

ovulate: to produce and discharge eggs from an ovary or ovarian follicle（排卵）

effeminate：(of a man or boy) having traits, tastes, habits, etc., traditionally considered feminine, as softness or delicacy（柔弱的，女人气的）

infertility：the persistent inability to conceive a child（不育）

throw a spanner in the works：从中捣乱，阻挠计划