英语美文：我的脑筋比你好

 　My Brain Is Better Than Yours

　　我的脑筋比你好

　　1. It's an 1)age-old 2)dispute: Men are from Mars. Women are from Venus. 3)Males and 4)females show different behaviors almost from birth. Researchers say these behaviors 5)are due to basic differences in brain structure and activity. Studies show men are better at hitting 6)targets and 7)solving math problems while women are better at 8)memorizing words and 9)recognizing faces. Why the difference?.

　　这是一个自古就存在的争论：男人来自火星，女人来自金星。男人和女人几乎自出生起就有不同的行为。研究人员表示，这些行为是由大脑结构和大脑活动的基本差异所引起的。研究显示男人较擅于射中标靶和解决数学问题，而女人则比较擅长记忆文字和辨识脸孔。为什么会有这种差异呢？

　　1) nerve (n.) 神经2) cell (n.) 细胞1.1) age-old (a.) 古老的 2) dispute (v.) 争论 3) male (n.) 男性 4) female (n.) 女性 5) be due to (v.) 由于，因为 6) target (n.) 靶子 7) solve (v.) 解决 8) memorize (v.) 记住 9) recognize (v.) 识别

　　2. A test of the brain's electrical activity (EEG) shows that women commonly use both sides of their brain while men rely more on one. Scientists already know that the two sides of the brain control different functions-one controlling the sense of space, for example, the other controlling language. Some researchers believe that the different ways men and women use their brains 1)evolved from ancient times, when cave men hunted and women cared for the children. Men had to have good aim. Women had to talk to the kids.

　　检验大脑的电流活动（脑波图）显示，女人通常是左右脑并用，而男人则比较常使用一边的大脑。科学家已经知道左右两边的大脑掌管不同的功能--例如一边掌管空间感，另一边掌管语言。有些研究人员相信，男女使用大脑方式的差异从远古时代演化而来，当时穴居的男人负责狩猎，女人则负责照顾小孩。所以男人必须擅长瞄准，女人则必须和小孩说话。

　　2.1) evolve (v.) 演化，逐步形成

　　3. Whatever the explanation, the 1)battle of the sexes continues. And although their brains are 2)constructed slightly differently, men and women may be equally 3)capable. They may simply 4)rely on different abilities. 5)Take a couple 6)arguing over the 7)location of their car in a parking lot. The man might use his sense of space to find it, while the woman relies on her recognition of 8)landmarks. They both find the car. But 9)chances are, they'll still argue about who's the better driver and who's better at finding the way home.

　　无论是何种解释，两性之间的战争仍在进行中。而且虽然他们的大脑构造稍有不同，但男人和女人的能力可能是一样强的。他们只是仰赖不同的能力而已。例如，一对男女在为他们的车子停在停车场的哪个位置而争吵，这位男士可能会运用他的空间感来找车子，女士则可能会依靠辨认地标。两人都能找到车子。但很有可能，他们还是会争论谁的驾驶技术比较好、谁比较善于找到回家的路。

　　3.1) battle (n.) 战斗 2) construct (v.) 建造 3) capable (a.) 有能力的 4) rely on (v.) 依赖 5) take ... 拿……为例 6) argue (v.) 争论 7) location (n.) 地点，位置 8) landmark¹ (n.) 地标 9) chances are ... 很有可能……

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。