Mental Athletics脑力大竞赛

by Marcus Maurice

Could you memorize a deck of cards in order in less than 30 seconds?

你可以在 30 秒内记住一副扑克牌的顺序吗？

Before books were invented, memory was a big part of education and taught along with math and grammar. Now, modern technology has made remembering things _(1)_. We don't have to recall telephone numbers because they are _(2)_ in our phone. We don't need to _(3)_ important dates in history because we can just google the information anytime we need it. Some people, though, are bringing the art of remembering back when they _(4)_ in the World Memory Championships. This year, mental athletes will be testing the _(5)_ of brain power in London from December 14 to 16.

At the World Memory Championships, there are 10 different events ranging from remembering binary digits for 30 minutes and then reciting them _(6)_ trying to recollect the most random names and faces in 15 minutes. The crème de la crème of the World Memory Championships, though, is speed cards. This is where mental athletes race against the clock to memorize the order of 52 playing cards. The world record for this event is just under 22 seconds.

The World Memory Championships are open to anyone regardless of their age, sex, or _(7)_. Contestants claim there is no such thing as photographic memory. Instead, they are _(8)_ people that have learned how to use certain learning tricks to help them remember things. Tony Buzan, one of the _(9)_ of the World Memory Championships and author of more than 100 books about the mind, thinks that memory is a lost art. Buzan said that people should stop relying _(10)_ new technology like cell phones and laptops. Instead, they should be exercising the most important muscle they have in their bodies—the brain.

(A) stored(B) nationality(C) limits(D) outdated(E) memorize

(F) founders(G) on(H) ordinary(I) to(J) participate

Now, modern technology has made remembering things outdated.

理由:

a. 空格前有主词 modern technology（现代科技）、

不完全及物动词的现在完成式 has made（已经使

得）及受词 remembering things（记东西），可知空格应置形容词作受词补语。

b. make 亦可作使役动词用法，意为『让；叫』，但其受词必须为人，以形成下列固定用法∶

sb make + 人 + 原形动词 叫某人做……

Sam's mother made him take out the garbage.

山姆的妈妈叫他去倒垃圾。

c. 原句中受词 remembering things（记东西）为事物，故不适用上述使役动词用法。选项中为形容词的有 (A) stored（贮存的）、(D) outdated（过时的）及 (H) ordinary（普通的），惟根据语意，(D) 项应为正选。

d. outdated a. 过时的

The new government has done away with many outdated regulations.

新政府废除了许多过时的规定。

We don't have to recall telephone numbers because they are stored in our phone.

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 动词 are，可知空格应置形容词或分词。

b. 选项中符合上述的有 (A) stored（贮存）及 (H) ordinary（普通的），惟根据语意，(A) 项应为正选。

c. store vt. 贮存

The database is designed to store a large amount of information.

这个资料库是设计来储存大量资料的。

We don't need to memorize important dates in history because we can just google the information anytime we need it.

理由:

a. 空格前有 need to（需要……），空格後有名词词组 important dates in history（历史上的重要日期），可知空格应置原形及物动词。

b. 选项中为原形及物动词的仅有 (E) memorize（记住），置入後亦符合语意，故为正选。

c. memorize vt. 记住

How am I going to memorize all 50 state capitals in one night?

我要怎麽在一个晚上记住 50 个州的首都呢？

Some people, though, are bringing the art of remembering back when they participate in the World Memory Championships.

理由:

a. 空格前有主词 they（他们），且空格後有介词 in，可知空格应置不及物动词并形成下列固定片语∶

participate in...参加……

= take part in...

Are you going to participate in any after-school activities this year?

你今年会参加任何课外活动吗？

b. 根据上述用法，可知 (J) 项应为正选。

This year, mental athletes will be testing the limits of brain power in London from December 14 to 16.

理由:

a. 空格前有定冠词 the，空格後有介词片语 of brain power（脑力的），可知空格应置名词。

b. 选项中为名词的有 (B) nationality（国籍）、(C) limits（极限）及 (F) founders（创始人），惟根据语意，(C) 项应为正选。

c. limit n. 极限

Mark has reached the limit of his patience.

马克的忍耐已到达极限。

At the World Memory Championships, there are 10 different events ranging from remembering binary digits for 30 minutes and then reciting them to trying to recollect the most random names and faces in 15 minutes.

理由:

a. 本题测试以下固定用法∶

range from A to B范围从 A 到 B 都有

Tom's taste in music ranges from classical to heavy metal.

