电子游戏能让你变聪明吗？：英语精读讲义

Video games provide a fun escape from reality. 短語搭配

电子游戏让人能以有趣的方式暂时逃离现实。

Though they're often portrayed as violent, 短語搭配

尽管有些人常把它们说成充满暴力、

lazy, and a waste of time by some, 短語搭配

让人懒散，而且纯属浪费时间，

the debate has raged on for years. 短語動詞

这场争论多年来一直没有停歇。

So, are there any positive effects?

那么，它们有没有什么积极影响呢？

Can video games actually make you smarter?

电子游戏真的能让你变得更聪明吗？

Before we get ahead of ourselves, 習語

在我们急着下结论之前，

it's important to note that too much of anything is bad,

必须指出，任何东西过量都不好，

even broccoli.

连西兰花也不例外。

Seriously,

说真的，

extremely high doses of broccoli can actually be toxic.

剂量极高的西兰花其实可能有毒。

Heck,

更夸张的是，

even water toxicity exists.

甚至连水中毒都存在。

So, if you binge and do nothing but play video games, 語法

所以，如果你沉迷其中，除了玩电子游戏什么都不做，

the risks probably outweigh any benefits. 短語搭配

风险很可能会超过任何益处。

In fact,

事实上，

we have an entire video devoted to what would happen if you stopped going outside 短語搭配

我们专门做过一期视频，讲如果你不再出门会发生什么

and the negative effects of sitting,

以及久坐的负面影响，

link in the description.

链接在简介里。

Having said that, 表達脈絡

话虽如此，

many studies have actually shown increases in cognitive function after playing video games. 用詞

很多研究确实显示，玩电子游戏后，认知功能会有所提升。

One study in particular had participants play Super Mario 64

其中一项研究让参与者玩《超级马力欧64》，

for 30 minutes a day over 2 months. 語法

连续两个月，每天玩30分钟。

Afterwards,

之后，

the brains of these participants saw an increase of gray matter 用詞

这些参与者大脑中的灰质有所增加，

in areas associated with memory, strategic planning, 短語搭配

增长出现在与记忆、策略规划

and fine motor skills of the hands 用詞

以及手部精细动作技能相关的区域，

compared to those who had not played. 語法

而未玩游戏的人则没有这种变化。

These are particularly encouraging results for mental disorders

这些结果对精神障碍的治疗尤其令人鼓舞，

which cause these brain regions to shrink

因为这类疾病会导致这些脑区萎缩，

using video games as a therapy.

这意味着电子游戏可被用作治疗手段。

Surprisingly,

令人意外的是，

action games can also increase attention to detail in individuals. 短語搭配

动作游戏还能提高人们对细节的注意力。

Take a look at the following words on screen 短語搭配

看看屏幕上接下来出现的这些词，

and yell out what color the word is as fast as you can. 講解

然后尽快大声喊出这个词的颜色。

So,

那么，

green,

绿色，

blue,

蓝色，

orange.

橙色。

Okay,

好，

now try a bit faster without me.

现在不要跟着我，试着再快一点。

As we continue,

随着测试继续，

it becomes more difficult

难度会越来越大，

because there's a conflict between the word itself and its color.

因为词本身的意思和它的颜色发生了冲突。

Chances are if you play more than 5 to 10 hours of action games a week, 語氣意圖

如果你每周玩动作游戏超过5到10小时，

you're able to solve these problems much more quickly.

你很可能能更快地解决这些问题。

This is because your brain is actually more efficient in the regions associated with attention.

这是因为你大脑中与注意力有关的区域运作效率更高。

Of course,

当然，

video games can also be incredibly educational.

电子游戏也可以极具教育意义。

And while you may not be playing some of your favorite games for this purpose,

尽管你玩某些最喜欢的游戏时，目的可能并不在此，

there are certainly many games that are used as effective teaching tools

但确实有许多游戏被用作有效的教学工具，

for both young and old. 短語搭配

老少皆宜。

They may even help kids who suffer from dyslexia 短語搭配

它们甚至可能帮助患有阅读障碍的孩子

read more effectively.

更有效地阅读。

In a small study,

在一项小型研究中，

dyslexic children who played regular video games

经常玩电子游戏的阅读障碍儿童

ended up reading faster and more accurately, 短語動詞

最终读得更快、更准确，

once again relating to improved attention skills.

