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1. Biological rhythms make us a different person at 9 a. m. than we are at 3 p. m. Here's a guide to when you work better, feel better, think better.
1、生物節奏（Biological rhythms）使我們在早上九點和下午三點判若兩人。本文指導你何時工作效率較高，何時自我感覺較好，何時思維活動較佳（to when you work better, feel better, think better; 不定式做定語）。（接著舉了兩個例子……）
2. Every fall, Jane, a young mother and part-time librarian, begins to eat more and often feels sleepy. Her mood is also darker, especially when she awakens in the morning; it takes all her energy just to drag herself out of bed. These symptoms persist until April, when warmer weather and longer days seem to lighten her mood and alleviate her cravings for food and sleep.
2、簡是一位年輕的媽媽和兼職的圖書館管理員(part-time adj.兼職的; adv. 兼職地；librarian n. 圖書管理員)。每年一到秋天(fall n. 下降；秋天；瀑布)，她就開始食欲增強，而且常?；杌栌?/span>（sleepy adj. 欲睡的；困乏的）。她的情緒（mood n. ）也比較消沉，尤其是早上一覺醒來之際(awaken vi. 醒來；意識到; vt. 喚醒；使…意識到)，幾乎要鼓起全身精力才能勉強掙扎下床（to drag herself out of bed不定式做目的狀語；drag vt. 緩慢而吃力地進行）。這些癥狀（symptoms）要持續到翌年四月(persist until April)，那時候，較暖的氣候和較長的白晝仿佛使她的心情輕松起來，也不那么嘴饞和嗜睡了(lighten vt. 使輕松；alleviate vt. 減輕，緩和; craving n. 渴望)。
3. Joseph, a 48-year-old engineer for a Midwestern computer company, feels cranky early in the morning. But as the day progresses, he becomes friendlier and more accommodating.
3、48歲的約瑟夫是中西部(midwestern)一家計算機公司的工程師。每天清晨覺得愛發脾氣(cranky adj. 暴躁的)，但到了白天，他卻變得較為友善，容易和人相處了（friendly-friendlier adj. 友好的；親切的; accommodating adj. 隨和的；樂于助人的）。
4. All living organisms, from mollusks to men and women, exhibit biological rhythms. Some are short and can be measured in minutes or hours. Others last days or months. The peaking of body temperature, which occurs in most people every evening, is a daily rhythm. The menstrual cycle is a monthly rhythm. The increase in sexual drive in the autumn—not in the spring, as poets would have us believe—is a seasonal, or yearly rhythm.
4、一切生物體，從軟體動物（mollusk n.）到人類的男男女女，無不表現出生物節奏(exhibit vt. 顯示；展覽)。有些節奏為時甚短，可以用分鐘或小時(in minutes or hours)計量。另一些節奏要持續若干天，甚至幾個月。多數人的體溫每天傍晚達到他的最高點(which 引導非限制性定語從句；peaking n. 峰值)。這是一種每日一次的節奏(a daily rhythm; daily adj.每日的)。 月經周期是每月一次的節奏。性欲沖動（sexual drive）在秋季轉旺——并非像詩人要我們相信的那樣出現在春天——它是一種季節性的或每年一度的節奏(have us belive 中have 意為“讓”，后跟不帶to的不定式；在-……-之間的文字與,……,之間的文字一樣，是補充說明的內容，省略它們不會影響句子的意思)。
5. The idea that our bodies are in constant flux is fairly new—and goes against traditional medical training. In the past, many doctors were taught to believe the body has a relatively stable, or homeostatic, internal environment. Any fluctuations were considered random and not meaningful enough to be studied.
5、認為我們的軀體經常處于不斷變動的狀態，這種想法是相當新穎的——它與傳統的醫學訓練的觀點相反（that our bodies are in constant flux定語從句，修飾the idea; constant adj. 恒定的；經常的; flux n. 變遷；不穩定；go against 違反）。過去，許多醫生所受的教育使他們相信(were taught to believe)人體有一種比較穩定的或者說是體內平衡的內在環境(homeostatic, internal environment)。任何波動(any fluctuations)都被視為(were considered)事出偶然，沒有值得研究的充分意義(meaningful adj. 有意義的)。
6. As early as the 1940s, however, some scientists questioned the homeostatic view of the body. Franz Halberg, a young European scientist working in the United States, noticed that the number of white blood cells in laboratory mice was dramatically higher and lower at different times of day. Gradually, such research spread to the study of other rhythms in other life forms, and the findings were sometimes startling. For example, the time of day when a person receives X-ray or drug treatment for cancer can affect treatment benefits and ultimately mean the difference between life and death.
