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Magical Thinking 迷信的魔力

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Do you believe in magic? Before you answer, consider the following. ___1___ Or, have you ever entertained the notion that your unexpressed thoughts could impact the actions of others? If so, you are a believer in magical thinking.

你相信魔法吗？回答前，试想以下情况：你是否在观看电视里自己支持的球队时，觉得自己的意念多少对他们的输赢参了一脚？或者，你曾觉得自己未表达出来的想法会影响他人的行为？假如答案是肯定的，那么你就是相信念力的人。

When we’re kids, we believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. ___2___ However, at this age it is also common for kids to be introduced to the power of prayer. This gives them the feeling that their thoughts and wishes can affect their lives and those of others. This is how the belief in magical thinking can sometimes persist into adulthood.

小时候，我们相信有圣诞老公公及牙仙。但到了八岁左右，我们大部份人便能分辨幻想与现实的不同，也知道圣诞老公公和牙仙其实是自己父母扮的。不过，这个年龄的孩子也开始认识祈祷的力量，这令他们觉得心中的想法及愿望可以影响自身及他人的生活。而念力有时便因此延续至成年时期。

Adults’ belief in magical thinking has been proven in studies by psychologists from Harvard and Princeton Universities. ___3___ The spectators, unaware that the shooter could actually see through the blindfold, were astonished that he made most of the shots. They all reported feeling that their positive thoughts helped his success. It seemed that magic was in the air.

普林斯顿与哈佛大学的心理学家所做的研究曾证明成年人心中有念力的观念。在一项事先经过安排的试验中，一群人观看一位戴着眼罩的人投篮。这些观众并不知道这名射手其实可以透过眼罩看见东西，因而对他能投中大多数的球感到十分惊讶。这些观者也陈述认为自己的正向思考帮助射手投篮成功。空气中似乎弥漫着神奇的力量。

___4___ In these situations, an explanation is being sought for why something happened, and thus a connection between thoughts and outside events is made. Does this mean that people who believe in magical thinking are crazy? Not at all. ___5___

同样观点也适用于穿同一件衣服而连续获胜的运动员，或是在低潮时觉得无助的人。在这些情况下，为了替发生的事情寻找合理的解释，便会将心中想法与外在事件相连结。这是否意指相信念力的人疯了？那可不尽然。将意念与周遭发生的事物联想在一起是很自然的现象，而这在日常生活中或许也真能安抚人心呢！

−by Joe Henley

A: This same sort of thinking applies to athletes who wear the same clothes while on a winning streak and to those who feel helpless in times of distress.

B: Associating our thoughts with the things that go on around us is natural and may actually comfort people in their daily lives.

C: But by the time we’re eight, most of us can tell the difference between fantasy and reality and know that Santa and the Tooth Fairy are really just our parents.

D: Have you ever watched your favorite team on TV, and felt that your thoughts somehow played a role in their victory or defeat?

E: In a rigged test, people watched a blindfolded person shoot hoops.

Vocabulary

单词发音

entertain [͵ɛntɚˋten] v. 怀着，抱着；持有

notion [ˋnoʃən] n. 一时兴起的念头

persist [pɚˋsɪst] v. 持续

psychologist [saɪˋkɑlədʒɪst] n. 心理学家

spectator [spɛkˋtetɚ] n.（比赛等的）观众；旁观者

astonished [əˋstɑnɪʃt] adj. 感到惊讶的，吃惊的

in the air 在空中；向空中

winning streak 碰上连赢的运气

streak [strik] n.（短暂的）一阵子；一系列；一点点

distress [dɪˋstrɛs] n. 悲痛，苦恼

rigged [rɪgd] adj. 作弊的；以不正当手段操纵的

More Information

单词发音

unexpressed [͵ʌnɪkˋsprɛst] adj. 未表达的

shooter [ˋʃutɚ] n. 射手

blindfold [ˋblaɪnd͵fold] v. 蒙住……的眼睛；蒙住（眼睛）

hoop [hup] n.（篮球的）篮，篮圈

fantasy [ˋfæntəsɪ] n. 空想；幻想

defeat [dɪˋfit] n. 失败，战败

Answer