Te xt A
Improving Your Memor y
提高你的记忆力
Study of the Text
1.Psychological research has focused on a number of basic principles that help memory.
心理学研究集中在有助于记忆中的几种基本原理上。
1 )research 在这里是个名词, 意思是“ 研究”、“ 研究工作”。这个词一般是不可数名词, 但也可作为可数名词, 有单数和复数之分。在用作单数时, 前面可以加a, some, any。在用作复数时, 前面不能加数字, 如two, three 等, 或several, many 等, 只能说two, three, several items of research (research work)。
不论作可数名词或不可数名词, 后面一般接介词into 或on。与这个词连用的动词, 最普通的有do, be engaged in, conduct, direct, make 等。
Research into atomic energy in our country is conducted with a view to its peaceful uses. 我国研究原子能是要使它服务于和平目的。
He is doing some resea rch on the various methods of improving English. 他正在进行有关各种提高英语水平方法的研究。
2 )focus on(upon)集中在；把..集中在..点上The book focuses on abstract analysis. 这本书集中于抽象分析。
He focused his attention on this problem.
他把注意力集中在这个问题上。
3 )a number of 若干, 许多
We have a number of things to do at present.
我们当前有很多事情要做。
The workers thought of a number of ways to overcome the difficulties.
工人们想出了好些办法来克服困难。
2.Information that does not make any sense to you is difficult to remember.
你很难记住对你毫无意义的信息。
1 )make sense 讲得通, 有意义；是合情合理的, 是明智的
A sentence must make sense. 句子必须有意义。
The plan ma de sense. 这项计划是合情合理的。
It ma kes sense to take care of your health.
注意身体健康是明智的。
2 )不定式to remember 在句中作状语。有不少形容词(包括已变成形容词的分词)后面可以接不定式。
I am glad to see you. (to see 表原因)
He is always eager to win. (to win 表方面)
上面句子中的不定式与句子主语皆是主谓关系。但有时不定式和主语却是动宾关系。
Volleyball is very interesting to watch.
打排球看起来很有意思。
This problem is difficult to solve. 这个问题难解决。
3.How useful would a library be if the books were kept in random order？
如果图书馆里的书陈列得杂乱无章, 那怎么使用呢？
1 )该句是一个虚拟语气的句子。虚拟语气用在与现在事实相反的条件句中时, 条件从句的谓语用动词的过去式(be 的过去式用were), 结果主句的谓语用would (could, might)+ 动词原形。
If I knew the answer to all your questions, I’d be a genius.
假如我能回答你的所有问题, 那我就成天才了。
If I were you, I would refuse the money.
假如我是你的话, 我就不会要那钱。
2 )keep 在这里是个及物动词, 意思是“ 保存；保留”。
Will you keep these documents for us？
你帮我们保存一下这些文件好吗？
Let’s keep a seat for him. 咱们给他留一个座位吧。
这个词有时译法较为灵活。
You could keep it in that drawer.你可以把它放在那个抽屉里。
They agreed that he should not keep the gift.
他们认为他不应收这个礼物。
It’s their duty to keep law and order.
维护法律和秩序是他们的职责。
4.For example, the number 4671363 is more easily remembered if it is chunked as 467, 13, 63. 例如, 数字4671363 如果被组成
467-13-63 的话就更容易记了。
1 )chunk 在这里是个动词, 意思是“ 组成”。这个词主要用作名词, 意思是“ 厚块”,“ 大块”,“ 相当大的部分(或数量)”。如: a chunk of meat 一大块肉；good chunk of time 大量时间, chunks of information 大量信息。
2 )as 在这里是个介词, 意思是“ 作为”,“ 当作”。作此义解时, 有时它与for 可以通用。
They chose him as (or: for)their leader.他们选他为领袖。
It was built as (or : for)a pleasure boat. 这船是作为游艇制造的。
但, as 和for 在用法上还是有区别的: as 是表示“ 资格”, 而for 则表示“用途”。
He became famous a s a writer. 他以作家的资格成名了。
比较:
He is famous for his learning. 他以博学着称。
She was respected a s a teacher. 作为一个教师, 她受到尊敬。
比较:
She won’t do for a teacher. 她做教师不行。
5.Many people will group the words into similar categories and remember
them as follows.
许多人会将这些词归为相同的类别, 按照如下排列来记。
1 )group 在这里是及物动词, 意思是“ 把.. 分类, 将..归入一类”。
Group the numbers to form five columns. 将数字分成5 栏。
The data can be grouped under three heads.
