TED演讲如何在6个月内学会一门外语

第一篇：TED演讲如何在6个月内学会一门外语

TED爆红演讲：如何在6个月内学会一门外语？

Have you ever held a question in mind for so long that it becomes part of how you think? 你是否曾经把一个问题留在心中很久，结果它已经成为你的一种思路？ Maybe even part of who you are as a person? 甚至可能已经成为你自己的一部分？

Well I've had a question in my mind for many, many years and that is: how can you speed up learning? 我思考了一个问题很多很多年，就是：你怎样才能加快自己学习的速度？ Now, this is an interesting question because if you speed up learning you can spend less time at school.那么，这是一个很有趣的问题，因为如果你可以加快自己的学习的速度，你就可以花更少时间在学校里。

And if you learn really fast, you probably wouldn't have to go to school at all.如果你真的可以学习得特别快，你可能根本就不用去上学。

Now, when I was young, school was sort of okay but I found quite often that school got in the way of learning so I had this question in mind: how do you learn faster? 在我小时候，上学还凑合，但我常常发现上学会阻碍学习，因此在心里面我有了这样一个问题：怎样才能学得更快呢？

And this began when I was very, very young.When I was about eleven years old I wrote a letter to researchers in the Soviet Union, asking about hypnopaedia, this is sleep learning, where you get a tape recorder, you put it beside your bed and it turns on in the middle of the night when you're sleeping, and you're supposed to be learning from this.(这个想法)在我很小时候已经开始了，大约我11岁的时候，我给前苏联的研究者写了一封关于睡眠学习的信，所谓“睡觉学习”，就是拿一个磁带录音机放在你床边，等你入眠后机器开始播放磁带，(然后)目的是通过这种方式来学习。A good idea, unfortunately it doesn't work.一个好主意，不幸的是它行不通。

But, hypnopaedia did open the doors to research in other areas and we've had incredible discoveries about learning that began with that first question.但睡眠学习确实打开了研究其他领域的大门，并且我们从研究这个问题开始已经有了一些惊人的发现。

I went on from there to become passionate about psychology and I have been involved in psychology in many ways for the rest of my life up until this point.从那开始我对心理学充满热情，直到现在我已经投入了几十年的时间从事心理学相关的不同研究和工作。

In 1981 I took myself to China and I decided that I was going to be native level in Chinese inside two years.1981年，我来到了中国，并且我决定在两年内我的汉语要达到像中文母语者一样的水平。

Now, you need to understand that in 1981, everybody thought Chinese was really, really difficult and that a westerner could study for ten years or more and never really get very good at it.呐，你需要明白的是在20世纪80年代初，所有人都认为汉语是真的很难学，一个西方人可能学习10年或以上也未必能学好。

And I also went in with a different idea which was: taking all of the conclusions from psychological research up to that point and applying them to the learning process.还有，我带着一种不同的想法，就是把心理学对这个问题研究所得的全部结论运用到我学习的过程当中。

What was really cool was that in six months I was fluent in Mandarin Chinese and took a little bit longer to get up to native.特别棒的是我在六个月内能说流利的中文，不久后，我达到了中文母语者的水平。But I looked around and I saw all of these people from different countries struggling terribly with Chinese, I saw Chinese people struggling terribly to learn English and other languages, and so my question got refined down to: how can you help a normal adult learn a new language quickly, easily and effectively? 但我看到周围那些来自不同国家的人在为学习中文苦苦挣扎，中国人在为学习英文或其他语言苦苦挣扎，因此我的问题便细化到：怎样帮助一位正常的成年人更快、更容易和有效地学会第二门语言。

Now this is a really, really important question in today's world.要强调的是，在今天的世界里这是一个非常非常重要的问题。

We have massive challenges with environment.We have massive challenges with social dislocation, with wars, all sorts of things going on and if we can't communicate we're really going to have difficulty solving these problems.我们需要面对大量的(有关)环保问题的挑战，我们需要面对很多社会混乱和战争的挑战，各种各类事情在发生，如果我们不能沟通那我们将难以解决这些问题。So we need to be able to speak each other's languages.This is really, really important.因此，我们需要能够说对方的语言。这真的非常重要。

The question then is how do you do that？ Well, it's actually really easy.接下来的问题是，怎样做到？这实际上是很容易的。

You look around for people who can already do it, you look for situations where it's already working and then you identify the principles and apply them.看看你周围那些已经做到的人，寻找在什么情况下，它是有效的，识别这些原则后好好利用它们。

It's called modeling and I've been looking at language learning and modeling language learning for about fifteen to twenty years now.这是一种高科技模仿，而我已经用这种方法研究语言学习大约15到20年了。And my conclusion, my observation from this is that any adult can learn a second language to fluency inside six months.接着多年的观察，我得到的结论是，任何一个成年人能在6个月内把任何外语学得流利。

Now when I say this, most people think I'm crazy, this is not possible.So let me remind everybody of the history of human progress, it's all about expanding our limits.呐，当我说成年人能在6个月内学会任何一种外语，大多数人都认为我疯了，这是不可能的。因此，先让我提醒在座各位关于人类历史的进展，所有人类历史都是在扩展我们的极限。

