Eye contact is an important aspect of body language. One could draw up quite a lot of 'rules' about eye contact: to look or not to look, when to look and how long to look, who and who not to look at, etc. 

    眼睛會說話。你知道這些眼神的含義嗎？

    gaze - means to direct your eyes towards something for a long time.

    stare - suggests to fix your eyes on somebody or something very deliberately. It can be impolite to stare at somebody. 

    peer - means to look very closely and suggests that it is difficult to see well.

    gawk - is often used to show disapproval and means to look at someone or something in a foolish way especially with your mouth open. 

    glance - to take a quick look at something. 

    peep - means to look at something very quickly, especially secretly or quietly.

    inspect - means to examine something closely.

    feast your eyes - to look at something because you are pleased to see it.

    在中國，如果兩個陌生人相遇，比如兩個人同坐一張桌子吃飯，一般兩個人都會相互看一眼，而后或進行簡單交流，或各自埋頭吃飯。

    The usual response is to behave in a friendly and natural manner, glancing at the other person, perhaps saying 'hello' and exchanging small talk or remaining silent. 

    最好不要故意裝作看不到對方，因為這樣你會給人局促不安的感覺，對方甚至會懷疑你心中有鬼。

    If you try hard to avoid the other's glance or you look out of the window as if nobody sat nearby, you would appear so uneasy and so unnatural that you might lay yourself open to suspicion! 

    在聆聽他人講話的時候，to look at somebody, no matter whether he is senior or junior to you, while listening to his instruction is a sign of showing respect in China. 

    你不必總是盯著講話的人，但是如果說話的人在看你，你應該以自然的眼神回應對方。

    To gaze intently may show your attentiveness, but is not that necessary. The best way is to look at him or her as naturally as he or she looks at you.

    當眾發(fā)言的時候，許多中國人羞于和聽眾進行眼神的交流。 

    Some of them, perhaps because of nervousness, like to bury their nose in their manuscript to read their speech all the time. 

    這種做法其實是不禮貌的。 

    Speaking in public is also a kind of two-way communication, which needs eye contact from both sides. The speaker will certainly feel embarrassed when he sees that his audience do not look at him. But if he doesn't look at his audience now and then, his audience also has the right not to listen to what he is saying. 

    如果你發(fā)言的時候沒有勇氣看聽眾，那么你也無權要求你的聽眾會和你形成良好的互動。

    在英國，眼神的運用會有不同的地方嗎？

    在英國，如果你路遇陌生人，你要做到既不盯著對方打量，也不完全忽視對方。這個尺度該怎么拿捏呢？

    You may look at the approaching strangers until they are about eight feet away, then your glances must veer away as they pass. 

    與人交流的時候，British practice expects eye contact, though this does not have to be constant.

    當眾發(fā)言的時候，a British lecturer should look at his audience now and then. 他們是不會把腦袋埋在稿子里面說話的。