單詞與詞組   Words and phrases

    ①predictable  a. 可預言的

    ②prime　n. 青春，精華

    ③computation  n. 計算

    ④possess  v. 擁有

    ⑤trade-off  n. 交換，平衡

    ⑥quotient  n. 商，份額

    ⑦sonata n. 奏鳴曲

    The ups and downs of life  may seem to have no predictable① plan. But scientists know  there are very definite patterns  that almost all people share. Even if you've passed some of your "prime"②, you still have other prime years to experience  in the future. Certain important primes seem to peak later in life.

    人生的起伏似乎沒有可以預知的模式，但是科學家現在發現有一些模式相當明確，絕大多數人都不例外。即使你度過了一些最佳時期，你仍然會在將來經歷另外幾個最佳時期。某些最佳時期似乎在生命的后半段才會到來。

    When are you smartest? From 18-25, according to I.Q. scores; but you're wiser and more experienced with increasing age.

    什么時候你最聰明？根據智商得分，你從15歲至25歲最聰明。然而，隨著年齡的增長，你更加具有智慧和經驗。

    You're sharpest in your 20's; around 30, memory begins to decline, particularly your ability to perform mathematical computations③. But your I.Q. for other tasks climbs. Your vocabulary at age 45, for example, is three times as great as when you graduated from college. At 60, your brain possesses④ almost four times as much information as it did  at age 21. 

    20多歲的時候你的思維最敏捷；30歲左右，記憶力開始衰退，尤其是你的數學計算能力。然而你做其他事情的智商提高了。例如45歲時你的詞匯量是你剛從大學畢業時的3倍。60歲時你大腦中儲存的信息幾乎是你21歲時的4倍。

    This trade-off⑤ between sharpness and wisdom has led psychologists to suggest that  "maturity quotients"⑥ (M.Q.) be adopted for adults.

    敏銳和智慧之間的這種消長，已經使得心理學家們提出了在成年人中采用“成熟商”這一概念。

    When are you happiest? You have the best physical sense of yourself  from 15 to 24; the best professional sense from 40 to 49.

    什么時候你的自我感覺最好？15歲至24歲之間你的身體感覺最好；40歲至49歲之間你對自己的職業感覺最佳。
 
    Before age 24, we believe that our happiest years are yet to come; over 30,we believe that they're behind us. A National Health Survey agrees: After age 30, we "become more realistic  and do not view happiness as a goal in itself. If we maintain our health, achieve professional and emotional goals, then happiness, we feel, will follow".

    24歲之前，我們相信自己最快樂的日子尚未到來；過了30歲，我們就認為最快樂的時光已經過去。一項全國性的健康調查也揭示了同樣的結果：30歲過后，我們變得更加實際，不把幸福當成生命本身的一種目標。我們認為，只要我們保持健康，事業上、情感上稱心如意，那么我們就覺得幸福便會隨之而來。

    When are you most creative? Generally between 30 and 39, but the peak varies with different professions.

    什么時候你最富創造力？一般在30歲至39歲之間。但是不同的職業，高峰期也不相同。

    Mozart wrote a symphony and four sonatas⑦ by age eight, and Mendelssohn composed his best known work  A Midsummer Night's Dream, at 17, but most of the great  music  was written by men  between 33 and 39. 

    莫扎特8歲時就創作了一部交響曲、4首奏鳴曲；門德爾松17歲就完成了他的最著名的作品《仲夏夜之夢》，但是大部分偉大的音樂作品都是人們在33歲至39歲之間創作出來的。

    Though the peak in most fields comes early-most Nobel prizewinners did their top research  in their late 20's and 30's-creative people continue to produce quality work  throughout their lives. For the "well-conditioned mind", there is no upper limit.

    雖然大多數領域的最佳狀態來得比較早--大多數諾貝爾獎獲得者都是在25歲以后、30多歲時完成他們最出色的研究--但是創造型的人會在生命中不斷地完成高質量的工作。對于“狀態良好的大腦”，不存在上限。