【英语时差8,16】读心术（上）

Sometimes we get letters here at Moment of Science asking whether psychics² are for real. Well, despite the t.v. shows, there isn’t any scientific evidence that psychic¹ powers, such as mind-reading, actually exist. That doesn’t prove they don’t exist–just that, so far, there’s no reason to think they do.

Still, the famous scientist and popular writer Isaac Asimov made an interesting observation about mind-reading once. Many people across the centuries have claimed they could read other people’s minds. If this is true, Asimov points out, then mind-reading would be a fact of nature. It would be one of things that the human brain can do, just like dreaming or maintaining³ your body temperature. That would mean that mind-reading would have to be the result of evolution.

1 psychic   

n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的

参考例句：

• Some people are said to have psychic powers.据说有些人有通灵的能力。
• She claims to be psychic and to be able to foretell the future.她自称有特异功能，能预知未来。

2 psychics   

心理学，心灵学； （自称）通灵的或有特异功能的人，巫师( psychic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One week later, I got cops and psychics on my front door. 一礼拜后，警察跟通灵人站到了我家大门口。
• Even now Directorate Psychics and powerful drugs are keeping the creature pacified. 即使是现在，联邦部队的精神力和威力强大的药剂还在让这个生物活在沉睡之中。

3 maintaining   

保持( maintain的现在分词 )； 保养； 坚持； 保卫

参考例句：

• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. 维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。
• It's endless work maintaining the house in good repair. 要让房屋保持得很好是件干不完的活。