汤姆喜爱的音乐类型从古典乐到重金属都有。

b. 根据上述用法，可知 (I) 项应为正选。

The World Memory Championships are open to anyone regardless of their age, sex, or nationality.

理由:

a. 空格前有名词词组 their age, sex（他们的年龄、性别）及对等连接词 or（或），可知空格应置名词。

b. 选项中为名词的有 (B) nationality（国籍）及 (F) founders（创始人），惟根据语意，(B) 项应为正选。

c. nationality n. 国籍

One shouldn't discriminate against others because of their nationality.

一个人不应该因为国籍而歧视别人。

Instead, they are ordinary people that have learned how to use certain learning tricks to help them remember things.

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 动词 are，空格後有名词 people（人们），可知空格应置形容词。

b. 选项中的形容词仅剩 (H) ordinary（普通的），置入後亦符合语意，故为正选。

c. ordinary a. 普通的，平常的

Billy wants to experience more because he thinks his life is ordinary.

比利想要多些体验，因为他觉得他的生活很平凡。

Tony Buzan, one of the founders of the World Memory Championships and author of more than 100 books about the mind, thinks that memory is a lost art.

理由:

a. 空格前有定冠词 the，空格後有介词片语 of the World Memory Championships（世界记忆锦标赛的），可知空格应置名词。

b. 选项中的名词仅剩 (F) founders（创始人），置入後亦符合语意，故为正选。

c. founder n. 创始人，创立者

A statue of the country's founder was erected in the new park.

新公园里竖立了一座该国开国者的雕像。

Buzan said that people should stop relying on new technology like cell phones and laptops.

理由:

a. 本题测试以下固定用法∶

rely on...依赖　依靠……

Don't rely on Ted for everything. He won't always be there for you.

别事事都倚赖泰德。他不会永远都在你身边。

b. 根据上述用法，可知 (G) 项应为正选。

athletics n. 竞赛

deck n. 一副（牌）

a deck of cards一副牌

recall vt. 回想

google vt. 上网搜寻

championship n. 锦标赛

binary a. 二进位的

digit n. 数字

crème de la crème（法文）精华

contestant n. 参赛者

photographic a. 摄影的

bring back... / bring...back恢复……

The fashion industry has brought back bell-bottom jeans.

时尚圈又开始重新流行喇叭裤。

recite vt. 背诵；朗诵

David's parents forced him to recite the poem until he remembered it.

大卫的父母强迫他背那首诗，直到他记住为止。

recollect vt. 记住；想起

That man looks familiar, but I can't recollect where I met him before.

那男人看起来很面熟，但我想不起来曾在哪里见过他。

against the clock分秒必争

Everyone in that company is working against the clock.

那家公司每个人都在分秒必争地工作。

be open to...对……开放

Night clubs are only open to adults.

夜店只开放给成人。

regardless of...不论　不管……

Gary is going to buy that car regardless of the price.

不管售价多少，盖瑞都会买那辆车。

脑力大竞赛

你可以在 30 秒内记住一副扑克牌的顺序吗？

在书籍发明以前，记忆力是教育中很重要的一环，它和数学及文法一起被教导。时至今日，现代科技已经使得记东西变得过时。我们无需回想电话号码，因为这些号码就储存在我们的电话中。我们不必记住历史上的重要日期，因为我们有需要时随时都可以去上网搜寻相关资讯。然而，有些人却藉由参加世界记忆锦标赛而将这项技艺重新发扬光大。今年，12 月 14 到 16 日在伦敦举行的脑力竞赛将会考验人们的脑力极限。

世界记忆锦标赛共有 10 种不同的比赛项目，范围从在 30 分钟内记住二进位的数字然後背出来，到在 15 分钟内记住最多随机的名字和脸孔都有。然而，世界记忆锦标赛中的精华就是快速扑克牌。这是一种分秒必争，要记住 52 张扑克牌顺序的脑力竞赛。这项比赛的世界纪录不到 22 秒。

世界记忆锦标赛开放给任何人参加，不论年龄、性别及国籍。参赛者宣称根本没有过目不忘的记忆力这回事。相反地，他们都是普通人，只是学会了如何利用一些学习技巧来记东西。世界记忆锦标赛的创始人之一汤尼．布赞，同时也是 100 多本和智力有关书籍的作者，他认为记忆力是一种消失的艺术。布赞说人们应该停止依赖诸如手机和笔记型电脑等新科技。反之，他们应该要去活动身上最重要的肌肉，那就是大脑。

答案∶1. D2. A3. E4. J5. C6. I7. B8. H9. F10. G