常春藤解析英语 19 Quieting the Mind身心平静
by Marcus Maurice
Meditation is an exercise in quieting the mind. Meditation can help restore mental balance leading to a feeling of happiness and contentment.
Think of the brain as a faucet where the water is constantly flowing. The flowing "water" is our thoughts about such things as the never-ending list of tasks that we have to do, should do, didn't do, and might do. Stopping the flow of these thoughts and slowing down the mind is the goal of meditation. By turning off the faucet, a person who practices meditation can attain clearer thinking, improved health, and a greater understanding of their own goals.
When one first sits down to meditate, it may seem as though one's mind is racing at 100 miles a minute. One thinks of the report that needs to be turned in, the dishes that haven't been done, and the countless other problems in life that unconsciously stream in. This is because when meditating, one finally realizes how active the mind actually is. The focus must then be taken away from these thoughts and centered instead on breathing in deeply through the nostrils and out through the mouth. Although it seems simple to "just breathe," in reality, it is easier said than done. Blocking out external thoughts takes a great deal of effort. By sitting in an upright position with legs folded and thumbs just barely touching the index fingers, meditation can bring relaxation and inner peace. All thoughts of the things that should, could, and would be fade away as the mind is quieted.
1. What can be achieved via meditation?
(A) Thoughts can be sped up.
(B) A person can easily fall asleep.
(C) The body can move faster.
(D) Peace and calm can be achieved.
2. Why might people find meditation difficult?
(A) Opening up your heart isn't easy.
(B) Thoughts are constantly coming in.
(C) There are too many people looking at you.
(D) It's a time to unwind and relax.
3. Just breathing may seem like an easy task, but _____.
(A) it is harder to achieve than one might think
(B) only a small percentage of the population can do it
(C) it takes up to 10 minutes to accomplish
(D) one must fold their legs and touch their thumbs to do it properly
精解字词词组
1.restore vt. 恢复;修复
例： My father used to restore antique furniture in his spare time.
(我父亲以前会利用空闲时间修复古董家具。)
2.slow down (...)/slow (...) down 减慢(……)速度
speed up (...) 加快(……)速度
例： Ever since his heart attack, my father has had to slow his life down.
(自从爸爸心脏病发作后，他就必须将生活步调放慢。)
例： Our factory will speed up production to meet consumer demands.
(我们工厂将加速生产以满足消费者的需求。)
3.race vi. 加快
例： When Mike saw Laura at the party, his heartbeat raced wildly with love.
(麦克在派对上看见劳拉时，他的心里因爱意而小鹿乱撞。)
4.turn in... 呈交∕缴交……
= hand in...
例： I have to turn in a report on that novel by Friday.
(我必须在周五前缴交那本小说的报告。)
5.stream in 涌入
例： As freelance work streamed in, Ms. Jiu decided to start her own business.
(因外稿的工作接踵而来，所以朱小姐决定自己创业。)
6.be centered on... 集中于……
center on... 以……为中心
例： Angela doesn't have much free time because her life centers on her work.
(安杰拉的生活以工作为主，所以没有太多空闲时间。)
7.breathe in/out 吸气∕呼气
例： Am I supposed to breathe in through my nose or my mouth?
(我应该从鼻子还是用嘴巴吸气?)
8.block out... 阻挡……
例： The little girl tried to block out the bad memories of the accident.
(那名小女孩试图断绝那次意外的不愉快回忆。)
9.take effort 努力，竭力
例： It takes effort to become successful in the fashion industry.
(要在时尚界成功需要费尽心力。)
10.fold vt. 折迭
例： Alice folds her blankets as soon as she gets out of bed.
(艾莉丝一起床就会将毯子折好。)
11.fade away 渐渐消逝
例： The boy's memories of his late father are slowly fading away.
(那男孩对已故父亲的记忆渐渐消逝。)
12.unwind vi. 放松
例： Ed took a short vacation to Hawaii to unwind from his stressful job.
(艾德从工作压力中解放，到夏威夷度了一个短暂的假期。)
单字小铺
1. quiet vt. 使平静
2. meditation n. 冥想
3. contentment n. 满足
4. faucet n. 水龙头
5. never-ending a. 永无止尽的
6. meditate vi. 冥想，打坐
7. countless a. 无数的
8. unconsciously adv. 无意识地
9. nostril n. 鼻孔
10. external a. 外部的
11. upright a. 笔直的
12. barely adv. 几乎不
13. index finger n. 食指
14. relaxation n. 放松
15. via prep. 透过，经由
16. properly adv. 适当地
词组小铺
1. turn off/on... 关闭∕打开(水、电器开关等)
2. in reality 事实上
3. a great deal of + 不可数名词 很多……
4. fall asleep 入睡
5. open up... 打开……
6. a small/large percentage of... 一小部分∕很大部分的……
中文翻译&标准答案
冥想是让心灵平静的一种活动。冥想有助于恢复一个人的精神平衡，进而达到幸福与满足。
把大脑想成一个水流不断的水龙头。这些流动的『水』就是我们的思维，永无休止地想着我们必须达成、应该达成、尚未完成和可能完成的事项清单。冥想的目的在于停止这些想法流窜，放慢心灵的步调。藉由关闭这个水龙头，冥想者可以获得更清晰的思绪、更健康的身体，也更了解自己的目标。
当一个人刚坐下来冥想时，他们的心灵就像是每分钟跑一百英里一样。他们看到自己要交的报告、要洗的碗盘，生活中其它数不清的问题也无意识地涌入。这是因为在冥想时，他们终于了解自己的心灵有多活跃。注意力必须脱离这些想法，而专注于从鼻孔深深吸气，从嘴巴吐气。『单纯呼吸』看似简单，事实上，说的却比做的容易。阻绝外界思绪需要花费很大的力气。藉由双脚交迭、大拇指几乎碰到食指，并挺胸坐直，冥想可以带来放松和内心的平静。所有应该、可能及将会发生的事情，这些想法在内心平静的时候都会慢慢消逝。
1. 透过冥想可以达到什么境界?
(A) 加速思绪。
(B) 人们容易进入梦乡。
(C) 身体可以更快速移动。
(D) 可达成平和与宁静。
题解：综观全文，冥想可以让心情放松、思绪清晰，进而带来内心的平静，因此应选 (D)。
2. 为何人们可能觉得冥想很困难?
(A) 敞开心胸并不容易。
(B) 思绪会不断涌入。
(C) 会太多人看着你。
(D) 这是一段放松的时刻。
题解：根据本文第二段，当一个人坐下来冥想时，生活上的问题会无意识地不断涌入，接近 (B) 的说法，故选之。
3. 单纯呼吸看似简单，但 _____。
(A) 比想象中还难以达成
(B) 只有一小部分人知道什么时候要做
(C) 须花费十分钟之久来做
(D) 需要双脚交迭、拇指相碰才能做得标准
题解：根据本文第三段，虽然单纯呼吸看似简单，事实上知易行难，故选 (A)。
标准答案：
1. (D) 2. (B) 3. (A)
