孩童撒谎不用愁，长大富得流油？

 　　For parents driven to distraction¹ by their children's little white lies, here is the good news.

　　父母们面对孩子小谎言的时侯都会抓狂，但现在震惊的好消息来了。

　　Far from being a sign of future problems, research has shown that children who fib from an early age are more likely to become high-flying leaders, executives and bankers.

　　研究者指出善意的谎言不会成为孩子未来的发展障碍，相反，幼儿早期的善意谎言会帮助他们长大后成为高层的领导者，经理或者金融人员。

　　The complex brain processes involved in formulating² a lie are indicators³ of a toddler's intelligence, it is claimed.

　　研究者还称形成谎言的大脑复杂运作过程是早期幼童智力开发的引擎。

　　So the next time your son or daughter denies having touched the chocolate biscuits despite the suspicious brown smears⁴ around their mouth, there is no need to worry, according to researchers.

　　因此下次当你的女儿或者儿子挂着满嘴饼干渣对你说他并没有偷吃饼干的时候，你大可不必担心。

　　A study of 1,200 children found that a fifth of two-year-olds are likely to tell lies, rising to 90 per cent from the age of four. This figure increases further until children reach their lying peak at 12.

　　一个对1200个孩童调查报告指出，2岁到4岁之间的说谎率从20%到90%。这个数据持续增长直到孩子长到12岁。

　　But no link was found between telling porkies and a tendency to cheat in exams or commit fraud in later life.

　　但是在他们之后的人生中的作弊或者诈骗犯罪行为和说小谎可是没有什么关系。

　　Dr Kang Lee, director of the Institute of Child Study at Toronto University, examined children aged⁵ two to 17. He said: 'Parents should not be alarmed if their child tells a fib.

　　多伦多大学幼儿研究中心的李康(音)博士观察了从2岁到17岁的孩子。他说，如果孩子只是说个小谎的话，大人是无需担心的。

　　'Their children are not going to turn out to be pathological liars⁶. Almost all children lie. It is a sign that they have reached a new developmental milestone⁷.

　　孩子不会转变成病理学意义上的“撒谎成性”，几乎所有孩子都说谎，但这也是孩子达到一个新层次发展的里程碑。

　　'Those who have better cognitive⁸ development lie better because they can cover up their tracks.

　　说谎说的好的孩子有着更好的认知发展，因为他们可以掩盖自己的缺点。

　　'They may make bankers in later life.' Lying shows that children have developed 'executive functioning' - a complex juggling⁹ act which involves manipulating several brain processes to keep the truth at the back of their mind, Dr Lee said.

李教授说，说谎时大脑正在复杂的运作，包括要把真相隐藏起来，这个过程表明孩子有着较好的管理才能，长大后可能会进入金融业。

　　Surprisingly, children's aptitude¹⁰ for fibbing was not influenced by strict parenting or a religious upbringing, the study showed.

　　奇怪的是，孩子说谎的资质不会受到严厉家长和宗教仪轨的影响。

1 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

2 formulating   

v.构想出( formulate的现在分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese government is formulating nationwide regulations on the control of such chemicals. 目前，中国政府正在制定全国性的易制毒化学品管理条例。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• Because of this, the U.S. has taken further steps in formulating the \"Magellan\" programme. 为此，美国又进一步制定了“麦哲伦”计划。 来自百科语句

3 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

4 smears   

污迹( smear的名词复数 )； 污斑； （显微镜的）涂片； 诽谤

参考例句：

• His evidence was a blend of smears, half truths and downright lies. 他的证词里掺杂着诽谤、部份的事实和彻头彻尾的谎言。
• Anything written with a soft pencil smears easily. 用软铅笔写成的东西容易污成一片。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 liars   

说谎者( liar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The greatest liars talk most of themselves. 最爱自吹自擂的人是最大的说谎者。
• Honest boys despise lies and liars. 诚实的孩子鄙视谎言和说谎者。

7 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

8 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

9 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

10 aptitude   

n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资

参考例句：

• That student has an aptitude for mathematics.那个学生有数学方面的天赋。
• As a child,he showed an aptitude for the piano.在孩提时代，他显露出对于钢琴的天赋。