【英语时差8，16】您的孩子健忘吗

 You've told your kids to put away their toys, put on their pajamas¹, and brush their teeth, but when you check on them later, they still haven't done all of these things. When you ask them why, they tell you they forgot. In fact, they use this excuse so often that you begin to wonder: Are they really so forgetful? And if so, why?   Whenever you're given a list of things, that list is stored in what scientists call working memory. This is a temporary storage bin² in your brain that keeps in mind the stuff you need to get something done. For example, your working memory remembers unfamiliar³ phone numbers for as long as it takes you to dial the phone. Like the contents of a computer cache, the contents of your working memory are eventually flushed out, freeing your working memory for more pressing needs, or else they're stored in your long-term memory so you can use them again later.

While scientists have discovered that a kid's working memory holds on average one less item than an adult's, the jury is still out on why this is the case. Is there a difference between the capacity of the adult brain and the child's brain? Or do adults have better-developed strategies for remembering?

Regardless of the correct answer, this suggests that your kids are probably not just making excuses when they tell you they forgot. To make things easier on them, try breaking lists down into small chunks⁴. But if that doesn't help, don't worry. They'll grow up eventually. And then, although they still won't do what they're told, it won't be because they don't remember.   

1 pajamas   

n.睡衣裤

参考例句：

• At bedtime,I take off my clothes and put on my pajamas.睡觉时，我脱去衣服，换上睡衣。
• He was wearing striped pajamas.他穿着带条纹的睡衣裤。

2 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

3 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

4 chunks   

厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分

参考例句：

• a tin of pineapple chunks 一罐菠萝块
• Those chunks of meat are rather large—could you chop them up a bIt'smaller? 这些肉块相当大，还能再切小一点吗？