In 1950 everybody believed that running one mile in four minutes was impossible and then Roger Bannister did it in 1956 and from there it's got shorter and shorter.在20世纪50年代，所有人都相信跑出4分钟1英里的成绩是不可能的，后来罗杰·班尼斯特在1965年做到了，而从那开始跑1英里的时间变得越来越短。100 years ago everybody believed that heavy stuff doesn't fly。100年前，每个人都相信重的物体不能飞。

Except it does and we all know this.How does heavy stuff fly? 它不但可以飞，而且我们大家都知道这个事实。那么，重物是怎样飞的呢？ We reorganize the materials using principles that we have learned from observing nature, birds in this case.我们观察大自然的原理，在此是鸟飞行的原理，根据这些我们重新组织材料来使重物可以飞。

And today we've gone ever further, so you can fly a car.You can buy one of these for a couple hundred thousand US dollars.如今，我们甚至走得更远，你可以驾驶一辆会飞的汽车。你可以花几十万美元购买一辆这样的汽车。

We now have cars in the world that can fly.我们现在有了会飞的汽车了。

And there's a different way to fly that we've learned from squirrels.在能飞的松鼠的身上我们学会了另一种不同的方式来飞。

So all you need to do is copy what a flying squirrel does, build a suit called a wing suit and off you go, you can fly like a squirrel.你只要做的是去复制一只飞鼠如何飞的原理，建造一套翼服，你就可以像一只飞鼠那样可以在天空中飞翔。

Now, most people, a lot of people, I wouldn't say everybody but a lot of people think they can't draw.那么，大多数人，很多人，我不会说所有人，但很多人认为他们不会画画。However there are some key principles, five principles that you can apply to learning to draw and you can actually learn to draw in five days.然而这里有一些重要的原则，5个原则你可以利用来学习画画并且实际上你可以在5天内学会。

So, if you draw like this, you learn these principles for five days and apply them and after five days you can draw something like this.如果你平时画成这样，那么你学习5天这些原则然后应用它们，5天后，你可以画成这样。

Now I know this is true because that was my first drawing and after five days of applying these principles that was what I was able to do.我知道这是真的，因为那是我第一次画的，5天后我应用了这些原则，我可以做到这样。

And I looked at this and I went ‘wow,' so that's how I look like when I'm concentrating so intensely that my brain is exploding.当我看着这个，我“哇”了一声，那就是我非常强烈的，专注到我大脑快要爆炸的样子呀！

So, anybody can learn to draw in five days and in the same way, with the same logic, anybody can learn a second language in six months.因此，任何人都能够用5天时间学会画画，同样地，用同样的方式和逻辑，任何人都可以在6个月内学会一门外语。

How: there are five principles and seven actions.怎么做呢？ 有5个原则和7个行动可以跟随。

There may be a few more but these are absolutely core.可能有更多，但这些绝对是核心部分。

And before I get into those I just want to talk about two myths, dispel two myths.进入这些点之前我想先说说两个神话并消除它们。The first is that you need talent.第一个是你需要有天赋。Let me tell you about Zoe.让我跟你们说说关于佐伊的事情。

Zoe came from Australia, went to Holland, was trying to learn Dutch, struggling a great deal and finally people were saying: ‘you're completely useless,' ‘you're not talented,' ‘give up,' ‘you're a waste of time' and she was very, very depressed.佐伊是澳大利亚人，她去到荷兰并尝试学习荷兰语。她非常挣扎，最后人们跟她说，“没用的，”“你没有天赋，”“还是放弃吧，”“你根本就是在浪费时间。”她对此感到非常沮丧。

And then she came across these five principles, she moved to Brazil and she applied them and within six months she was fluent in Portuguese, so talent doesn't matter.后来，她无意中发现了这5个原则，去了巴西，并把这些原则应用到她学习葡萄牙语中，6个月内，她可以说流利的葡萄牙语了。因此，天赋不重要。

People also think that immersion in a new country is the way to learn a language.人们还认为学会一门外语最好的方式就是到说该门语言的国家去。

But look around Hong Kong, look at all the westerners who've been here for ten years, who don't speak a word of Chinese.但是看看在香港已经呆了10年的西方人，还是一句中文也不会说。

Look at all the Chinese living in America, Britain, Australia, Canada who have been there ten, twenty years and they don't speak any English.看看那些居住在美国、英国、澳大利亚、加拿大10年、20年的中国人，还是不会一句英文。

Immersion per se doesn't not work, why? 只呆在一个新的国家本身是没有用的。为什么？ Because a drowning man cannot learn to swim.因为溺水的人是学不会游泳的。

When you don't speak a language you're like a baby and if you drop yourself into a context which is all adults talking about stuff over your head, you won't learn.当你不能说那种语言，你就像一个婴儿，如果你进入一个环境，那里全部都是成年人在叽叽呱呱的说一些你完全听不明白的话，你还是学不会。

