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Listen to part of a lecture in a psychology class.
請聽心理學課上的部分內容。
For some time now, psychologists have been aware of an ability we all share.
心理學家意識到我們都有的一種能力已經有一段時間了。
It’s the ability to sort of judge or estimate the numbers or relative quantities of things. It’s called the Approximate Number Sense, or ANS.
它是一種判斷或估算數字或事物的相關數量的能力。它被叫做近似數字感，或者ANS。
ANS is a very basic, innate ability. It’s what enables you to decide at a glance whether there are more apples than oranges on a shelf.
ANS是一個非常基礎的、與生俱來的能力。正是這項能力讓你看一眼就能決定架子上的蘋果是不是比橘子多。
And studies have shown that even six-month-old infants are able to use this sense to some extent.
研究表明，甚至6個月大的嬰兒在某種程度上都能使用這種感覺。
And if you think about it, you’ll realize that it’s an ability that some animals have as well.
如果你細細想一想就會發現，一些動物也有這種能力。
Animals have number...uh...approximate...?
動物有近似......數字.......？
Approximate Number Sense. Sure. Just think: would a bird choose to feed in a bush filled with berries or in a bush with half as many berries?
近似數字感，沒錯。你想啊，一只鳥會選擇在一個滿是漿果的樹叢中進食還是在一個只有一半漿果的樹叢中進食？
Well, the bush filled with berries I guess.
我猜是滿是漿果的那個樹叢吧。
And the bird certainly doesn’t count the berries.
而且鳥肯定不會數漿果的數量。
The bird uses ANS: Approximate Number Sense. And that ability is innate, it’s inborn.
鳥使用了ANS：近似數字感。這種能力是與生俱來的，天生的。
Now I’m not saying that all people have an equal skill or that the skill can’t be improved, but it’s present...uh...as I said...it’s present in six-month-old babies.
我不是說所有人都有同等的能力或者這種能力不能提高，但是它顯現在......就像我說的，它顯現在六個月大的嬰孩身上。
It isn’t learned. On the other hand, the ability to do symbolic or formal mathematics is not really what you would call universal.
它不是習得的。但是，做符號數學或形式數學的能力并不是你們會認為普遍的能力。
