How Memory Works
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Table of Contents A Quick Experiment.
目录 A快取实验.
4 Types of Memory.
4 记忆类型.
5 Memory and the Brain.
5 记忆和大脑。
9 Improving Memory.
9"改善记忆".
13 Mysterious Memory.
13"神秘记忆".
15 Glossary.
15 词汇。
16 A Quick Experiment Let’s do an experiment.
16个快速实验 让我们做个实验吧。
Pay attention to what’s going on around you for just a moment.
关注你周围的情况,
What can you see, touch, taste, smell, and hear?
你能看见什么,触摸,味道,嗅觉,听到什么?
After you paid attention to your senses, did you notice anything different?
注意了感官后 有没有发现什么不同之处?
You probably did.
你也许做到了。
That’s because our brains are always receiving information from our senses.
因为我们的大脑总是从感官中接收信息。
There is so much information, though, that we can’t possibly pay attention to all of it.
我们无法关注这一切。
Indeed, we only remember a very small amount of the information around us.
事实上,我们只记得我们周围极少数的信息。
How does memory work?
记忆如何工作?
Scientists have some ideas, but many more questions remain.
科学家有一些想法,但还有许多问题。
People’s brains are able to block background noise while concentrating on an activity, such as reading.
人们的大脑能够屏蔽背景噪音,同时集中力量于阅读等活动上.
Types of Memory Scientists often talk about two types of memory: working memory and long-term memory.
记忆科学家的类型经常会谈论两种类型的记忆:工作记忆和长期记忆.
Working memory is how we deal with information in the moment.
工作记忆就是我们现在处理信息的方式.
The words you’re reading right now and the conversation you just had with a friend are part of your working memory.
你现在正在读的文字和刚刚与朋友的谈话都是你工作记忆的一部分。
So is the music you were listening to on the way to school.
你上学路上听的音乐也是
We use our working memory most of the time.
我们大部分时间使用我们的工作记忆。
Some scientists say that conversations only stay in a person’s short-term memory for fifteen to thirty seconds (left)!
有些科学家说,对话只停留在一个人的短期记忆中15到30秒(左)!
Research shows that listening to music helps improve memory (right).
研究表明,听音乐有助于改善记忆(右).
Short-term memories make up our working memory, which also includes something called executive attention.
短期记忆构成我们的工作记忆,其中也包括一些引起行政关注的东西.
This is the process of how our brains filter information into short-term memory.
这是我们大脑将信息过滤到短期记忆的过程。
Think about the experiment at the beginning of this book.
想想这本书开头的实验
Even when we’re sitting quietly, our brains can’t handle all the information we receive.
即使我们静静地坐着,我们的大脑也无法处理我们收到的所有信息。
Our brains ignore most of the information around us to keep from overloading.
我们的大脑忽略了我们周围的大部分信息,以免超载.
The information we do keep in our minds at any one time makes up our short-term memory.
我们随时掌握的信息 构成我们的短期记忆
Most of us can only hold around three to four thoughts in our short-term memory at once.
我们大多数人只能同时在短期记忆中保持三到四个想法。
It’s impossible for people to take in every detail when they’re in a crowded, loud place such as a sports stadium.
当人们在一个拥挤而响亮的地方,
For example, you might be listening to your teacher and scratching an itch on your arm at the same time.
比如说,你可能在听老师的话 同时在手臂上划痒
You might think about a few other ideas.
你可能会考虑一些其他的想法。
Then someone sneezes loudly.
然后有人大叫打喷嚏.
What happens?
发生什么事了?
Your attention turns to the person who sneezed.
你的注意力转向打喷嚏的人.
Information only stays in our short- term memory for a few seconds.
我们的短期记忆中只有几秒钟的信息。
Once our executive attention gets to work and we start paying attention to something, things change.
一旦我们的行政注意力得到工作 我们开始关注一些事情,事情就会改变。
Our executive attention makes sure that unimportant information doesn’t interrupt the things that we are concentrating on.
我们的行政关注确保不重要的信息不会打断我们所关注的事情。
It also makes sure we pay attention to other important things, such as a sneeze.
这也确保了我们对其他重要事物的关注,比如打喷嚏.
Your brain may think any loud, sudden noise means danger.
你的大脑可能认为任何响亮而突然的噪音都意味着危险.
If we don’t give information attention, it leaves our memory.
如果我们不关注信息,
The more we pay attention to something, the better chance we have to remember it.
我们越注意某事,就越有机会记住它。
Some scientists say that people’s minds wander for about half the time they’re awake.
有些科学家说,人们的头脑徘徊了大约一半时间才醒过来。
Long-term memories function differently from working memories.
长期记忆的功能不同于工作记忆.
