保持專(zhuān)心致志有時(shí)很難。不過(guò)，要是知道讓自己分心的原因，就可能有助集中注意力?？茖W(xué)家研究了導致 “拖延癥” 的原因，找出了一些幫助人們進(jìn)入工作或學(xué)習狀態(tài)的方法。本期 “隨身英雄” 節目組圍繞這些建議展開(kāi)討論。

詞匯：concentration 精神集中

When you were at school, were you ever told to stop daydreaming and concentrate? It was easy for your mind to wander if you weren’t interested in what you were learning or if you had better things to think about. Staying focused can still be a challenge in adult life, but understanding how to do it, and knowing what is distracting you, can help.

當你在學(xué)校的時(shí)候，你有沒(méi)有曾經(jīng)被要求停止做白日夢(mèng)并集中注意力的經(jīng)歷？如果人們對于自己正在學(xué)習的內容并不感興趣，或者是當下有比起學(xué)習的內容更有意思的事情要考慮，那么人在這些情況下是很容易走神的。保持專(zhuān)注在成年人的生活中仍然是一個(gè)挑戰，但要了解如何做到這一點(diǎn)，并且知道究竟是什么讓我們的注意力分散的，對我們能夠更好地集中注意力來(lái)說(shuō)會(huì )有所幫助。

Scientists have looked at what makes us procrastinate and found a number of ways to help us stay in the zone. One of the most obvious things is eliminating noise. Research by Science Focus magazine found silence is best for concentration, or a gentle background hum and coffee shop noise is great! It also found turning off notifications on your phone, or switching it off altogether, removes a major distraction and helps us focus on the task at hand.

科學(xué)家們針對導致我們拖延的原因進(jìn)行了深入的研究，并且找到了許多幫助我們的注意力保持在特定區域內的方法。 其中最明顯的事情之一是消除噪音?！犊茖W(xué)焦點(diǎn)》雜志的研究發(fā)現，安靜的環(huán)境對于集中注意力來(lái)說(shuō)是最為合適的，或是帶有輕微嗡嗡聲的背景環(huán)境，甚至是咖啡廳的噪音對于注意力的集中來(lái)說(shuō)都很棒！ 這項研究還發(fā)現，關(guān)閉手機上的通知，或者完全關(guān)閉掉通訊設備，可以消除對我們的主要干擾，并幫助我們更加專(zhuān)注于手頭上的任務(wù)。

Another possible cure for a short attention span is brain training. Psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly interested in our ability to knuckle down and have looked at what we can change inside our head to make us concentrate. An article for BBC Future by Caroline Williams says that “Attention Researcher Nilli Lavie of University College London has found that making a task more visually demanding… takes up more processing power and leaves the brain nothing left to process distractions.” So, keeping your mind busy might be the answer.

另一種治療注意力不集中的方法是大腦訓練。 心理學(xué)家和神經(jīng)科學(xué)家們對我們從不努力到努力工作或學(xué)習的變化中所經(jīng)歷的注意力的轉變過(guò)程越來(lái)越感興趣。并且研究了我們可以通過(guò)在大腦內部進(jìn)行何種改變以使得我們集中注意力的相關(guān)內容。在Caroline Williams 為 BBC Future 撰寫(xiě)的一篇文章當中說(shuō)道：“倫敦大學(xué)學(xué)院的注意力研究員 Nilli Lavie 發(fā)現，讓一項任務(wù)在視覺(jué)方面的要求更高……會(huì )占用大腦更多的處理能力，不給大腦留下任何其他可能的空間去處理那些讓它分心的事情?！?因此，讓你的大腦保持忙碌的狀態(tài)可能正是我們尋求的答案。

There are more practical tips to keeping your mind focused. These include making a list or timetable of the tasks you have to do, finding a workspace where you’re not tempted to do other things, or chewing some gum! It’s possible the movement in your mouth occupies parts of the brain that might otherwise get distracted.

在這里，我們?yōu)榇蠹姨岢隽烁鄬?shí)用的，可以有助于讓人保持專(zhuān)注的方法。 這些方法具體包括：列出你必須做的任務(wù)清單或時(shí)間表；找到一個(gè)你不會(huì )去做其他事情的工作空間；或者是嚼口香糖！ 因為嘴上的運動(dòng)可能會(huì )占據大腦的某些部分，讓這些部分不會(huì )分心到其他的事情上面。

But according to Science Focus magazine, distraction isn’t all bad. “If we were always so focused that we never got distracted, we’d miss potential changes, such as threats, in our environment. Distraction is vital for survival.”

但據《科學(xué)焦點(diǎn)》雜志報道，分心狀態(tài)也不全然是不好的。 “如果我們總是如此專(zhuān)注以至于從不分心，我們可能會(huì )錯過(guò)環(huán)境中的潛在變化，例如潛在的威脅。有些時(shí)候，分心對于我們的平安生存來(lái)說(shuō)是至關(guān)重要的。

詞匯表

daydream 做白日夢(mèng)
mind to wander 走神，心不在焉
focused 專(zhuān)注的
distract 干擾，使分心
procrastinate 拖延
in the zone 狀態(tài)極佳，現在狀態(tài)很好
silence 安靜，無(wú)聲
task at hand 手頭的任務(wù)
short attention span 注意力持續時(shí)間短，注意力不集中
brain training 大腦訓練
neuroscientist 神經(jīng)科學(xué)家
knuckle down 開(kāi)始努力工作或學(xué)習
visually demanding 視覺(jué)上費力的，需要勞神看的
processing power 處理能力
threat 威脅

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. What should you try to remove if you want to concentrate properly?

2. According to one expert, what uses up processing power in our brain?

3. What might we miss if we didn’t get distracted?

4. Why might finding a suitable workspace help you concentrate?

5. Who are particularly interested in our ability to stay focused?

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I was _______ on the train and missed my stop!

focused distracting daydreaming silence

2. My son has a _______ and can’t concentrate on his schoolwork.

short attention span short attention spans

short attentive span attention short span

3. You need to _______ if you want to get all your work completed on time.

procrastinate task at hand knuckle down daydream

4. There must be absolute _______ in the exam hall.

threats silence focused neuroscientists

5. In our yoga class, we were told to relax and allow our _______

wander our mind wandering mind

mind to wandering mind to wander

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. What should you try to remove if you want to concentrate properly?
One of the most obvious things is eliminating noise.

2. According to one expert, what uses up processing power in our brain?
Attention Researcher Nilli Lavie of University College London has found that making a task more visually demanding takes up more processing power.

3. What might we miss if we didn’t get distracted?
According to Science Focus magazine, if we were always so focused that we never got distracted, we’d miss potential changes, such as threats, in our environment.

4. Why might finding a suitable workspace help you concentrate?
Finding a workspace means you’re not tempted to do other things.

5. Who are particularly interested in our ability to stay focused?
Psychologists and neuroscientists are increasingly interested in our ability to try and focus and concentrate.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I was daydreaming on the train and missed my stop!

2. My son has a short attention span and can’t concentrate on his schoolwork.

3. You need to knuckle down if you want to get all your work completed on time.

4. There must be absolute silence in the exam hall.

5. In our yoga class, we were told to relax and allow our mind to wander.