读者文摘:幽默能让我们更聪明(2)

What gives the brain a workout? Information.

什么能锻炼大脑呢？信息。

When researchers asked people to look at a series of pictures while their brains were being scanned in an fMRI machine,

研究人员让人们看一系列的图片，同时用功能性磁共振成像机器扫描他们的大脑，

it was the more complex images—a work of art, a sprawling¹ vista², a group of animals—that tickled³ the neurons in their heads most.

结果是，更复杂的图片-艺术作品，广阔的景色，一群动物-最能刺激他们大脑中的神经元。

It's the activation⁴ of those neurons—nerve cells, which, among other things,

是那些神经元的活跃-神经细胞，除了其他功能以外，

send and receive sensory⁵ information—that "lights up" the fMRI scans in bright, almost psychedelic colors.

还负责发送和接收感官信息-点亮了功能性磁共振成像机器的扫描图像，几乎呈现的是迷幻的颜色。

In fact, there is an almost drug like effect taking place. The brain is filled with opioid receptors—yes, opioid, as in the drug.

实际上，大脑中几乎是出现了类药物反应。大脑充满了阿片样受体-是的，阿片样物质，就像毒品中的一样。

Made of specialized⁶ proteins, these receptors poke⁷ out of our neurons like tiny radio antennas⁸ designed to pick up passing signals.

这些受体由特殊的蛋白质构成，从我们的神经元中伸出来，就像设计用来接收传递信号的微型无线电天线。

When the right kind of molecule⁹ bumps into a receptor—perhaps one of the body's naturally occurring opioids, such as an endorphin,

当合适的分子撞击受体时，受体可能是人体自然产生的阿片类物质之一，如内啡肽，

or a synthetic¹⁰ drug designed to look like one, such as heroin¹¹ or morphine—

或者是一种合成药物，制造得看起来像毒品，如海洛因或吗啡

it can kick off a cascade¹² of brain activity that bathes the neurons in feel-good neurotransmitters and other chemicals.

它可以引发一系列的大脑活动，使神经元沉浸在感觉良好的神经递质和其他化学物质中。

The more neurons that are activated¹⁴ (and the more activated they are), the more pleasure we feel.

活跃的神经元越多（活跃的程度越高），我们就感觉越棒。

In essence, learning and problem solving get us high.

本质上来说，学习和解决问题会让我们很爽。

Amir and his mentor¹⁵, University of Southern California professor of neuroscience and psychology¹⁶ Irving Bieder-man,

阿米尔和他的导师南加州大学神经科学和心理学教授欧文·比德曼

suspected that humor might feed the brain in much the same way that complex in-formation does.

猜想幽默可能会像复杂的信息一样对大脑产生影响。

People who study humor generally agree that most jokes are built around an incongruity—an inappropriate, absurd, surprising,

研究幽默的人通常都认为，大多数笑话都是围绕着不协调——不恰当的、荒谬的、令人惊讶的东西，

or unusual combination of two fundamentally different ideas or elements.

或两种根本不同的思想或元素的不寻常的结合。

(To wit: a six-foot-two neuroscientist in a fluffy¹⁷ fur coat and scruffy¹⁸ construction boots.)

（比如：一个身高六英尺二英寸的神经学家，穿着蓬松的裘皮大衣和破旧的施工靴。)

When we first see or hear this mash-up, we're confused. That's the setup. The punch line is the resolution of that confusion.

当我们第一次看到或听到这种混搭，我们会很困惑。就是这种设置。最妙的是困惑的解决。

(Oh, this is his idea of business casual! Wocka-wocka.)So in that sense, appreciating humor is not unlike solving a puzzle, and it yields a similar kind of satisfaction.

（哦，这就是他的商务休闲装！哇卡哇卡)。所以从这个意义上说，欣赏幽默就像解决一个难题，它能带来类似的满足感。

Instead of an aha moment, you get a haha moment.

不是一个恍然大悟的时刻，你经历的会是一个哈哈一笑的时刻。

In fact, Bieder-man and Amir theorized that because humor requires the brain to process lots of distinct types of information

实际上，比德曼和阿米尔提出了幽默需要大脑处理大量不同类型的信息的理论，

(Isn't it too hot in Southern California to dress in so many layers? What is considered appropriate business attire¹⁹? Is it ever OK to wear fur?),

(在南加州穿这么多层衣服是不是太热了？什么是合适的商务服装？穿皮草合适吗？

funny revelations would activate¹³ different and more disparate parts of the brain than unfunny ones.

有趣的发现要比无趣的发现更能激活大脑中不同的部分。

This would excite the neurons even more, which would lead to the release of more neurotransmitters and activation of the reward centers of the brain.

这会加大对神经元的刺激，而这又会导致更多神经递质的释放和大脑奖赏中心的活跃。

1 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇

2 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

3 tickled   

（使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐

参考例句：

• We were tickled pink to see our friends on television. 在电视中看到我们的一些朋友，我们高兴极了。
• I tickled the baby's feet and made her laugh. 我胳肢孩子的脚，使她发笑。

4 activation   

n. 激活，催化作用

参考例句：

• A computer controls the activation of an air bag.电脑控制着气囊的启动。

5 sensory   

adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的

参考例句：

• Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
• The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。

6 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

7 poke   

n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
• Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

8 antennas   

[生] 触角，触须（antenna的复数形式）

参考例句：

• Marconi tied several antennas to kites. 马可尼在风筝上系了几根天线。 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Radio astronomy today is armed with the largest antennas in the world. 射电天文学拥有世界上最大的天线。

9 molecule   

n.分子，克分子

参考例句：

• A molecule of water is made up of two atoms of hygrogen and one atom of oxygen.一个水分子是由P妈̬f婘̬ 妈̬成的。
• This gives us the structural formula of the molecule.这种方式给出了分子的结构式。

10 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

11 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

12 cascade   

n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下

参考例句：

• She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
• Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。

13 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

14 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

15 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

16 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

17 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

18 scruffy   

adj.肮脏的，不洁的

参考例句：

• Despite her scruffy clothes,there was an air of sophistication about her.尽管她衣衫褴褛，但神态老练世故。
• His scruffy appearance does not reflect his character.他邋遢的外表并不反映他的性格。

19 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。