So, what are the five principles that you need to pay attention to;那么，你需要注意的那5个原则是什么呢？

first: there are four words, attention, meaning, relevance and memory, and these interconnect in very important ways.Especially when you're talking about learning.首先，有四个词，注意力、含义、关联和记忆，而这些在很多非常重要的方面是相互连接的，特别在你谈论学习的时候。Come with me on a journey through a forest.请跟随我来一趟森林之旅。

You go on a walk through a forest and you see something like this.你穿越森林，然后你看到一个像这样的东西。

Little marks on a tree, maybe you pay attention, maybe you don't.你可能注意到了树上的这些小标记，可能你没有注意它们。You go another fifty metres and you see this.然后你继续向前走50米，你看到了这个。You should be paying attention.你应该要注意了。

Another fifty metres, if you haven't been paying attention, you see this.再50米，如果你还没注意的话，你会看到这个。And at this point, you're paying attention.当看到这个的时候，你就会注意了。

And you've just learned that this is important, it's relevant because it means this, and anything that is related, any information related to your survival is stuff that you're going to pay attention to and therefore you're going to remember it.你刚刚学习到了这个是重要的，它与你有重要关系，因为它代表这个。任何有关联的东西，任何有关你生存的信息都是值得你注意的，而你给注意力的就会记住的。

If it's related to your personal goals then you're going to pay attention to it, if it's relevant you're going to remember it.如果它关于你个人目标的，那么你就会注意到它，如果它与你是有关联的，你就会记住它。

So, the first rule, the first principle for learning a language is focus on language content that is relevant to you.因此，学习一门语言的第一个原则就是注意那些与你息息相关的语言内容上。Which brings us to tools.这就让我们谈到工具。

We master tools by using tools and we learn tools the fastest when they are relevant to us.我们通过使用工具来掌握工具，而当这些工具与我们息息相关的时候，我们就可以学得很快。

So let me share a story.先让我分享一个故事。A keyboard is a tool.键盘是一个工具。

Typing Chinese a certain way, there are methods for this.That's a tool.有不同方法打中文字。这些方法属于工具的一种。

I had a colleague many years ago who went to night school;多年前，我有一位同事，她上夜校学习中文打字。

Tuesday night, Thursday night, two hours each night, practicing at home, she spent nine months, and she did not learn to type Chinese.每周二、周四晚上，她都用2个小时上课，然后也在家练习，她花了9个月的时间，仍然没学会打中文字。

And one night we had a crisis.一天晚上，我们有一件紧急的事情。

We had forty eight hours to deliver a training manual in Chinese.我们有48个小时来准备用中文发表一本训练手册。

And she got the job, and I can guarantee you in forty eight hours, she learned to type Chinese because it was relevant, it was important, it was meaningful, she was using a tool to create value.她获得了这个任务，并且我可以像你保证，在48个小时内，她学会了用中文打字。因为这是相关的、重要的、有意义的，她在使用一种工具来创造价值。So the second tool for learning a language is to use your language as a tool to communicate right from day one.As a kid does.因此，学习一门语言的第二个工具是从第一天开始，用你的语言作为一种工具来沟通，像一个孩子那样做。

When I first arrived in China I didn't speak a word of Chinese, and on my second week I got to take a train ride overnight.当我初次来到中国，我一句中文都不会说。第二个星期我乘坐火车过夜。I spent eight hours sitting in the dining car talking to one of the guards on the train.He took an interest in me for some reason, and we just chatted all night in Chinese and he was drawing pictures and making movements with his hands and facial expressions and piece by piece by piece I understood more and more.我花了8个小时，坐在餐车，跟一位乘警聊。因为某种原因，他对我很感兴趣。我们在那用中文聊了整夜，随着他画画、比划双手并动用他的面部表情，我逐渐地明白越来越多。

But what was really cool, was two weeks later, when people were talking Chinese around me, I was understanding some of this and I hadn't even made any effort to learn that.但是真正有趣的是，两个星期后，当人们在我周围说中文的时候，我可以明白一些而且我并没有为之付出任何努力。What had happened? 发生了什么？

I'd absorbed it that night on the train, which brings us to the third principle When you first understand the message, then you will acquire the language unconsciously.在火车的那晚我已经吸收了中文也是我们要说的第三个原则。当你已经理解沟通的信息含义，接下来你将不知不觉下意识的获得该语言。

And this is really, really well documented now, it's something called comprehensible input and there's twenty or thirty years of research on this.Stephen Krashen, a leader in the field has published all sorts of these different studies and this is just from one of them.而且这是有充足的证据证明的，我们把它称之为“可明白输入”，而这个概念被研究了了研究二三十年。此领域的佼佼者史蒂夫·克拉申发布了各类不同的学术研究成果，而这些数据来自他的一个报告。

The purple bars show the scores on different tests for language.条形图里面的紫色部分显示不同语言测试的成绩。

The purple people were people who had learned by grammar and formal study, the green ones are the ones who learned by comprehensible input.紫色代表那些通过正式学习和学习语法的人，绿色的代表那些通过可明白输入学习的人。

So, comprehension works.因此，可明白意思的输入是有效的。

Comprehension is key and language learning is not about accumulating lots of knowledge.理解是很关键的而学语言本身不仅仅是获取大量的知识。In many, many ways it's about physiological training.在很多方面，更多的是生理的训练。

