生命的最佳时期 The Prime Time in Life

佚名/Anonymous

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

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

You're sharpest in your 20's；around 30，memory begins to decline, particularly your ability to perform mathematical computations. 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 possesses almost four times as much information as it did at age 21.

This trade-off between sharpness and wisdom has ledpsychologists to suggest that“maturity quotients（M. Q.）”be adopted for adults.

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

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”.

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

Mozart wrote a symphony and four sonatas 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.

Though, the peak in most felds comes early—most Nobel prize winners 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.

人生沉浮，看似难以预测。但是，科学家们现在了解到，几乎所有的人都有一个相当明确的模式。即使度过了一些“黄金时期”，你仍然可以在未来经历另外的黄金时期。某些重要的黄金时期好像要在生命的后期才能达到巅峰。

你什么时候最聪明？根据智商测验的分数，是从18岁到25岁期间。但是，随着年龄的增长，你会更加明智，经验更加丰富。

你的思维最敏捷是在20多岁的时候，到了30岁左右，记忆力开始下降，特别是你的数学计算能力降低。但是，你做其他事的智商提高了。例如，你45岁时的词汇量是你刚从大学毕业时的3倍。到60岁时，你的大脑储存的信息几乎是你21岁时的4倍。

根据敏捷和智慧之间的转化，心理学家提出了一个适用于成年人的概念“成熟商（M.Q.）”。

你什么时候最快乐？你对自己身体感觉最好的时期是从15岁到24岁。职业感觉最敏锐的时期是从40岁到49岁。

在24岁之前，我们相信自己最快乐的时光还在前头；过了30岁，我们确信最美好的时光已逝。一项全国性的健康调查也同样证明：30岁以后，我们“变得更加实际，不再把幸福当成一种目标。如果我们保持身体健康，达到事业和情感上的目标，我们觉得，幸福就会随之而来”。

你什么时候最富于创造力？一般来说，会在30岁到39岁之间，但是，高峰期会因职业的不同而各不相同。

莫扎特写下一部交响曲和四首奏鸣曲是在8岁的时候。门德尔松17岁时写下了他最著名的作品《仲夏夜之梦》。然而，人们创造出伟大的音乐作品大都是在33岁到39岁时。

尽管许多领域的巅峰状态来得较早——大多数诺贝尔奖获得者完成他们顶级的研究是在20岁到30岁期间——创造型的人一生中会不断地完成高品质的工作，对于“状况良好的大脑”，没有上限。

W词汇笔记

pattern['pætən]n.图案；式样；典范

例 The cloth has a chequer pattern.

这块布有格子花的图形。

psychologist[sai'kɔlədʒist]n.心理学家

例 The psychologist always assign work to each researcher.

这位心理学家总是将工作分派给每个研究员。

maturity[mə'tjuəriti]n.成熟；完善

例 My plan has gradually come to maturity.

我的计划逐渐成熟。

emotional[i'məuʃənl]adj.感情的；情绪的

例 She had a major emotional upset.

她在情绪上受到了沉重的打击。

S小试身手

人生沉浮，看似难以预测。但是，科学家们现在了解到，几乎所有的人都有一个相当明确的模式。

译________________________________________

根据敏捷和智慧之间的转化，心理学家提出了一个适用于成年人的概念“成熟商（M.Q.）”。

译________________________________________

在24岁之前，我们相信自己最快乐的时光还在前头；过了30岁，我们确信最美好的时光已逝。

译________________________________________

P短语家族

From 18 to 25，according to I. Q.scores……

according to：按照；根据

造________________________________________

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

between……and：在……中间

造________________________________________