6、然而，早在上世紀40年代（as early as 早在……的時候），有些科學家就對體內平衡的觀點（the homeostatic view of the body）提出質疑。一位在美國工作的(working in the United States現在分詞做定語)年輕的歐洲科學家弗蘭茨·哈爾伯格，曾注意到實驗室里小白鼠的白血球數目（the number of white blood cells in laboratory mice; mice n. 是mouse的復數形式; white blood cells 白血球）的多寡在每天不同的時間里（at different times of day）有顯著的差別(dramatically adv. 戲劇地；引人注目地)。這種研究逐漸擴大到（spread to）對其他生命形式的其他節奏的探討，其結果有時是令人吃驚的（findings n. 調查結果; startling adj. 令人吃驚的）。例如，癌癥患者每天接受X線治療或藥物治療的時間（when a person receives X-ray or drug treatment for cancer是when引導的定語從句，修飾the time of day）會影響治療的效果，并最終(ultimately)意味著生和死的差別。
7. This new science is called chronobiology, and the evidence supporting it has become increasingly persuasive. Along the way, the scientific and medical communities are beginning to rethink their ideas about how the human body works, and gradually what had been considered a minor science just a few years ago is being studied in major universities and medical centers around the world. There are even chronobiologists working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as for the National Institutes of Health and other government laboratories.
7、這門新興的學科叫做計時生物學(chronobiology n. 時間生物學；生物鐘學)，支持它的(supporting it現在分詞做定語)證據已經變得越來越有說服力（increasingly adv. 越來越多地; persuasive adj. 有說服力的）。沿著這條思路，科學界和醫學界人士（community n. 團體）正在開始重新考慮（are beginning to rethink）他們關于人體如何運轉的（about how the human body works定語從句，修飾their ideas）觀點。這一學科僅僅在幾年前(just a few years ago)還被認為是微不足道的，如今在全世界一些主要的大學和醫學中心，都己逐漸地有人在進行研究(what had been considered a minor science是名詞從句做主語；minor adj. 次要的；較小的；二流的; major adj. 主要的；重要的; 可譯為：僅僅在幾年前，被認為是微不足道的這項學科現在正逐漸成為全世界主要大學和醫學中心重點研究的學科)。甚至連國家航空和宇宙航行局，以及國立衛生研究所和其他的政府實驗室，也有一些計時生物學家在工作著(working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration現在分詞做定語; chronobiologist n. 時間生物學家; work for 為…工作; aeronautics n. 航空學; administration n. 行政機構；as well as 以及)。
8. With their new findings, they are teaching us things that can literally change our lives—by helping us organize ourselves so we can work with our natural rhythms rather than against them. This can enhance our outlook on life as well as our performance at work and play.
8、這些計時生物學家利用他們新的研究成果，正在給我們傳授一些能夠切實改變我們生活并幫助我們安排自己生活(that can literally change our lives—by helping us organize ourselves定語從句修飾things；literally adv. 逐字地；確實地，真正地)知識，使我們能符合而不是違背我們天然的節奏進行活動(work with 與…共事；rather than 而不是)。這樣做，不僅能夠提髙我們工作和娛樂的質量（performance n. 性能; 績效），而且能夠提高我們的人生觀（outlook on life）。
9. Because they are easy to detect and measure, more is known of daily-or circadian (Latin for "about a day")-rhythms than other types. The most obvious daily rhythm is the sleep/wake cycle. But there are other daily cycles as well: temperature, blood pressure, hormone levels. Amid these and the body's other changing rhythms, you are simply a different person at 9 a. m. than you are at 3 p. m. How you feel, how well you work, your level of alertness, your sensitivity to taste and smell, the degree with which you enjoy food or take pleasure in music—all are changing throughout the day.
9、由于每天的（或circadian （拉丁語意為“大約一天的”))節奏比較容易被發現和測定，人們對這種節奏的了解多于其他類型的節奏（circadian adj. 生理節奏的；以24小時為周期的；-or circadian (Latin for "about a day")-是進一步說明daily的，省去而不會影響句子的意思）。睡和醒的周期是最明顯的每日節奏（obvious adj. 明顯的；顯著的）。不過還有（as well）其他的每日節奏，如體溫、血壓、激素（荷爾蒙）水平等。當你處在人體的這些和其他不斷改變的節奏中時（amid prep. 在其中，在之中），你在早上九點和下午三點簡直（simply adv.）是判若兩人。你的自我感覺、你的工作好壞、你的機警程度(alertness n. 機敏；警覺)、你的味覺和嗅覺的（to taste and smell不定式做定語，修飾sensitivity，）敏感性、你享受食物或欣賞音樂的（with which you enjoy food or take pleasure in music定語從句修飾the degree; enjoy with 樂在其中; take pleasure in 喜歡）快感——凡此種種在一天之內都不斷地變化著（throughout the day 整天）。
10. Most of us seem to reach our peak of alertness around noon. Soon after that, alertness declines, and sleepiness may set in by midafternoon.