A woman I know from Taiwan did great at English at school, she got A grades all the way through, went through college, A grades, went to the US and found she couldn't understand what people were saying.我认识的一位来自台湾的女士，上学时英文成绩很好，大学英语也很优秀。后来，她到了美国，竟然发现自己听不懂别人在说什么。And people started asking her: ‘are you deaf?' 然后人们开始问她：“你是聋的吗？” And she was.English deaf.她确实是英语聋子。

Because we have filters in our brain that filter in the sounds that we are familiar with and they filter out the sounds of languages we're not.因为在我们大脑里有一些过滤器会帮助我们过滤熟悉的语言声音进入脑子里，而把不熟悉的语言声音过滤出去。

And if you can't hear it, you won't understand it and if you can't understand it, you're not going to learn it.如果你听不到，你不会明白；你听不明白，你将不能学会它。So you actually have to be able to hear these sounds.因此，你必须能够听到这些声音。And there are ways to do that but it's physiological training.这里有一些方法来做到，但这些是生理上的训练。Speaking takes muscle.说话需要用到肌肉。

You've got forty-three muscles in your face, you have to coordinate those in a way that you make sounds that other people will understand.在你的脸上有43块肌肉，你必须协调好这些肌肉来发声，让别人明白你的话。If you've ever done a new sport for a couple of days, then you know how your body feels.And it hurts.如果你曾经有做过几天新的运动，你会知道你的身体有什么感觉。有点酸疼。If your face is hurting you're doing it right.如果你的面部有这种酸疼的感觉，那就对了。And the final principle is state.最后一个原则是状态。Psycho-physiological state.心理生理的状态。

If you're sad, angry, worried, upset, you're not going to learn.Period.如果你伤心、生气、担心、沮丧，你将不能学会。绝对是这样。

If you're happy, relaxed, in an Alpha brain state, curious, you're going to learn really quickly, and very specifically you need to be tolerant of ambiguity.如果你是在一个开心的，放松的，好奇的大脑状态下，你将很快学会，而且，需要明确的一点是，你需要忍受歧义。

If you're one of those people who needs to understand 100% every word you're hearing, you will go nuts, because you'll be incredibly upset all the time, because you're not perfect.如果你是那种在听的时候需要百分百听明白别人在说的每一个词儿 的人之一，你会因为你无时无刻(的)沮丧感和你的不完美而发疯了。

If you're comfortable with getting some, not getting some, just paying attention to what you do understand, you're going to be fine, you'll be relaxed and you'll be learning quickly.如果你对听明白一些、听不明白一些而感到舒服，并把注意力放在你明白的部分，你将会学好，而且你的状态越轻松，你将学得越快。

So based on those five principles, what are the seven actions that you need to take? 那么在这5个原则上，你还需要哪7个行动呢？ Number one: listen a lot.第一，多听。

I call it brain soaking。我把它叫做泡脑子。

You put yourself in a context where you're hearing tons and tons and tons of a language and it doesn't matter if you understand it or not。你把自己置放在听很多很多语言的环境当中，听得明白与否无关重要。You're listening to the rhythm ,you're listening to the patterns that repeat, you're listening to things that stand out。

在听的时候，你是在听它的节奏、听它重复的模式、听凸出来的词语。So, just soak your brain in this.像这个泡泡你的脑子。

The second action: is that you get the meaning first, even before you get the words.第二个行动是在获取单词之前先获取它的意思。You go “Well how do I do that?”，你可能在想，这个我怎么知道的呢？

I don't know the words.Well, you understand what these different postures mean.我不知道那些单词！但你可以理解那些不同手势代表的含义。

Human communication is body language in many, many ways, so much body language.身体语言占领人类交流的一大部分。

From body language you can understand a lot of communication, therefore, you're understanding, you're acquiring through comprehensible input.从身体语言，你可以理解很多对话内容，因此，你通过可明白输入理解、获取它的含义。

And you can also use patterns that you already know.你还可以利用你已经知道的模式。

If you're a Chinese speaker of Mandarin and Cantonese and you go Vietnam, you will understand 60% of what they say to you in daily conversation, because Vietnamese is about 30% Mandarin, 30% Cantonese.如果你是说国语和粤语，当你去到越南，你可以明白60%的日常用语，因为越南话有30%的国语和30%的粤语。The third action: start mixing.第三个行动：开始混合。

You probably have never thought of this but if you've got ten verbs, ten nouns and ten adjectives you can say one thousand different things.你可能之前没有想过这个，但如果你有10个动词，10个名词和10个形容词，你可以说1000句不同的话。

Language is a creative process.语言是创造的过程。What do babies do? 孩子是怎么做的呢？ Okay: me, bat(h)，now，okay, that's how they communicate.我，澡澡，现在。。这就是他们说话的方式。

So start mixing, get creative, have fun with it, it doesn't have to be perfect it just has to work.所以现在开始混合、创造并从中获得趣味。你不需要做到完美，你能沟通就好。And when you're doing this you focus on the core.而且当你这样做的时候，你把注意力放在核心上。What does that mean? 这意味着什么？