这些资料可以分成三大类。
group 作为名词, 其基本意思是“ 组；群；类”。如: a group of students 一群学生；a low income group 低收入组。
2 )category 在这里是个名词, 意思是“ 种类, 类, 类别”。
This book falls into the category of reference books.
这本书属参考书类。
作为动词, categorize 的意思是“ 将..分类, 将..归类”。
He has ca tegorized the 100 songs as folk songs.
他将这100 首歌曲归入民歌类。
Three quarters of the factory building are categorized as obsolete.
四分之三的厂房被划定为陈旧建筑物。
3 )as follows 如下
He received a note which ran as follows.
他收到一封短信, 内容如下。
His arguments are a s follows. 他的论点如下。
6.Association refers to taking the material we want to remember and relating it to something we remember accurately.
联想指把我们要记的材料与我们已准确记住的东西联系起来。
1 )refer to 指..而言, 关于
In referring to a young child, “ it”is often used.
在指小孩时, 常用it 这个代词。
I didn’t know whom she was referring to when she said that.
她这样说时, 我不知道她指的是谁。
2 )relate.to(with)与..有联系
We must relate these principles to our everyday work.
我们必须把这些原则和我们的日常工作联系起来。
All these things were rela ted to all other things.
所有事物都是和其他事物相联系的。
He tried to relate poverty with crime.
他力图证明贫穷与犯罪的必然联系。
relate to 与..有关
This letter related to the purchase of some instruments.
这封信是关于购买某些仪器问题的。
He brought all the papers that rela ted to this subject.
他把所有有关这个题目的论文都拿来了。
3 )辨异: memorize, remember, vt.
memorize 是“ 默记”、“ 背诵”的意思。
I should like to memorize this poem for the purpose of recitation.
我想把这首诗背下来, 将来可以朗诵。
remember 是“想起”、“ 记得”的意思, 指事物自然在记忆中出现, 不包含努力或意志。
I remember a poem I read many years ago.
我想起我多年前念的一首诗来了。(说这话的人未必能把诗全部背出来)
remember 如果表示有意识的行为, 常指“ 记住”。
You must remember this word. 你一定要记住这个词。
7.In one study, subjects in one group were asked to learn some words
using imagery, while the second group used repetition to learn the
words. 在一项研究中, 要求一组被试者使用形象化记忆一些生词, 而另一组用重复法记忆这些生词。
1 )while 在这里是个连词, 意思是“ 而”。
She is very diligent, while he is very lazy.
她很勤奋, 而他却很懒。
One lost a leg, another an arm, while a third was killed outright.
一人失去一条腿, 另一人丢了一条胳膊, 而第三个被当场杀死。
2 )using imagery 是现在分词短语, 在本句作方式状语。现在分词可以表示方式或伴随情况, 这时它常置于句首或句末。
He ran up to her breathing heavily. 他气喘吁吁地跑到她跟前。
Walking on tiptoe, I approached the little window.
我踮着脚尖走近那个小窗户。
3 )subject 在这里是个名词, 意思是“ (事物的)经受者”,“ (动作的)对象”。
如: a subject of a nutritional experiment 接受营养试验的人；a
subject for ridicule 取笑的对象；radio reporters ’ interview subjects
电台记者的采访对象。
8.Those using imagery remembered 80 to 90 percent of the words, compared with 30 to 40 percent of the words for those who memorized by repetition.
用形象化方法的被试者记住了80% ～90% 的单词, 而用重复法记忆的那一组只记住了30% ～40% 的单词。
1 )using imagery 是现在分词短语, 作Those 的定语。who memorized
by repetition 是个定语从句, 修饰先行词those。
2 )those 在those who.结构中意为people。Those who do not wish to go need not go.
不愿去的人不需要去。
Those who were present at the meeting were all famous writers.
出席会议的都是着名的作家。
3 )compared with(to)和..比起来
Compa red to many people, she was very fortunate.
和许多人相比, 她是很幸运的。
It was a small place compared with the city.
和城市相比, 它是一个小地方。
4 )介词for 在句中表示对象, 意思是“ 对、对于”。
Things look bad for you. 情况看来对你不利。
It’s time for class. 上课的时间到了。
9.Thus forming an integrated image with all the information placed in
a single mental picture can help us to preserve a memory.
因此, 将所有的信息放在一幅内心的图画里, 从而形成一个整体形象, 可以帮助我们保存记忆。
1 )forming an integrated .mental picture 是个动名词短语, 在句中作主语。placed in a single mental picture 是过去分词短语, 作
information 的定语。
2 )integrate.with 与..相结合, 与..成为一体
You must integrate traditional Chinese medicine with Western