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The Person in the Mirror 探索自我

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课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Imagine that any time you saw a person touch another person, you could feel it too. We all know what it’s like to be poked in the ribs, but if someone else was, would you want to feel it? For some people, simply witnessing the act makes them react in the same way as if they actually were being touched. But why does this happen? Scientists are beginning to shed some light on this phenomenon. Behind it all is holy grail of neuroscience and psychology: the idea of the “self.”

假设每次当你看到有人碰触另一人时，你也可以感觉到那种触觉。我们都知道背脊被戳刺的感觉，可是如果是别人被戳刺，你也想要感同身受吗？对有些人来说，光用眼睛看到动作，就会「身」有同感而跟着有所反应。为什么会有这种事情发生呢？科学家们开始摸清了这种现象。这背后就是有关神经科学和心理学最想一窥究竟的「自我意识」。

When we look down at our bodies or think about our thoughts and emotions, we know they are our bodies or our feelings. While we take this for granted, this is actually quite an amazing feat.

当我们看着自己的身体或是检视自己的思绪心情，我们知道那就是我们的身体及想法。即使这看来极为理所当然，其实却是非常了不起的成就！

What is it that gives us the knowledge that we are who we are? There are two areas of the brain, the medial prefrontal cortex (MPC) and the anterior insula, which appear to play a large role in this. The latter seems to help us distinguish between who we are and other people. When the anterior insula is overactive, individuals are unable to tell the difference. Without this sense of “self,” their world becomes one of unimaginable madness.

到底是什么让我们知道我们究竟是什么人物呢？在大脑中有「内侧前额皮质区」和「前脑岛」专门负责此项任务的两大区块。后者似乎就是帮我们辨别他人与自我差别的所在。如果前脑岛过于活跃，我们就无法辨视人我之间的差异。少了这层「自我」的概念，世界将会变成我们所无法想象的疯狂混乱。

Unlike other parts of the brain that become active when we think, the MPC actually comes online when we’re resting. One reason might be that downtime is a period during which we daydream, self-reflect, and star in our own home-made mental movies.

内侧前额皮质区并不会像大脑中其他部分一般，于思考时变得活跃。它只在我们休息时上线运作。可能的原因之一是，脑筋休息时，我们才能做白日梦、自我反省和在大脑中进行自编、自导、自演的戏码。

Vocabulary

单词发音

poke [pok] v. 戳，捅

rib [rɪb] n. 肋，肋骨

shed light on 阐明，解释清楚 make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear

feat [fit] n. 功绩﹐壮举

distinguish [dɪˋstɪŋgwɪʃ] v. 区别；识别

come online 启动 to enter service or become active

downtime [ˋdaʊn͵taɪm] n.〔计算机的〕停机时间; 休息时间

More Information

单词发音

poke in the ribs 碰某人的肋骨以促使其注意 to push your finger quickly into someone's chest, usually to make them notice something or to stop them from doing or saying something

witness [ˋwɪtnɪs] v. 目击

react [rɪˋækt] v. 反应

holy grail（传说耶稣在最后晚餐中用的）圣杯，圣盘; 无法实现的梦想  Informal  any desired ambition or goal

psychology [saɪˋkɑlədʒɪ] n. 心理学

take something for granted 认为…是理所当然的  to accept something as true without questioning or testing it

medial [ˋmidɪəl] adj. 中间的

prefrontal cortex  前额叶皮质（大脑处理痛觉经验的情绪和认知区域）

anterior insula  前脑岛

insula [ˋɪnsulɑ] , [ˋɪnsələ,-sju-] n. 岛状结构; 脑岛

play a role 扮演...角色

unimaginable [͵ʌnɪˋmædʒɪnəb!] adj. 难以想象的

reflect [rɪˋflɛkt] v. 反省

star [stɑr] v. 当明星，主演

课文讲解

In order to study the “self,” two groups of individuals were hooked to equipment that measured brain activity. One group consisted of soccer players, while the other was made up of actors. As the two unlikely teams faced off, powerful computers hummed and produced some enlightening results.

为了要研究「自我概念」，有两组人绑了仪器来测量脑中的变化。有一组是足球员，另一组则是演员。这两组似乎不搭嘎的人员测试中面部表情有所变化时，运算功能强大的计算机发出声响，产生出一些具有启发性的结果。

The two groups were given two lists of words. One list was relevant to soccer players, using terms that described strength and athleticism. The other list related to actors, with terms about performance and drama. Soccer-related words stimulated the MPC in the soccer players, while acting-related words stimulated the same part of the brain for the actors. Simply put, words that participants didn’t associate with themselves failed to activate the MPC. They did not see these words as having to do with their “selves.”