Well any language has high frequency content.任何语言都有它的高频内容。

In English 1000 words covers 85% of anything you're ever going to say in daily communication.英语有1000个高频词覆盖你85%的日常交流。

3000 words give you 98% of anything you're going to say in daily conversation.而3000个高频词将覆盖98%的日常交流。

You got 3000 words, you're speaking the language.你有3000个高频词，你将可以说一门外语。The rest is icing on the cake.剩余的是锦上添花。

And when you're just beginning with a new language start with the tool box.当你开始学习一门外语，从工具箱开始。

Week number one in your new language you say things like: ‘how do you say that?' 第一周，你会用新语言说一些像这样的话“那个你怎么说？” ‘I don't understand,' “我不明白，”

‘repeat that please,' “请重复，”

‘what does that mean,' “那是什么意思”，all in your target language.全都用你的目标语言。

You're using it as a tool, making it useful to you, it's relevant to learn other things about the language.你把它当做工具来用，并且利用好它，这对学习该门语言的其他东西是有重大关系的。

It's by week two that you should be saying things like: ‘me,' ‘this,' ‘you,' ‘that,' ‘give,' you know, ‘hot,' simple pronouns, simple nouns, simple verbs, simple adjectives, communicating like a baby.第二周，你应该会说一些像“我”、“这个”、“你”、“那个”、“给”、“热”，像个孩子一样用这些简单的代词、名词、动词、形容词来沟通。

And by the third or fourth week, you're getting into what I call glue words.然后第三或第四周，你会进入我称为“胶水词”的这部分。

‘Although,' ‘but,' ‘therefore,' these are logical transformers that tie bits of a language together, allowing you to make more complex meaning。“虽然”、“但是”、“因此”，这些逻辑工具帮助你把语言的小块紧密地结合在一起，让你制造更多复杂的意思。At that point you're talking。

在那个阶段，你已经进入说话的阶段了！。

And when you're doing that, you should get yourself a language parent.当你这样做的时候，你应该给自己找位语言家长。

If you look at how children and parents interact, you'll understand what this means.如果你看看孩子和父母之间的互动，你会明白这个什么意思的。

When a child is speaking, it'll be using simple words, simple combinations, sometimes quite strange, sometimes very strange pronunciation and other people from outside the family don't understand it.当一个孩子说话，它会用简单的词，简单的组合，而有时候会发生奇怪甚至是非常怪的声音，如果不是家里人根本就不懂它在说什么。But the parents do.但是父母却知道。

And so the kid has a safe environment, gets confidence.因此，孩子有个安全的环境，然后变得有自信。

The parents talk to the children with body language and with simple language which they know the child understands.父母用孩子可以理解的身体语言和简单句子跟他们说话。

So we have a comprehensible input environment that's safe, we know it works otherwise none of you would speak your mother tongue.因此我们有一个很安全的可明白输入的环境。我们知道这个有用，不然的话我们都不会说自己的母语。

15:55 So you get yourself a language parent, who's somebody interested in you as a person who will communicate with you essentially as an equal, but pay attention to help you understand the message.因此你可以给自己找个语言家长，他是对你感兴趣的一个人，可以跟你沟通得上的，也可以是能够帮助你理解的同龄人。There are four rules of a language parent.语言家长有四个规则。

Spouses by the way are not very good at this, okay? 顺便说一下，配偶在这里没有那么好，明白吗？

But the four rules are, first of all, they will work hard to understand what you mean even when you're way off beat.那么4条规则是，第一，他们会尽可能地理解你的意思，哪怕你脱离节拍。Secondly, they will never correct your mistakes.第二，他们从来不会纠正你的错误。

Thirdly they will feed back their understanding of what you are saying so you can respond appropriately and get that feedback and then they will use words that you know.第三，他们会理解你说的话并给出反馈，好让你适当地回应并获得反馈，并且他们也是说你知道的单词。

The sixth thing you have to do, is copy the face.第六件事你需要做的就是模仿面部表情。

You've got to get the muscles working right, so you can sound in a way that people will understand you.你需要把肌肉部位用得准确，别人才可以听明白你发出的声音。There's a couple of things you do.达到此目的，你需要做几件事情。

One is that you hear how it feels, and feel how it sounds which means you have a feedback loop operating in your face, but ideally if you can look at a native speaker and just observe how they use their face, let your unconscious mind absorb the rules, then you're going to be able to pick it up.第一，听它是什么感觉的并感觉它是怎样发出声音的，从你的脸上获得反馈。如果条件理想的话，你可以看着母语者并观察他们的面部，让你下意识地吸收这些规则，然后你将能够获取到它。And if you c an't get a native speaker to look at, you can use stuff like this: [slides].如果你没有母语者可以看着学习的话，你可以用像这样的东西。

And the final idea here, the final action you need to take is something that I call “direct connect.” 最后一个行动是你需要“直接联系”。What does this mean? 什么意思呢？

Well most people learning a second language sort of take the mother tongue words and take the target words and go over them again and again in their mind to try and remember them.大多数人学习外语几乎都是用母语的单词对照目标语言，反复地在心中念并尝试记住它们。

