Recording Two
錄音二
In 1984,the World Chess Championship was called off abruptly, due to the withered frame of a player who was competing for the title.
1984年,世界國際象棋錦標(biāo)賽突然被取消,原因是一名爭冠棋手在比賽過程中身形迅速消瘦。
He wasn't alone in experiencing the extreme physical effects of the game.
經(jīng)受這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)帶給身體極端影響的不止他一人。
Elite players can reportedly burn up to an absurd 6 ,000 calories in one day.
據(jù)說精英棋手一天可消耗高達(dá)6000卡路里的熱量。
Does that mean that thinking harder is a simple route to losing weight?
這是否意味著冥思苦想是一條簡單的減肥之路?
Well, when the body is at rest, we know that the brain uses up a startling 20% to 25% of the body's overall energy.
嗯,我們知道,當(dāng)身體處于休息狀態(tài)時(shí),大腦會(huì)驚人地消耗掉身體總能量的20%到25%。
This level of utilization actually makes the brain the most energy-expensive organ in the body,
這種利用程度實(shí)際上使大腦成為身體中能量消耗最高的器官,
and yet it makes up only 2% of the body's weight overall.
然而它只占身體總重量的2%。
So the more we put this organ to work, the more calories we'll burn?
那么我們讓這個(gè)器官工作得越多,燃燒的卡路里就會(huì)越多嗎?
Technically, the answer is yes, for cognitively difficult tasks.
嚴(yán)格來說,對(duì)于難度高的認(rèn)知活動(dòng),答案是肯定的。
What counts as a "difficult" mental task varies between individuals.
什么樣的腦力勞動(dòng)被算作“難度高”因人而異。
But generally, it could be described as something that the brain cannot solve easily using previously learned routines, or tasks that change the conditions continuously.
但一般來說,它可以被描述為“大腦依靠先前習(xí)得的常規(guī)模式無法輕易解決的任務(wù),或是不斷改變情形的任務(wù)”。
However, deep thinking will not burn off the calories gained from eating a sugary snack.
然而,深度思考并不能燃盡吃甜食獲得的熱量。
Because in relation to the brain s huge overall energy usage, which is devoted to a multitude of tasks, the energy required just to think harder is actually comparatively tiny.
因?yàn)橄啾却竽X用于眾多活動(dòng)消耗的巨大總能量,只進(jìn)行冥思苦想所需的能量實(shí)際上相對(duì)極少。
We're unconscious of most of what uses up the brain's energy.
我們無法察覺消耗掉大腦能量的大多數(shù)活動(dòng)。
A lot of that activity is unrelated to conscious activities like learning how to sing or play the guitar.
這些活動(dòng)很大一部分都與學(xué)唱歌或彈吉他等有意識(shí)的活動(dòng)無關(guān)。
The brain is able to allocate blood (and thus energy) to particular regions that are being active at that point.
大腦能夠?qū)⒀?以及其攜帶的能量)分配到某刻處于活躍狀態(tài)的特定區(qū)域。
But the overall energy availability in the brain is thought to be constant.
但大腦中可利用的總能量被認(rèn)為是恒定的。
So, while there might be significant increases in energy use at localized regions of the brain when we perform difficult cognitive tasks,
所以,盡管當(dāng)我們進(jìn)行困難的認(rèn)知活動(dòng)時(shí),大腦局部區(qū)域的能量消耗可能會(huì)顯著增加,
when it comes to the whole brain's energy budget overall, these activities don't significantly alter it.
但當(dāng)涉及到整個(gè)大腦的能量總收支時(shí),這些活動(dòng)不會(huì)對(duì)其有太大改變。
So, why did the chess champion grow too skinny to compete in his chess competition?
那么,為什么這位國際象棋冠軍爭奪者很快瘦削到無法參加比賽呢?
The general consensus is that it mostly comes down to stress and reduced food consumption, not mental exhaustion.
普遍的共識(shí)是,這主要?dú)w結(jié)于壓力和食物攝取的減少,而不是腦力耗竭。
Keeping your body pumped up for action for long periods of time is very energy demanding.
長時(shí)間使你的身體充滿活力是需要大量能量的。
If you can't eat as often or as much as you can or would normally- then you might lose weight.
如果你不能盡可能或像平時(shí)一樣吃那么多、那么勤,那么你很可能會(huì)體重下降。
Questions 19 to 21 are based on the recording you have just heard.
請(qǐng)根據(jù)你剛剛聽到的錄音回答19至21題。
Question 19: What did the second experiment in the new research find about solitude?
問題19:關(guān)于孤獨(dú),這項(xiàng)新研究的第二個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)發(fā)現(xiàn)了什么?
Question 20: What does the speaker say about the consumption of the brain' s energy?
問題20:關(guān)于大腦能量的消耗,說話者說了什么?
Question 21: What do we learn about the overall energy availability in the brain?
問題21:關(guān)于大腦的整體能量可用性,我們了解到了什么?