【一起听英语】睡眠与学习的关系

 长期的睡眠不足会导致学习能力下降，睡眠与学习有一定的关联，你知道吗？

Rob: Hello, I’m Rob and this is 6 Minute English and I’m joined this week by Finn. Hello

Finn.

Finn: Hello Rob.

Rob: This week, we’re discussing sleep. New research has shown that not getting enough

sleep – or sleep deprivation¹ – can have a negative effect on our ability to learn.

We’re going to talk about that today and explore some sleep-related language.

Finn: So Rob, are you saying the more sleep I get, the cleverer I will be?

Rob: Not exactly - but we could put that to the test now by seeing if you know the answer

to this week’s question. This is about Randy Gardner, who holds the world record for

the longest period of time without sleep. Do you know how long he stayed awake

for? Was it:

a) 5 days

b) 8 days

c) 11 days

Finn: Rob, I’m going to go for the ambitious² c) 11 days without sleep.

Rob: Well, I’ll let you know the answer at the end of the programme, if you can stay

awake that long! Now, let’s talk more about this link between sleep and the ability to

learn. Researchers from Boston College in the USA have found the lack of sleep is a

significant – so important – factor in lowering the achievement of school pupils. The

findings could be relevant to any of us who are trying to learn something.

Finn: That’s true. The most interesting fact is that it is more of a problem in affluent³

countries – so wealthier countries such as the United States, England, France and

Saudi Arabia.

Rob: Students here are more affected⁴ by influences from their home life.

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Finn: You’re talking about computers and TVs in their bedrooms and using smartphones?

Rob: Yes, they’re tempted⁵ by all this technology instead of just getting their heads

down and having a good night’s sleep. The survey found 80% of 13 and 14-yearolds

in the US were identified by their teachers as being affected by lack of sleep.

The international average was 57%.

Finn: Let’s hear from William Myers who is the Principal at South River High School in the

United States. He says this is a challenge for teachers. What other word does he use

to mean ‘lacking in energy’?

William Myers, Principal at South River High School:

If we didn’t make our classes more engaging, we would see a decline⁶ in our performance. We would

see that school-wide, and in many of our classes, we would see students who were lethargic⁷,

sleepy, maybe heads down at the end of the day. So we have to put a lot of work into keeping them

alert⁸ and keeping them excited about school.

Rob: That’s quite a challenge then! He says classes have to be engaging, so interesting

and exciting, to stop students getting sleepy and lacking in energy – the word he

used was lethargic.

Finn: Yes, this research looked at the link between the amount students sleep and their

test results. Not surprisingly it found children with more sleep achieve higher test

results in maths, science and reading. There is a lesson there for all of us – I think

I’ll just shut my eyes, Rob, and have 40 winks⁹.

Rob: You mean a short, light sleep? Can you wait until the end of the programme please?

Scientists believe the lack of sleep causes your brain to run on empty. It struggles

to absorb and retain ideas.

Finn: Actually, scientists say that there are more serious problems with students staying

up late before they hit the sack - or got to bed – as we can hear from the BBC’s

Jane O’Brien. Can you identify what they are?

Jane O’Brien, BBC reporter:

Here at the Children’s National Medical Centre, doctors are seeing more and more sleep-deprived

kids, and it’s not just affecting their school work. It’s linked to obesity¹⁰, mood swings and behaviour

problems. In fact it’s putting their long-term health at risk.

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Finn: So, the lack of sleep can also lead to health problems such as obesity – that’s when

someone is dangerously overweight – and to mood swings – that’s changes in how

someone feels or behaves. So, what is the solution to all of this?

Rob: Well the school day in some countries start later, allowing teenagers a bit of a lie in.

And others have a break in the afternoon – like a siesta¹¹. But the real solution is for

students to turn in – or go to bed – earlier.

Finn: This research has also highlighted another problem. Because teachers are simplifying

their lessons to take account of the tetchy – or grumpy – students, there’s concern

that pupils who are getting enough sleep are losing out in these adjusted lessons. So

everyone suffers. OK, well before I go for a lie down please could you let me know

the answer to today’s question, Rob?

Rob: Of course. Earlier I asked you about Randy Gardner, who holds the world record for

the longest period of time without sleep. I asked you if you knew how long he stayed

awake for?

Finn: And I said c) 11 days, 11 long days.

Rob: And you were right. He stayed awake for that incredible¹² 11 days back in 1965.

Randy was actually functioning quite well at the end of his research and he could still

beat the scientist at pinball. Well, it’s almost time to go but before we do, Finn could

you remind us of some of the words we've heard today.

Finn: Yes. We heard:

sleep deprivation

getting their heads down

lethargic

forty winks

to run on empty

hit the sack

mood swings

a siesta

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to turn in

tetchy

Rob: Well, that’s all we have time for today. Time for a doze¹³ Finn!

Both: I think so. Bye.

1 deprivation   

n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困

参考例句：

• Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous.多实验都证实了睡眠被剥夺是危险的。
• Missing the holiday was a great deprivation.错过假日是极大的损失。

2 ambitious   

adj.有雄心的，劲头十足的，有野心的

参考例句：

• One may be poor but never ceases to be ambitious.人穷志不穷。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

3 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

6 decline   

n.衰微，跌落，下降；vt.使降低，婉谢；vi.下降，衰落，偏斜

参考例句：

• I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
• The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。

7 lethargic   

adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的

参考例句：

• He felt too miserable and lethargic to get dressed.他心情低落无精打采，完全没有心思穿衣整装。
• The hot weather made me feel lethargic.炎热的天气使我昏昏欲睡。

8 alert   

adj.机警的，活泼的，机灵的；vt.使...警觉

参考例句：

• Drivers must be on the alert for traffic signals.驾驶员必须密切注意交通信号。
• The rabbIt'seems to be very alert all its life.兔子似乎一生都小心翼翼，十分警觉。

9 winks   

v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• I'll feel much better when I've had forty winks. 我打个盹就会感到好得多。
• The planes were little silver winks way out to the west. 飞机在西边老远的地方，看上去只是些很小的银色光点。 来自辞典例句

10 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

11 siesta   

n.午睡

参考例句：

• Lots of people were taking a short siesta in the shade.午后很多人在阴凉处小睡。
• He had acquired the knack of snatching his siesta in the most unfavourable circumstance.他学会了在最喧闹的场合下抓紧时间睡觉的诀窍。

12 incredible   

adj.难以置信的，不可信的，极好的，大量的

参考例句：

• Some planets run at incredible speed.某些星球以难以置信的速度运行着。
• Her answer showed the most incredible stupidity.她的回答显示出不可思议的愚蠢。

13 doze   

v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐

参考例句：

• He likes to have a doze after lunch.他喜欢午饭后打个盹。
• While the adults doze,the young play.大人们在打瞌睡，而孩子们在玩耍。