Really inefficient.这样做效率真的很低。

What you need to do is realize that everything you know is an image inside your mind, it's feelings, 你需要做的是意识到你所知道的事情在你的脑海里都有一个画面和感觉。if you talk about fire you can smell the smoke you can hear the crackling, you can see the flames, 如果你说到“火”，你可以闻到那个烟味，你可以听到那燃烧的爆裂声，你可以看到那火焰，so what you do, is you go into that imagery and all of that memory and you come out with another pathway.所以你需要做的是进入那些意象和有关的所有的记忆力，然后从另一条通道出来。

So I call it ‘same box, different path.' 我把这叫做“殊途同归”(同一个盒子，不同的路)。

You come out of that pathway, you build it over time you become more and more skilled at just connecting the new sounds to those images that you already have, into that internal representation.你从那条通道出来，你将建立这种技能并且越来越熟练地把新的声音连接到你心里已经知道的画面去。

And over time you even become naturally good at that process, that becomes unconscious.往后你甚至很擅长走这个过程，甚至是无意识的。

So, there are five principles that you need to work with, seven actions, if you do any of them, you're going to improve。

因此，你需要运用的那5个原则和7个行动，如果你运用其中任何一个，都将得到进步。

And remember these are things under your control as the learner.并且记住，作为学习者，这些事情都在你的掌控之下。

Do them all and you're going to be fluent in a second language in six months.如果你做到以上全部，你将会在六个月内学会流利的外语。Thank you.谢谢。

（音频及文本来源：新浪教育。本文为TED演讲，讲师介绍：Chris Lonsdale.国际心理学家、语言学家、教育家。香港龙氏顾问行董事长，香港第三支耳朵国际教育集团董事长，功夫英语创始人之一。）

第二篇：TED演讲_如何在六个月内学会一门外语

Are you ever held a question in mind for so long that it becomes part of how you think? Maybe even part of who you are as a person?