10、我們大多數人最為機警的時間似乎是在中午前后；其后不久就開始（set in）遲鈍(alertness declines 機敏度下降)，等到下午三時左右（midafternoon）就昏昏欲睡了。
11. Your short-term memory is best during the morning—in fact, about 15 percent more efficient than at any other time of day. So, students, take heed: when faced with a morning exam, it really does pay to review your notes right before the test is given.
11、你的短期記憶(short-term)在早上這段時間最佳——其效率實際上(in fact)比一天里的其他時間大約髙出15%。所以，學生們請注意(take heed 留意；heed n. 注意)：當遇到早上的考試時（face with 面臨），你在快考試前不久（before the test is given）溫習一下你的筆記確實是（does 強調作用）有好處的。
12. Long-term memory is different. Afternoon is the best time for learning material that you want to recall days, weeks or months later. Politicians, business executives or others who must learn speeches would be smart to do their memorizing during that time of day. If you are a student, you would be wise to schedule your more difficult classes in the afternoon, rather than in the morning. You should also try to do most of your studying in the afternoon, rather than late at night. Many students believe they memorize better while burning the midnight oil because their short-term recall is better during the wee hours of the morning than in the afternoon. But short-term memory won't help them much several days later, when they face the exam.
12、長期記憶（long-term memory）就不同了。對那些你想要在以后幾天、幾周或幾個月回想起來的（that you want to recall days, weeks or months later定語從句修飾learning material）材料，最佳的學習時間是下午。政治活動家、工商企業經理或其他必須牢記演講詞的(who must learn speeches定語從句修飾others)人們，在下午這段時間進行記憶將是明智之舉(smart adj. 聰明的；memorizing n. 記憶；熟記)。如果你是學生，那么，一個聰明的辦法是你把較難的課程安排在下午（wise adj. 明智的; schedule vt. 安排；n. 時間表），而不是（rather than）安排在上午去做。你還應當力圖把研讀大部分功課的時間放在下午(try to do sth. 努力做某事)，而不是放在深更半夜(late at night)。許多學生因為短期記憶的效果在凌晨（the wee hours of the morning）比在下午好，就以為在挑燈夜讀的時候（while burning the midnight oil）能記得更牢。但在他們幾天以后面對考試時短期記憶幫不了多大的忙。
13. By contrast, we tend to do best on cognitive tasks—things that require the juggling of words and figures in one's head—during the morning hours. This might be a good time, say, to balance a checkbook.
13、與之相比 (by contrast)，我們在早上幾個鐘頭里往往能夠最有效地從事那些腦力工作（do best on cognitive tasks; cognitive adj. 認知的），即那些需要動腦筋仔細推敲文字和認真思考數字的事情（juggling adj. 變戲法的；figure n. 數字）。比如說，這個時候也許最適宜于核對支票簿（to balance a checkbook 不定式做定語，修飾a good time; balance vt. 使平衡；偏意：結算）。
14. Your manual dexterity—the speed and coordination with which you perform complicated tasks with your hands—peaks during the afternoon hours. Such work as carpentry, typing or sewing will be a little easier at this time of day.
14、在下午的幾個小時你的雙手最為靈巧（Your manual dexterity peaks during the afternoon hours，翻譯時將-……-前后的句子合二為一；manual adj. 手工的; dexterity n. 靈巧; peak vi. 達到最高點；n. 峰值），而手的靈巧度表現為使用雙手完成復雜工作的速度和協調能力（with which 引導的定語從句修飾其前置詞; coordination n.協調；complicated adj. 復雜的）。在一天的這段時間里干木工活（carpentry n.）、打字或縫紉更為得心應手。
15. What about sports? During afternoon and early evening, your coordination is at its peak, and you're able to react the quickest to an outside stimulus—like a baseball speeding toward you at home plate. Studies have also shown that late in the day, when your body temperature is peaking, you will perceive a physical workout to be easier and less fatiguing—whether it actually is or not. That means you are more likely to work harder during a late afternoon or early-evening workout, and therefore benefit more from it. Studies involving swimmers, runners, shotputters and rowing crews have shown consistently that performance is better in the evening than in the morning.