这两组分别给了一些字句。有一组字是关于足球界中有关力道与热中运动的用语。另一组则是跟演员相关的表演与戏剧术语。跟足球相关的字眼刺激了足球员中的内侧前额皮质区。跟表演相关的字则刺激了演员脑中相同的部位。简而言之，听到与自身无关的字眼时，不会刺激内侧前额皮质区。他们认为那些字句与「本身」无关。

In another ongoing study following children, researchers hope to see how identity builds up inside the brain. When asked about themselves, children fail to activate the region of the brain that, in adult, goes online. Ask them about Harry Potter, however, and that region comes to life. In childhood, the emotional connection to certain things, like Harry Potter, seems to be stronger than the sense of self. This doesn’t mean that children think they’re Harry Potter, though. Rather, it simply demonstrates that while the mechanism for recognizing the self is in place, it isn’t fully developed yet.

目前有另一个正在进行的研究，是调查人员追踪小孩的状况来了解脑中如何形成「自我概念」。当小孩们被问到他们是谁时，原先于大人脑中会进行在线运作的区块并没有被启动。然而，如果问小孩们有关哈利波特时，那个部位就活跃起来。在孩提时代，对某类事物所投入的感情可能比自我意识的形成概念要强大许多。然而，这并非意味着小孩认定他们自己是哈利波特。相反的，这显示出小孩虽已有建构「自我」的概念，但却还未完全发展成熟。

Scientists are beginning to understand what gives us our sense of who we are. As they map the billions of channels that kick into action whenever we gaze into a mirror, they are discovering just what it is that makes each of us who we are.

科学家已经开始了解是什么让人有了自我意识。当他们在比对出人们揽镜自照时所启动的几十亿种管道时，已经逐渐发现了形成自我意识的因素。

−by J. Michael Cole

Vocabulary

单词发音

enlightening [ɪnˋlaɪtnɪŋ] adj. 有启发作用的

relevant [ˋrɛləvənt] adj. 有关的

mechanism [ˋmɛkə͵nɪzəm] n. 机制

More Information

单词发音

hook [hʊk] v. 把…固定住

consist of 由某事物组成或构成

unlikely [ʌnˋlaɪklɪ]adj. 不太可能的 strange, different

face off  对峙 to prepare for a confrontation

hum [hʌm] v. 发哼哼声; 忙碌，活跃

athleticism [æθˋlɛtəsɪzəm] n. 体育活动

simply put 简而言之

participant [pɑrˋtɪsəpənt] n. 参与者

associate [əˋsoʃɪɪt] v. 联想，把……联想在一起[+with]

activate [ˋæktə͵vet] v. 活化

ongoing [ˋɑn͵goɪŋ] adj. 不间断的; 继续进行的

identity [aɪˋdɛntətɪ] n. 身分

build up 逐渐形成,逐步建立

come to life  变活泼; 苏醒过来 to become vigorous or lively

demonstrate [ˋdɛmən͵stret] v. 显示

in place 准备就绪 ready for use

map [mæp] v. 绘制……的地图; 制定

kick into【非正式】开始产生效果; 开始运作  enter a particular state

Reading Questions

1.  What happens when the anterior insula is overactive?

A.  People are unable to tell the difference between themselves and others.

B.  It makes people feel as if they are always being poked in the ribs.

C.  It causes people to constantly daydream and self-reflect.

D.  It ensures that people know their thoughts and feelings are their own.

2.  What happens in the MPC when people hear words they associate with their “selves”?

A.  It becomes activated because it is what helps us determine our sense of self.

B.  It remains inactive because it has little to do with the concept of self.

C.  It gives instructions to the anterior insula, which then becomes active.

D.  It remains inactive because it only comes online when people are resting.

3.  Which of the following statements about a child’s sense of self is true?

A.  The emotional connection to fictional characters may be stronger than the sense of self.

B.  The sense of self is fully developed before the child becomes a teenager.

C.  When children are asked about themselves, the same part of the brain that goes online in adults becomes active in children.

D.  Many children actually believe they are Harry Potter.

4.  Which of the following statements can be inferred from the article?

A.  While the concept of self may seem simple, it is actually amazing.

B.  Having a sense of self is not really that important.

C.  Without a sense of self, we would be more likely to be successful.

D.  Living without a sense of self would be much more enjoyable.

Answer