They remain in our minds even when we’re not thinking about them.
即使我们不考虑他们,
Scientists think information has to go through three steps to become a long- term memory.
科学家认为信息必须经过三个步骤才能成为长期的记忆.
First, we learn something.
首先,我们学到一些东西。
Then, we store it.
然后,我们储存它。
Later, we retrieve it.
稍后,我们拿回它。
We can bring back long-term memories when needed.
我们可以在需要时带回长期记忆。
For example, think about your birthday.
举个例子,想想你的生日
The date probably came to mind before you even finished reading the sentence.
在你读完这句之前 可能想起这个日期了
Maybe other memories, such as your birthday parties, also came to mind.
也许其他的记忆,比如你的生日派对, 也想到了。
You might have even thought about your family.
你甚至会想到你的家人
That’s because our brains connect different pieces of related information.
因为我们的大脑连接了不同的相关信息。
People often remember birthdays from past years more clearly than other days from long ago.
人们往往比起早前的其他日子更清楚地记得往年的生日.
Can you remember everything you did yesterday?
你能记得你昨天所做的一切吗?
What about what you were doing on November 7 two years ago?
那你两年前11月7日做了什么?
Some people can remember everything.
有些人能记起一切
They recall what they did and who they were with for almost every day of their life— even as babies.
他们记起自己一生中几乎每天都在和谁在一起,甚至像婴儿一样。
I Remember Everything!
我什么都记得!
Memory and the Brain Our brains do not process or store memories in a single area.
记忆和大脑 我们的大脑不处理 或存储记忆在一个领域。
In fact, we often use many parts of our brains to make and keep memories.
事实上,我们经常用大脑的许多部分来创造和保存记忆.
New technology lets scientists see what parts of the brain become active when we use different kinds of memory.
新技术让科学家们看到当我们使用不同种类的记忆时,大脑的哪些部分变得活性.
The hippocampus (hih-puh-KAM-puhss) is an important part of the brain concerning memory.
河马(学名:Hih-puh-KAM-puhs)是大脑中与记忆有关的重要组成部分.
People have two hippocampi—one on each side of their brain.
人们有两只河马-大脑两侧各有一只。
Scientists aren’t exactly sure how hippocampi work, but they turn short-term memories into long-term memories.
科学家并不完全确定河马营是如何工作的,
They also help us retrieve long-term memories.
他们还帮助我们找回长期记忆。
The word hippocampus comes from the ancient Greek words for horse and sea monster because a hippocampus looks like a seahorse.
海马和海怪的"海马"一词出自古希腊语中"马"和"海马"的用词,因为海马外形像海马.
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain The brain is made up of neurons that tell your body what to do.
解开大脑的谜团 大脑由神经元组成 神经元告诉身体该怎么做。
Doctors studied the neurons in Henry Molaison’s brain.
医生研究了亨利·莫莱森脑中的神经元.
Scientists learned a lot about what the hippocampus does through working with a patient, Henry Molaison (MOH-luh- suhn), known as HM.
科学家们通过与患者亨利·莫莱森(英语:Henry Molaison (MOH-luh-suhn))合作,了解到了河马群的作为,被称为HM.
He was born with a disease called epilepsy (EH-puh-lep-see), which affects the brain.
他所生的疾病叫癫痫(EH-puh-lep-see),这影响了大脑.
Doctors removed part of HM’s brain, including the hippocampus, when he was twenty-seven to try to help him.
医生们移除了HM的部分大脑,包括河马营,当时他27岁试图帮助他.
He got better, but he was no longer able to form some types of long-term memories.
他的病情好转了,但他已经无法再形成一些类型的长期记忆了.
For example, HM could learn new motor skills, such as drawing a star in a mirror or walking with crutches.
例如,HM可以学习新的运动技能,比如用镜中画出一颗恒星或者用拐杖行走.
However, he couldn’t remember someone he met minutes before, new words, or songs.
他不记得几分钟前见过的人,
In fact, he couldn’t remember any new information about himself or his experiences after the age of sixteen.
16岁之后,
Scientists studied HM for fifty-five years before he died in 2008.
科学家在2008年逝世前曾研究HM五十五年.
Much of what we know about how memory works is thanks to studies done with him.
我们所了解的记忆如何起作用,多亏了对他进行的研究.
In fact, HM is one of the most studied people in the history of medicine!
事实上,HM是医学史上最受研究的人之一!
Playing instruments, riding bicycles, swimming, and dancing are all activities that require muscle memory.
演奏乐器,骑自行车,游泳和跳舞都是需要肌肉记忆的活动.
Other parts of our brain become active with muscle memory.
我们脑中的其他部分 也随着肌肉记忆而变得活跃
We form muscle memory when we repeat a movement over and over again.
