Reading Practice: What is the historical significance of the handshake? Understanding its origins provides insights

A. The handshake, kiss, or hug has historically conveyed a lot—signaling friendship, sealing business deals, or indicating religious commitment. However, touching strangers can also spread less desirable outcomes, such as disease outbreaks.
As concerns about COVID-19, or coronavirus, grow, France has advised its citizens to reconsider their traditional cheek kisses, and globally, business agreements are being sealed with an elbow bump. Yet, both greetings have deep historical roots that make them difficult to abandon. 

B. A prevailing theory suggests the handshake originated as a symbol of peace. Holding hands showed one had no weapon, and shaking them ensured nothing was concealed. However, there's little concrete evidence to support this idea. Throughout ancient times, handshakes appear in art depicting weddings, divine agreements, young warriors leaving for battle, and the deceased entering the afterlife. References extend to epic literature such as the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Its versatile use in friendship, romance, and business complicates interpretation. Art historian Glenys Davies notes, “The handshake remains a compelling image today because of its complexity and ambiguity.”

C. In America, the handshake's popularity likely surged in the 18th century among Quakers. Rejecting social hierarchy, they viewed the handshake as a democratic alternative to bows, curtsies, or tipping hats. Historian Michael Zuckerman explains, “Instead, Quakers embraced the handshake, extending it universally, regardless of social status, as we continue to do today.”
There may be a scientific basis for its enduring appeal. A 2015 Israeli study observed handshakes among strangers, noting that nearly a quarter of participants sniffed their hands afterward. Researchers proposed that handshakes might unconsciously detect chemical signals, akin to communication observed in other animals.

D. The history of the kiss as a greeting is equally rich. It was integrated into early Christianity and used in religious ceremonies. Andy Scott writes in the book One Kiss or Two: In Search of the Perfect Greeting, “In his Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul instructed followers to ‘salute one another with a holy kiss.’” During the Middle Ages, a kiss symbolized loyalty and sealed agreements such as property transfers.

E. Today, a quick kiss on the cheek known as “la bise” in French is a common greeting in many parts of the world. The term may have originated from the Romans, who had different names for each type of kiss and referred to the formal one as “basium.” In Paris, two kisses are customary, while Provence typically involves three, and the Loire Valley, four. Cheek kissing is also prevalent in countries like Egypt, where three kisses are expected, as well as in Latin America and the Philippines. During the 14th-century plague, la bise may have ceased and was not revived until 400 years later, post-French Revolution. In 2009, la bise briefly halted due to swine flu concerns. At the end of February, the French Health Minister discouraged it as coronavirus cases rose, stating, “Reducing physical social interactions is recommended, including the practice of la bise.”

F. Val Curtis, a behavioral scientist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, discusses in her book Don’t Look, Don’t Touch that one reason for the kiss and handshake as greetings could be to signify trust in sharing germs. This practice can fluctuate depending on public health concerns.
In a 1929 study, nurse Leila Given wrote an article in the American Journal of Nursing lamenting the disappearance of customs like “finger-tipping and the high handshake” from the previous generation in favor of handshakes. She cautioned that hands “are agents of bacterial transmission” and referenced early studies showing how handshakes could spread germs easily. She concluded by suggesting that Americans adopt the Chinese custom at that time of pressing their own hands together when greeting friends. “At least then our bacteria would stay at home,” she remarked.

Question 1-7

Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the text, choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this.

1 Shaking hands is an indicator of hospitality.

2 Evidence showed that the handshake started as a sign of peace.

3 When shaking hands, people often rolled up their sleeves.

4 The use of a handshake in different situations can be unpredictable.

5 In America, handshakes became prevalent because they represented equality and freedom.

6 A research conducted in 2015 showed that exactly 25% of participants smelled their hands after a handshake.

7 People often smell their hands to spot poisonous chemicals.

Question 8-12

 Complete the summary provided below.

Choose no more than THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Provide your response in the designated boxes.

The history of cheek kissing

In the past, Christian used cheek kisses in 8… . In the Middle Age, the kiss-as-greeting was used to show 9…  or used in making agreements. At present, it is a norm for people almost all over the world to greet each other. In Rome, people named different types of kisses in different ways. It is common for people in Paris to exchange 10… . The standard is three in Provence and four in the Lore Valley. A kiss on the cheek is also popular among people of Egypt, Latin America and the Philippines. People believe that in the 14th century, the cheek kiss might have been paused and it remained so for 11… . In 2009, due to 12… , cheek kisses were also stopped for a while.

Question 13-14

 Respond to the following inquiry.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Place your responses within the boxes.

13 What did the French Health Minister advise people to avoid to prevent the spread of coronavirus? 13…

14 What can be transferred from a handshake? 14…

Answers:

1. TRUE (Đoạn A, “Throughout history, such a greeting was used to signal friendship”)

2. FALSE (Đoạn B, “So far, there has not been any reliable evidence to prove this assumption.”)

3. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

4. TRUE (Đoạn B, “The handshake’s catch-all utility, used in friendship, romance, and business alike, makes interpretation difficult.”)

5. TRUE (Đoạn C, “In their efforts to eschew the hierarchy and social rank, they found the handshake a more democratic form of greeting to the then-common bow, curtsy, or hat doffing.”)

6. FALSE (Đoạn C, “In a 2015 study, researchers in Israel filmed handshakes between hundreds of strangers and found nearly a quarter of participants sniffed their hands afterwards.’)

7. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin)

8. Religious ceremonies (Đoạn D, “The kiss-as-greeting has a similarly rich history. It was incorporated into early Christianity and used in religious ceremonies.”)

9. Fidelity (Đoạn D, “In the Middle Ages, a kiss was used as a sign of fidelity and to seal agreements like property transfers.”)

10. Two kisses (Đoạn E, “In Paris, two kisses are common. In Provence expect three, and four is the norm in the Loire Valley.”)

11. 400 years/ four hundred years/ 4 hundred years (Đoạn E, “It is thought that during the plague in the 14th century, la bise may have stopped and was not revived again until 400 years later, after the French Revolution.”)

12. Swine flu (Đoạn E, “ In 2009, la bise was temporarily paused as swine flu became a concern.”)

13. Social contacts (Đoạn E, ““The reduction in social contacts of a physical nature is advised,” he said.”)