Well I‟ve had a question in my mind for many, many years and that is how can you speed up learning? Now, this is an interesting question because if you speed up learning you can spend less time at school.And if you learn really fast you probably wouldn‟t have to go to school at all.Now, when I was young, school was sort of okay but I found quite often that school got in the way of learning so I had this question in mind: how do you learn faster? And this began when I was very, very young.When I was about eleven years old I wrote a letter to researchers in the Soviet Union, asking about hypnopaedia, this is sleep learning, where you get a tape recorder, you put it beside your bed and it turns on in the middle of the night when you are sleeping, and you are supposed to be learning from this.A good idea, unfortunately it doesn‟t work.But,hypnopaedia did open the doors to research in other areas.And we‟ve had incredible discoveries about learning that began with that first question.I went on from there to become passionate about psychology and I have been involved in psychology in many ways for the rest of my life up until this point.In 1981 I took myself to China and I decided that I was going to be native level in Chinese inside two years.Now, you need to understand that in 1981, everybody thought Chinese was really, really difficult and that a westerner could study for ten years or more and never really get very good at it.And I also went in with a different idea which was: taking all of the conclusions from psychological research up to that point and applying them to the learning process.What was really cool was that in six months, I was fluent in Mandarin Chinese and took a little bit longer to get up to native.But I looked around and I saw all of these people from different countries struggling terribly with Chinese, I saw Chinese people struggling terribly to learn English and other languages, and so my question got refined down tohow can you help a normal adult learn a new language quicklyeasily and effectively?Now this is a really, really important question in today s world.We have massive challenges with environment.We have massive challenges with social dislocation, with wars, all sorts of things going on and if we can‟t communicate we are really going to have difficulty solving these problems.So we need to be able to speak each other‟s languages.This is really, really important.The question then is how do you do that？Well, it‟s actually really easy.You look around for people who can already do it, you look for situations where it‟s already working and then you identify the principles and apply them.It‟s called modeling and I‟ve been looking at language learning and modeling language learning for about fifteen to twenty years now.And my conclusion, my observation from this is that any adult can learn a second language to fluency inside six months.Now when I say this, most people think I‟m crazy, this is not possible.So let me remind everybody of the history of human progress, it‟s all about expanding our limits.In 1950, everybody believed that running one mile in four minutes was impossible and then Roger Bannister did it in 1956 and from there it‟s got shorter and shorter.100 years ago everybody believed that heavy stuff doesn‟t fly.Except it does and we all know this.How does heavy stuff fly? We reorganize the materials using principles that we have learned from observing nature, birds in this case.And today we‟ve gone ever further, so you can fly a car.You can buy one of these for a couple hundred thousanddollars.We now have cars in the world that can fly.And there‟s a different way to fly that we‟ve learned from squirrels.So all you need to do is copy what a flying squirrel does, build a suit called a wing suit and off you go, you can fly like a squirrel.Now, most people, a lot of people, I wouldn‟t say everybody but a lot of people think they can‟t draw.However there are some key principles, five principles that you can apply to learning to draw and you can actually learn to draw in five days.So, if you draw like this, you learn these principles for five days and apply them and after five days you can draw something like this.Now I know this is true because that was my first drawing and after five days of applying these principles that was what I was able to do.And I looked at this and went„wow‟, so that‟s how I look like when I‟m concentrating so intensely that my brain is exploding.So, anybody can learn to draw in five days and in the same way, with the same logic, anybody can learn a second language in six months.How: there are five principles and seven actions.There may be a few more but these are absolutely core.And before I get into those I just want to talk about two myths, dispel two myths.The first is that you need talent.Let me tell you about Zoe.Zoe came fromAustralia, went toHolland, was trying to learn Dutch, struggling a great deal and finally people were saying:„you‟re completely useless,‟ „you‟re not talented,‟ „give up,‟„you‟re a waste of time‟ and she was very,very depressed.And then she came across these five principles, she moved to Brazil and she applied them and within six months she was fluent in Portuguese, so talent doesn‟t matter.People also think that immersion in a new country is the way to learn a language.But look around Hong Kong, look at all the westerners who‟ve been here for ten years, who don t speak a word of Chinese.Look at all the Chinese living in America, Britain, Australia, Canada who have been there ten, twenty years and they don‟t speak any English.Immersion per se doesn‟t not work, why?Because a drowning man cannot learn to swim.When you don‟t speak a language you‟re like a baby and if you drop yourself into a context which is all adults talking about stuff over your head, you won‟t learn.So, what are the five principles that you need to pay attention to? First, there are four words, attention, meaning, relevance and memory, and these interconnect in very important ways.Especially when you‟re talking about learning.Come with me on a journey through a forest.You go on a walk through a forest and you see something like this.Little marks on a tree, maybe you pay attention, maybe you don‟t.You go another fifty metres and you see this.You should be paying attention.Another fifty metres, if you haven t been paying attention, you see this.And at this point, you‟re paying attention.And you‟ve just learned that this is important, it‟s relevant because it means this, and anything that is related, any information related to your survival is stuff that you‟re going to pay attention to and therefore you‟re going to remember it.If it‟s related to your personal goals then you‟re going to pay attention to it, if it‟s relevant you‟re going to remember it.So, the first rule, the first principle for learning a language is focus on language content that is relevant to you.Which brings us to tools.We master tools by using tools and we learn tools the fastest when they are relevant to us.So let me share a story.A keyboard is a tool.Typing Chinese a certain way, there are methods for this.That‟s a tool.I had a colleague many years ago who went to night school.Tuesday night, Thursday night, two hours each night, practicing at home, she spent nine months, and she did not learn to typeChinese.And one night we had a crisis.We had forty eight hours to deliver a training manual in Chinese.And she got the job, and I can guarantee you in forty eight hours, she learned to type Chinese because it was relevant, it was important, it was meaningful, she was using a tool to create value.So the second tool for learning a language is to use your language as a tool to communicate right from day one.As a kid does.When I first arrived in China, I didn‟t speak a word of Chinese, and on my second week I got to take a train ride overnight.I spent eight hours sitting in the dining car talking to one of the guards on the traine took an interest in me for some reasonand we just chatted all night in Chinese and he was drawing pictures and making movements with his hands and facial expressions and piece by piece by piece understood more and more.But what was really coolwas two weeks laterwhen people were talking Chinese around me, was understanding some of this andI hadn‟t even made any effort to learn that.What had happened? I‟d absorbed it that night on the train, which brings us to the third principle.When you first understand the messagethen you will acquire the language unconsciously.And this is really, really well documented now, it‟s something called comprehensible input and there‟s twenty or thirty years of research on this.StephenKrashen, a leader in the field has published all sorts of these different studies and this is just from one of them.The purple bars show the scores on different tests for language.The purple people were people who had learned by grammar and formal studythe green ones are the ones who learned by comprehensible input.So,comprehension works.Comprehension is key and language learning is not about accumulating lots of knowledge.In many,many ways it‟s about physiological training.A womanI know fromTaiwan did great atEnglish at school,she gotA grades all the way through,went through college,A grades,went to theUSand found she couldn‟t understand what people were saying.And people started asking her:„are you deaf?‟ And she was.English deaf.Because we have filters in our brain that filter in the sounds that we are familiar with and they filter out the sounds of languages we‟re not.And if you can‟t hear ityou won‟t understand it and if you can‟t understand ityou‟re not going to learn it.So you actually have to be able to hear these sounds.And there are ways to do that but it‟s physiological training.Speaking takes muscle.You‟ve got forty three muscles in your faceyou have to coordinate those in a way that you make sounds that other people will understand.If you‟ve ever done a new sport for a couple of daysthen you know how your body feels.And it hurts.If your face is hurting you‟re doing it right.And the final principle is state.Psycho-physiological state.If you‟re sad,angry,worried,upset,you‟re not going to learn.Period.If you‟re happyrelaxedin anAlpha brain state,curious,you‟re going to learn really quickly,and very specifically, you need to be tolerant of ambiguity.If you‟re one of those people who needs to understand100%every word you‟re hearing,you will go nuts,because you‟ll be incredibly upset all the timebecause you‟re not perfect.If you‟re comfortable with getting some,not getting some,just paying attention to what you do understand,you‟re going to be fine,you‟ll be relaxed and you‟ll be learning quickly.So based on those five principles, what are the seven actions that you need to take?