当我们反复重复运动时,我们形成肌肉记忆.
Eventually, we don’t even have to think about how to do the movement—we just do it.
最终,我们甚至不用考虑如何开展运动,
Another part of our brain connects feelings to memory.
我们大脑的另一部分 将感情和记忆联系起来
Strong feelings, such as happiness, sadness, or pride, can make memories last longer.
强烈的感情,如幸福,悲伤,或自负等,可以使记忆持续更久.
They help make memories clearer.
它们有助于使记忆更清晰。
While people remember happy memories, they often recall painful or sad memories more clearly —especially ones they’ d rather forget.
虽然人们记得快乐的记忆,但他们常常更清楚地记得痛苦或悲伤的记忆,特别是他们宁愿忘记的记忆。
Damage to the brain can cause people to lose their memory.
脑损伤会使人失去记忆.
This is called amnesia.
这叫失忆症
They may forget just a few minutes or a long period of time.
他们可能忘记几分钟或很长一段时间。
It depends on how bad the damage is.
这取决于损害有多严重。
Sometimes amnesia goes away in days, weeks, or months.
有时失忆症会在几天、几周或几个月内消失。
Other times, it never goes away.
有时,它永远不会消失。
One of the most common diseases that affects memory is called Alzheimer’s (AHLTS-hy-murz).
影响记忆的最常见疾病之一被称作阿尔茨海默氏症(AHLTS-hy-murz).
People who have Alzheimer’s lose their memories over time.
老年痴呆症患者会逐渐失去记忆。
Most of the people who have the disease are over the age of sixty-five.
发病之人多已六十五有余.
Scientists don’t know what causes Alzheimer’s.
科学家不知道什么是阿尔茨海默症。
Losing Memory You probably remember losing your first tooth because you felt strongly in some way—sad, excited, or some other feeling!
失去记忆 你可能记得失去了你的第一颗牙齿, 因为你在某种意义上强烈的感受—— 感叹、兴奋或其他的感觉!
Improving Memory Information enters our long-term memory in a few different ways.
改进记忆信息以几种不同的方式进入我们的长期记忆.
One way is to repeat something over time.
一种方式是随着时间的推移重复一些事情。
The more you experience something, the better you remember it.
你越经历一些事情, 你就越记得它。
It’s also true that the longer the period of time over which you repeat something, the better you’ll remember it.
你重复某事的时间越长,
This is why studying every day helps you do better in school.
这就是为什么每天学习 帮助你在学校做得更好。
You’ll remember more if you study for one hour a day for five days than five hours in one day.
如果你每天学习一个小时,
Writing down information—especially writing it over and over—helps people to remember it.
写下信息,特别是反复写,帮助人们记住。
You can also learn by using mnemonic (nih-MON-ik) devices that help you remember information.
也可以通过使用能帮助您记住信息的mnemonic(nih-MON-ik)设备来学习.
They connect new information to information you already know or that is easy to remember.
他们将新信息连接到您已经知道的信息或易于记住的信息.
One example is “Never eat soggy waffles.”
一个例子是,“永远不要吃多恶心的华夫饼。 “
People use this sentence to remember the names and order of the four major directions.
人们用这句话来记住四大方向的名称和顺序.
The first letter of each word is the same as the first letter of north, south, east, and west.
每个单词的第一个字母与北,南,东,西的第一个字母相同.
You still need to repeat mnemonic devices over and over to remember the connection.
您仍需要反复重复元件, 以记住连接 。
However, they help you remember more with less work.
但是,他们帮助你记住更多的工作。
Give it a try!
试试看!
Mysterious Memory We learn more about memory every year.
神秘的记忆 我们每年更多地了解记忆。
New technology helps scientists study our brains in action.
新技术帮助科学家在行动中研究我们的大脑.
Yet scientists still don’t really know what memories are or how they are made.
科学家仍不知道什么是记忆,
They also don’t know how memories move from our working memory to our long-term memory.
他们也不知道记忆是如何从工作记忆转移到长期记忆的。
How we retrieve them is also a mystery.
我们如何取回它们也是一个谜
Scientists have ideas about how memory works, but it could be many years before we have clear answers to these mysteries.
科学家们对记忆的作用有想法, 但可能要等很多年,我们才能对这些谜团有清楚的答案。
Whoever discovers how memory works will be remembered far into the future.
无论谁发现记忆如何运作,都会被铭记到未来。
Could it be you?
会不会是你?
An engineer wears a helmet made up of sensors that scan the brain.
工程师戴由扫描大脑的传感器所组成的头盔.
Glossary concentrating (v.)
词汇集中(五.)
(n.)
(无)
(n.)
(无)
(adj.)
(中文(简体) ).