bbc英语情景对话（BBC随身英语:Whywe）

大脑总是在忙着储存信息，但有时候，我们却很难回想起事情。你听说过 “门口效应” 吗？听 “随身英语” 节目探讨是什么使我们忘事，以及如何再次记住事情。

词汇：memory 记忆

How is your memory? Remembering things is an important function of our brain – if we can’t recall how to do something, we can’t survive. If you think about it, there is so much we have to remember – from where we left our car keys to how we walk. Maybe it’s no surprise that sometimes we are forgetful.

你的记忆力怎么样?记忆是我们大脑的一项重要功能——如果我们不记得如何做某事，我们就无法生存。仔细想想，我们要记住的事情太多了——从我们把车钥匙放在哪里，到我们怎么走路。有时候我们很健忘，这也许并不奇怪。

Memory allows the brain to store and retrieve information when required. Our short-term memory can hold a small amount of information for a short time, while our long-term memory can hold an unlimited amount of information for a long time. Our memory is amazing, but why do we still forget things?

记忆允许大脑在需要的时候存储和检索信息。我们的短期记忆可以在短时间内保存少量的信息，而我们的长期记忆可以在长时间内保存无限的信息。我们的记忆力是惊人的，但为什么我们仍然会忘记事情?

It’s possible we don’t always store information in our memory effectively, maybe because we are in a rush or we consider it irrelevant at the time. When we do store information, we often make connections with other things, which helps us recall it later. If you don’t have these connections, then it can be easier to forget. Writing for the BBC’s Science Focus magazine, Luis Villazon says “It is also possible that memories decay over time. As they have not been revisited, their biological ‘trace’ becomes weak.” It’s true that if you don’t perform a task for a long period of time, it can be difficult to recall how to do it. This could be because, just like in a computer, our memory is full, or that our short-term memory is easier to access.

有可能我们并不总是有效地将信息储存在我们的记忆中，可能是因为我们很赶时间，或者我们当时认为这些信息无关紧要。当我们确实储存信息时，我们经常与其他事物建立联系，这有助于我们日后回忆。如果你没有这些联系，那么就很容易忘记。路易斯·维拉松在为BBC《科学焦点》杂志撰写文章时说:“记忆也有可能随着时间的推移而衰退。因为他们没有被重新访问，他们的生物‘痕迹’变得微弱。”的确，如果你长时间不执行一项任务，就很难回想起该怎么做。这可能是因为，就像在电脑里一样，我们的内存已经满了，或者我们的短期记忆更容易访问。

But sometimes even our short-term memory can let us down. Have you ever gone into a room to fetch something only to forget what you wanted when you got there? This is called ‘The Doorway Effect’. Writing for the BBC Future website, psychologist Tom Stafford explains that this “occurs because we change both the physical and mental environments, moving to a different room and thinking about different things.” Put simply, we are metaphorically trying to spin too many plates at the same time.

但有时我们的短期记忆也会让我们失望。你是否曾经走进一个房间去取东西，但到了那里却忘了自己想要什么?这就是所谓的“门口效应”。心理学家汤姆·斯塔福德在为BBC未来网站撰写的文章中解释说，这“是因为我们改变了身体和心理环境，搬到不同的房间，思考不同的事情。”简单地说，我们正试图同时兼顾太多的事情。

So, if you have a mind like a sieve, it could be because you have too much on your mind. But we do need to keep our memory sharp by continually using it, especially as beyond our 50s our brains tend to shrink in volume and our memory begins to decline. That’s when we’re at more risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

所以，如果你容易忘事，这可能是因为你脑子里思考了太多的东西。但我们确实需要通过持续使用大脑来保持敏锐的记忆力，尤其是当我们超过50岁时，我们的大脑容量趋于缩小，记忆力开始下降。这个时候我们患老年痴呆症的风险更大。

However, as Luis Villazon says, “Forgetting is not always a bad thing! It would waste cognitive resources if we remembered every detail of the world around us.” That’s something worth remembering!

然而，正如路易斯·维拉松所说:“遗忘并不总是一件坏事!如果我们记得周围世界的每一个细节，那将浪费认知资源。”这是值得记住的!

recall 回想起forgetful 健忘的store 储存retrieve 找回short-term 短期的long-term 长期的effectively 有效地irrelevant 无关紧要的decay 减弱，衰退revisit 重新回想The Doorway Effect “门口效应”（指瞬间忘事的现象）physical 物质的mental 精神的，心理的spin too many plates 兼顾太多事情a mind like a sieve “记忆像滤网”，容易忘事，健忘on your mind 脑子里想着sharp 敏锐的，机敏的Alzheimer’s disease 阿尔茨海默病cognitive resources 认知资源

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How much information can our long-term memory hold?

2. What can happen to our memory when we are in a rush to do things?

3. When can it be difficult to recall how to do a task?

4. At roughly what age does our memory begin to decline?

5. What do psychologists call it when we forget why we have gone into a room to do something?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I’m so _______ that I can’t even remember my own birthday!

forgetting forgettable forgetful forgetted

2. I need to _______ some important documents from the office before it closes for the weekend.

recall retrieve irrelevant decay

3. After doing my accounts I need some _______ relaxation such as listening to some classical music.

physical mental sharp effectively

4. At work I have to _______ – it’s hard to know what I am doing some of the time.

spinned too many plates spin too many plate

spun too many plates spin too many plates

5. She has a _______ mind and is quick to spot a good business opportunity.

sharp effectively physical long-term

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How much information can our long-term memory hold?In theory, our long-term memory can hold an unlimited amount of information for a long time.

2. What can happen to our memory when we are in a rush to do things?We might not be able to store information in our memory effectively.

3. When can it be difficult to recall how to do a task?If we don’t perform a task for a long period of time, it can be difficult to recall how to do it.

4. At roughly what age does our memory begin to decline?Beyond our 50s, our brains tend to shrink in volume and our memory begins to decline.

5. What do psychologists call it when we forget why we have gone into a room to do something?It’s called ‘The Doorway Effect’.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I’m so forgetful that I can’t even remember my own birthday!

2. I need to retrieve some important documents from the office before it closes for the weekend.

3. After doing my accounts I need some mental relaxation such as listening to some classical music.

4. At work I have to spin too many plates – it’s hard to know what I am doing some of the time.

5. She has a sharp mind and is quick to spot a good business opportunity.