这同样与注意力技能的提升有关。

Meanwhile,

与此同时，

other studies have found improvements in eyesight.

其他研究还发现，视力也有所改善。

Not only can they see smaller details more clearly like tiny writing, 語法

他们不仅能更清楚地看到细小的细节，比如很小的文字，

but they have an easier time differentiating levels of gray. 語法

而且更容易分辨不同深浅的灰色。

Very practiced action gamers were 58% better at perceiving fine differences in contrast,

经验丰富的动作游戏玩家辨别细微对比度差异的能力要高出58%，

which is important as this is one of the first things to diminish with age. 短語搭配

这一点很重要，因为这种能力是最早随年龄增长而衰退的能力之一。

Even in the elderly, 用詞

即使是老年人，

improved memory and focus is seen.

记忆力和专注力也能得到改善。

More importantly,

更重要的是，

specially designed brain-teasing video games

专门设计的益智电子游戏

have been shown to slow the aging process of the brain 語法

已被证实能够延缓大脑的衰老过程，

by up to 7 years. 短語搭配

最多可延缓7年。

This is because they are cognitively complex

这是因为这类游戏在认知上很复杂，

and require mental energy.

需要投入脑力。

Think you're able to keep track of what's in front of your eyes? 短語搭配

你觉得自己能追踪眼前的东西吗？

Keep an eye on the blue circle here. 習語

盯住这里的蓝色圆圈。

Eventually,

最终，

it will turn yellow like all the others.

它会像其他所有圆圈一样变成黄色。

I will then point to a circle and you tell me if it was originally blue.

然后我会指向一个圆圈，你要告诉我它原来是不是蓝色。

If you knew this ball wasn't blue,

如果你知道这个球原来不是蓝色，

then you're a functioning human being. 語氣意圖

那你就是个功能正常的人类。

But let's make it harder.

不过，我们来增加点难度。

Staring at the middle of the screen can help to keep track of the blue circles.

盯着屏幕中央，有助于追踪这些蓝色圆圈。

Was this circle originally blue?

这个圆圈原来是蓝色吗？

If you said no, 語法

如果你回答不是，

you'd be right.

那就答对了。

One more time,

再来一次，

but with five blue circles.

但这次有五个蓝色圆圈。

Was this one originally blue?

这个原来是蓝色吗？

Yep,

没错，

it was.

是蓝色。

It turns out the average person can track about three to four objects 表達脈絡

事实证明，普通人大约能同时追踪三到四个物体，

while practiced action gamers can track around six to seven.

而经验丰富的动作游戏玩家则能追踪大约六到七个。

Finally,

最后，

as technology continues to transform medicine,

随着科技不断改变医学，

surgeries are being completed with the insertion of cameras and remote controlled tools.

外科手术正通过置入摄像头和使用遥控工具来完成。

And these surgeries have very clear parallels to video games 短語搭配

这类手术与电子游戏有非常明显的相似之处，

with a screen and a controlling device.

都要使用屏幕和操控设备。

Not surprisingly,

不出所料，

young doctors with previous exposure to video games 短語搭配

以前玩过电子游戏的年轻医生

show fewer errors and faster completion than those without. 語法

比没玩过的医生出错更少、完成得更快。

Of course,

当然，

all of these skills are only useful if you use them,

所有这些技能都只有用起来才有价值，

which you can't if all you do is play video games. 語法

而如果你只顾着玩电子游戏，就根本用不上它们。

So, enjoy your downtime and relax with your games in moderation, 短語搭配

所以，适度玩游戏，享受空闲时间，好好放松，

but get out there and keep your life diverse as well, 短語搭配

但也要走出去，让生活保持丰富多彩，

because that's how you'll win at the game of life. 習語

因为这样你才能赢得人生这场游戏。

Got a burning question you want answered? 習語

有什么迫切想知道答案的问题吗？

Ask it in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter.

在评论区提问，或到Facebook和Twitter上告诉我们。

And if you want the inside scoop on upcoming episode ideas and behind the scenes, 習語

如果你想提前了解接下来可能做的选题和幕后花絮，

check out our personal Instagram and Twitter handles. 用詞

就去看看我们个人的Instagram和Twitter账号。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

记得订阅，每周观看更多科学视频。