TED演讲:老年人更快乐(2)

How did this happen? Well, we're no genetically¹ hardier² than our ancestors were 10,000 years ago.

这是怎么发生的？我们并不是在基因上比一万年前的祖先强壮。

This increase in life expectancy³ is the remarkable⁴ product of culture

平均寿命的增加全要归功于文化，

the crucible⁵ that holds science and technology and wide-scale changes in behavior that improve health and well-being⁶.

一个包含了科学和技术以及广泛的（社会）行为改变的熔炉，导致人们的健康和福利的增进。

Through cultural changes, our ancestors largely eliminated early death so that people can now live out their full lives.

通过文化的改变，我们的祖先大幅度地消除了早亡，所以现在的人可以走完完整的一生。

Now there are problems associated with aging -- diseases, poverty, loss of social status.

老龄化催生了很多问题，疾病、贫困、社会地位的丧失。

It's hardly time to rest on our laurels⁷.

这可不是坐享荣誉的时候。

But the more we learn about aging, the clearer it becomes that a sweeping⁸ downward course is grossly inaccurate⁹.

不过当我们研究的越多，老龄化就变得越清晰，把它说成是一条单纯的下坡路是非常不准确的。

Aging brings some rather remarkable improvements -- increased knowledge, expertise¹⁰ and emotional aspects of life improve.

衰老也带来一些非同凡响的进步，知识的增加，专业的精深，人生的情绪层面也有所提升。

That's right, older people are happy.

这句话很对，老年人是快乐的。

They're happier than middle-aged¹¹ people, and younger people, certainly.

他们比中年人更快乐，更理所当然地比年轻人更快乐。

Study after study is coming to the same conclusion.

一个又一个的研究证实了相同的结论。

The CDC recently conducted a survey where they asked respondents simply to tell them

疾病防治中心（CDC）最近进行了一次调查，他们简单地要求受试者来报告，

whether they experienced significant psychological distress¹² in the previous week.

在过去的一周里自己是否经历了重大的心理困扰。

And fewer older people answered affirmatively to that question than middle-aged people, and younger people as well.

老年人承认有这类问题的比中年人少，也比年轻人少。

And a recent Gallup poll asked participants how much stress and worry and anger they had experienced the previous day.

一项近期的盖洛普调查询问参与者有多少压力、焦虑和愤怒情绪他们在前一天体验过。

And stress, worry, anger all decrease with age.

压力、焦虑、愤怒都随着年龄增长而减少。

1 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

2 hardier   

能吃苦耐劳的，坚强的( hardy的比较级 )； （植物等）耐寒的

参考例句：

• Theoretically, experiments with genes that confer resistance to disease or herbicides could create hardier weeds. 从理论上说，用含有抗病或抗除草剂的基因进行试验，可能产生更难于对付的杂草。
• Similar fruit to Black Mission, but hardier and a smaller size tree than Mission. 类似加洲黑，但比加洲黑强壮，果比加洲黑更小的尺寸。

3 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

4 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

5 crucible   

n.坩锅，严酷的考验

参考例句：

• The alliance had been forged in the crucible of war.这个联盟经受了战争的严峻考验。
• Put the required amount of metal into the crucible.把适量的金属放入坩埚。

6 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

7 laurels   

n.桂冠，荣誉

参考例句：

• The path was lined with laurels.小路两旁都种有月桂树。
• He reaped the laurels in the finals.他在决赛中荣膺冠军。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

10 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

11 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

12 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。