15、體育運動方面的情況如何呢？在下午和黃昏（early evening）來臨時，你的協調能力處于頂峰狀態，你能夠以最快的速度(the quickest)對外界的刺激（to an outside stimulus）如對朝你本壘飛來的(speeding toward you at home plate現在分詞做定語，修飾前置詞a baseball)棒球做出反應（react vi.; be able to do sth. 能夠做某事）。多項研究也已經證明，傍晚（late in the day）當你的體溫升到最高時，不論實際情況是否如此（whether it actually is or not），你都會覺得（perseive）體育鍛煉比較輕松(a physical workout to be easier不定式做賓語補足語; workout n. 鍛煉)，不那么令人感到疲倦(fatiguing adj. 使人勞累的)。這意味著你在下午稍晚時或傍晚剛開始時鍛煉起來比較有可能多加一把勁（be likely to do sth. 可能做某事），因此收獲更大。涉及游泳、賽跑、推鉛球和劃船等運動員的（involving swimmers, runners, shotputters and rowing crews現在分詞詞組做定語，修飾studies）有關研究一致（consistently）表明，這樣一些運動下午比上午易出成績。
16. In fact, all of your senses—taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell—may be at their keenest during late afternoon and early evening. That could be why dinner usually tastes better to us than breakfast and why night lights irritate us.
16、事實上(in fact)，你的一切官能——味覺、視覺、聽覺、觸覺和嗅覺——都會在下午稍晚時和傍晚剛開始時最為敏銳(keen adj. 敏銳的)。這也許可以說明為什么我們通常覺得晚餐比早餐香，為什么夜間的燈光剌眼吧（irritate vt. 刺激）。
17. Even our perception of time changes from hour to hour. Not only does time seem to fly when you're having fun, but it also seems to fly even fester if you are having that fun in the late afternoon and early evening, when your body temperature is also peaking.
17、連我們對時間的感受(perception of time; perception n. 知覺；感覺)也是因時而異的。時光似乎過得飛快，這種感覺不僅出現在你正玩得興高釆烈時(not only does time seem to fly ...是倒裝句，does助動詞提前，是主要考點之一)，而且這同樣的歡樂如果是發生在下午稍晚和傍晚剛開始時，即你的體溫正朝最高點上升時，你就會感到時間過得甚至更快(even fester)。(not only..., but also...不僅…，而且…)
18. While all of us follow the same general pattern of ups and downs, the exact timing varies from person to person. It all depends on how your "biological" day is structured—how much of a morning or night person you are. The earlier your biological day gets going, the earlier you are likely to enter—and exit—the peak times for performing various tasks. An extreme morning person and an extreme night person may have circadian cycles that are a few hours apart.
18、盡管我們的生物節奏上下起落（ups and downs n. 起伏；高低；盛衰）的總模式相同（follow vt. 跟隨；偏意：遵循；直譯為：盡管我們的生物節奏遵循著上下起落的相同的總模式），但確切的定時卻因人而異(vary-varies vi. )。它完全取決于（depend on）你的“生物節奏”日的結構如何(biological adj. 生物學的；生物的; structured adj. 有結構的)——你是早晨活動得多還是夜里活動得多。你的生物節奏日開始得愈早，你就可能愈早地進入和退出完成各種工作的頂峰期(the + 形容詞或副比較級 + 句子, the + 形容詞或副比較級 + 句子, 也是主要考點之一；get going 開始；出發；)。一個完全(extreme adv.)在上午活動的人和一個完全在夜晚活動的人，他們的每日生物節奏周期可能相隔幾個小時（that引導的從句做定語，修飾circadian cycles；直譯為：一個完全早起的人（百靈鳥型的人）與一個完全晚睡的人（夜貓子型的人）存在著相隔幾個小時的每日生物節奏）。
19. Each of us can increase our knowledge about our individual rhythms. Learn how to listen to the inner beats of your body; let them set the pace of your day. You will live a healthier—and happier—life.
19、我們人人都能增進自己對自己的生物節奏的了解。要學會如何傾聽（how to listen to）你體內的節拍；根據它們來設定你的每日生活(let 后跟不帶to的不定式做賓語，同樣是熱門考點)。這樣，你將過一種更加健康、更加幸福快樂的生活。
