时差N小时 如何构建更强的大脑

We humans pride ourselves on having large, supple¹ brains. Butwhile our brains are larger than those of most other animals, itappears that over time our presence can result in smaller-brained animals having cerebral² growthspurts.

我们人类为拥有大的，灵活的大脑而自豪。然而，尽管我们的大脑比大多数动物大，但是，经过一段时间，我们的存在似乎会让大脑较小动物的大脑突然生长。

Scientists have found that certain small mammals-including some species of shrew, vole, bat,gopher, mouse and squirrel-have larger brains when they live near or around people in bothurban and rural areas.

科学家们发现某些小型哺乳动物─包括某些种类的鼩鼱、田鼠、蝙蝠、囊鼠、老鼠、松鼠─不论是生活在城市还是农村，当它们比邻人类而居时，大脑会变大。

For example, one study found that the brains of urban-dwelling³ white-footed mice and meadowvoles are about six percent larger than their rural cousins.

例如，一项研究发现居住在城市的白足鼠和草甸田鼠，他们的大脑比它们的乡下亲属大出6%。

Meanwhile, as habitats have become developed, rural dwelling shrews and bats have also evolvedlarger brains over the past century.

同时，随着栖息地的扩展，在过去的一个世纪里，居住在农村的鼩鼱和蝙蝠的大脑也变大了。

Scientists speculate that the larger brains of some city living animals are due to those crittershaving to adapt to and survive in places populated by lots of people.

科学家们猜测, 一些生活在城市的动物大脑变大，是因为他们不得不在人气旺的地方适应并生存下来。

After all, it stands to reasonthat raising baby mice and voles in busy urban and suburban⁴ places requires as much brain poweras possible.

毕竟，可以理解老鼠和田鼠要在繁华的城市和郊区生儿育女是挺费脑子的。

As for the rural animals whose brains have grown, it could be that human development in ruralareas has forced animals such as bats and shrews to forage⁵ farther afield, and that patrolling largerhunting grounds requires more brain power.

至于生活在农村的动物大脑变大，这可能是因为人类在农村的发展已经迫使像蝙蝠和鼩鼱这样的动物到更远的野外觅食。在更大的狩猎区巡查，更费脑力。

An important underlying⁶ point of this research is that even an organ as complex as the brain iscapable of significant evolution over relatively⁷ short periods of time.

这项研究的潜在关键是，即使像大脑这样复杂的器官，也能在相对短的时间里发生重大进化。

1 supple   

adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺

参考例句：

• She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。
• He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

2 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。

3 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

4 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

5 forage   

n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻

参考例句：

• They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。
• Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。

6 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。