在日常工作和生活中，我們難免會(huì)因?yàn)樾枰瓿纱罅康娜蝿?wù)而感到大腦 “超負(fù)荷”。怎樣才能從容地管理工作和生活中的方方面面？不妨列一張待辦事項(xiàng)清單。有了它，我們不僅辦事更有條理，還能有序地推進(jìn)所制定的各項(xiàng)計(jì)劃。同時(shí)，每劃掉一項(xiàng)任務(wù)就能獲得一點(diǎn)成就感，可以稍感放松，因?yàn)檠芯勘砻?，人們記住待辦事項(xiàng)的能力要強(qiáng)于記住已完成事項(xiàng)的能力。本期 “隨身英語” 節(jié)目探討為什么大腦喜歡清單思維。

詞匯：productivity?效率

Productivity?can be a struggle for many of us.?Overflowing?email inboxes, housework, social obligations – it can be easy to feel?overwhelmed. However, one simple?tool?that can help us stay on top of everything is the?to-do list. Write it down, do the?tasks?and?cross?them?off?– simple!

對我們很多人來說，提高效率是一件很困難的事情。郵箱爆滿、家務(wù)、社會(huì)責(zé)任——這些都很容易讓人感到不堪重負(fù)。然而，有一個(gè)簡單的工具可以幫助我們掌握一切，那就是待辦事項(xiàng)清單。把它寫下來，完成任務(wù)然后劃掉——很簡單!

There are three key reasons why lists are beneficial, according to psychologist and author David Cohen. Firstly, they help to?drown out?the chaos and anxiety that comes with having?never-ending?tasks. By?writing?everything?down, we don't have to rely on our memory and can instead focus on the task?at hand. Secondly, lists provide?structure?and guidance, giving us a plan to follow. As well as this, our brains are more likely to?retain?information that is presented in a?structured?and?organised?manner. And finally, lists serve as?proof?of what we have achieved, which can help boost our sense of?accomplishment?and?motivation.

心理學(xué)家兼作家大衛(wèi)·科恩認(rèn)為，清單之所以有益，有三個(gè)關(guān)鍵原因。首先，它們有助于淹沒無休止的任務(wù)帶來的混亂和焦慮。通過把所有的事情都寫下來，我們不必依賴我們的記憶，而是可以專注于手頭的任務(wù)。其次，列表提供了結(jié)構(gòu)和指導(dǎo)，給我們一個(gè)遵循的計(jì)劃。除此之外，我們的大腦更有可能記住以結(jié)構(gòu)化和有組織的方式呈現(xiàn)的信息。最后，清單可以證明我們已經(jīng)取得了什么，這可以幫助提高我們的成就感和動(dòng)力。

Another possible reason our brains love lists is because of something called the 'Zeigarnik Effect'. This is the name psychologists use for when we remember things we need to do, our?unfinished?tasks, better than things we have already completed. Researchers from Wake Forest University tested the?interference?of the Zeigarnik effect on a group of people. The experiment began with a warm-up task, though it was stopped half-way through, and only some people were allowed to make plans to finish it. The researchers found that the group permitted to plan had reduced anxiety and performed better in the second task. The problem was, the others still had the warm-up task stuck in their?active memory?– an?unticked?list of tasks. So, once we?tick?something?off?our list, our brain forgets about it and we can relax.

我們的大腦喜歡清單的另一個(gè)可能原因是“蔡加尼克效應(yīng)”。心理學(xué)家用這個(gè)詞來形容我們對需要做的事情、未完成的任務(wù)的記憶比已經(jīng)完成的事情更好。維克森林大學(xué)的研究人員測試了蔡格尼克效應(yīng)對一組人的干擾。實(shí)驗(yàn)從一個(gè)熱身任務(wù)開始，但中途停止了，只有一些人被允許制定完成任務(wù)的計(jì)劃。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，被允許做計(jì)劃的那組人焦慮減少，在第二項(xiàng)任務(wù)中表現(xiàn)更好。問題是，其他人的活動(dòng)記憶中仍然有熱身任務(wù)——一個(gè)未打勾的任務(wù)列表。所以，一旦我們在清單上劃掉某件事，我們的大腦就會(huì)忘記它，我們就可以放松了。

All in all, it seems lists are a valuable tool for?staying?on top of?life!

總而言之，清單似乎是一個(gè)有價(jià)值的工具，讓你保持在生活的頂端!

詞匯表

productivity 效率
overflowing 爆滿的，裝滿了的
overwhelmed 難以承受的，不知所措的
tool 方法，工具
to-do list 待辦事項(xiàng)清單
task 任務(wù)
cross off （從清單上）劃掉
drown out 蓋過，壓過
never-ending 沒完沒了的
write down 寫下，記下
at hand 手頭的，手邊的
structure 條理，結(jié)構(gòu)
retain 記住
structured 有條理的，結(jié)構(gòu)清晰的
organised 有條不紊的，安排有序的
proof 證明
accomplishment 成就
motivation 動(dòng)力
unfinished 未完成的
interference 干擾，干預(yù)
active memory 短期記憶
unticked 未（在清單上）勾掉的
tick off 在（清單上）勾掉
stay on top of 時(shí)時(shí)關(guān)注，掌握最新進(jìn)展

測驗(yàn)與練習(xí)

1.?閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Why is it helpful to write tasks down?

2. How do lists help our sense of accomplishment and motivation?

3. True or False??The Zeigarnik effect is a phenomenon that helps us finish tasks.

4. What did researchers from Wake Forest University test in their experiment?

5. Which group performed better in the second task of the experiment?

2.?選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I always _______ washing and ironing clothes even though I don't enjoy it.

cross off? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? drown out? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?write down? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? stay on top of

2. The police had _______ that she committed the crime. She was on the CCTV.

accomplishment? ? ? ? ? ? ?productivity? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? interference? ? ? ? ? ? ?proof

3. My _______ definitely gets lower towards the end of the working day.? ??

motivation? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?tool? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? task? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? structure

4. I can get _______ if there is too much noise in the house. I like peace and quiet.

unfinished? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?organised? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? structured???????????????? overwhelmed

5. Zainab has a _______ list of books she wants to read.

never-ending? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? unticked? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?active? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? social

答案

1.?閱讀課文并回答問題。?

1. Why is it helpful to write tasks down?

Because by writing everything down, we don't have to rely on our memory and can instead focus on the task at hand.

2. How do lists help our sense of accomplishment and motivation?

Lists serve as proof of what we have achieved.

3.True or False??The Zeigarnik effect is a phenomenon that helps us finish tasks.

False. The Zeigarnik effect is the phenomenon of remembering things we need to do, our unfinished tasks, better than things we have already completed.

4. What did researchers from Wake Forest University test in their experiment?

Researchers tested the interference of the Zeigarnik effect on a group of people.

5. Which group performed better in the second task of the experiment?

The group permitted to plan had reduced anxiety and performed better in the second task.

2.?選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. I always?stay on top of?washing and ironing clothes even though I don't enjoy it.

2. The police had?proof?that she committed the crime. She was on the CCTV.

3. My?motivation?definitely gets lower towards the end of the working day.?

4. I can get?overwhelmed?if there is too much noise in the house. I like peace and quiet.

5. Zainab has a?never-ending?list of books she wants to read.

文章來源BBC，侵權(quán)刪。