Number one: listen a lot.I call it brain soaking.You put yourself in a context where you‟re hearing tons and tons and tons of a language and it doesn‟t matter if you understand it or not.You‟re listening to the rhythm, you‟re listening to the patterns that repeat, you‟re listening to things that stand out.Sojust soak your brain in this.The second actionis that you get the meaning first, even before you get the words.You go“Well how doI do that?”, I don‟t know the words.Wellyou understand what these different postures mean.Human communication is body language in many,many waysso much body language.From body language you can understand a lot of communicationtherefore,you‟re understanding,you‟re acquiring through comprehensible input.And you can also use patterns that you already know.If you‟re aChinese speaker ofMandarin andCantonese and you goVietnam, you will understand 60% of what they say to you in daily conversation,becauseVietnamese is about30% Mandarin, 30% Cantonese.The third action:start mixing.You probably have never thought of this but if you‟ve got ten verbs, ten nouns and ten adjectives you can say one thousand different things.Language is a creative process.What do babies do? Okay:me,bat(h),now,okaythat‟s how they communicate.So start mixingget creative,have fun with it, it doesn‟t have to be perfect it just has to work.And when you‟re doing this you focus on the core.What does that mean? Well any language has high frequency content.InEnglish, 1000words covers85%of anything you‟re ever going to say in daily communication.3000words gives you 98% of anything you‟re going to say in daily conversation.You got 3000wordsyou‟re speaking the language.The rest is icing on the cake.And when you‟re just begging with a new language start with the tool box.Week number one in your new language you say things like: „how do you say that?‟„I don‟t understand,‟ „repeat that please,‟ „what does that mean,‟ all in your target language.You‟re using it as a toolmaking it useful to you,it‟s relevant to learn other things about the language.It‟s by week two that you should be saying things like:„me,‟ „this,‟„you,‟„that,‟ „give,‟you know,„hot,‟ simple pronouns,simple nouns,simple verbs,simple adjectives,communicating like a baby.And by the third or fourth weekyou‟re getting into whatI call glue words.„Although,‟„but,‟ „therefore,‟these are logical transformers that tie bits of a language together,allowing you to make more complex meaning.At that point, you‟re talking.And when you‟re doing thatyou should get yourself a language parent.If you look at how children and parents interact,you‟ll understand what this means.When a child is speaking,it‟ll be using simple words,simple combinations,sometimes quite strange,sometimes very strange pronunciation and other people from outside the family don‟t understand it.But the parents do.And so the kid has a safe environment,gets confidence.The parents talk to the children with body language and with simple language which they know the child understands.So we have a comprehensible input environment that‟s safe,we know it works otherwise none of you would speak your mother tongue.So you get yourself a language parent,who‟s somebody interested in you as a person who will communicate with you essentially as an equal,but pay attention to help you understand the message.There are four rules of a language parent.Spouses by the way are not very good at this,okay? But the four rules are,first of all,they will work hard to understand what you mean even when you re way off beat.Secondly,they will never correct your mistakes.Thirdly they will feed back their understanding of what you are saying so you can respond appropriately and get that feedback and then they will use words that you know.The sixth thing you have to dois copy the face.You‟ve got to get the muscles working rightso you can sound in a way that people will understand you.There‟s a couple of things you do.One is that you hear how it feels,and feel how it sounds which means you have a feedback loop operating in your face,but ideally if you can look at a native speaker and just observe how they use their face, let your unconscious mind absorb the rules,then you‟re going to be able to pick it up.And if you can‟t get a native speaker to look at, you can use stuff like this:[slides].And the final idea herethe final action you need to take is something thatI call“direct connect.”What does this mean? Well most people learning a second language sort of take the mother tongue words and take the target words and go over them again and again in their mind to try and remember them.Really inefficient.What you need to do is realize that everything you know is an image inside your mind,it‟s feelings,if you talk about fire you can smell the smoke you can hear the crackling,you can see the flames,so what you dois you go into that imagery and all of that memory and you come out with another pathway.SoI call it„same box,different path.‟

You come out of that pathway,you build it over time you become more and more skilled at just connecting the new sounds to those images that you already have, into that internal representation.And over time you even become naturally good at that process, that becomes unconscious.Sothere are five principles that you need to work with,seven actions,if you do any of them,you‟re going to improve.And remember these are things under your control as the learner.Do them all and you‟re going to be fluent in a second language in six months.Thank you

5个原则：

1.Focus on language content that is relevant to you.专注和你日常相关的语言内容。

2.Use your language as a tool to communicate from day 1.从学习这门语言的第一天开始，就把它当做你的交流方式。

3.When you understand the message you will acquire the language unconsciously.当你明白含义之后，你会慢慢不知不觉地习得这门语言。

4.Language is not about accumulating a lot of knowledge but is rather a type of physiological training.语言学习不是大量知识的积累，而更像是一种生理训练。

5.Psycho-physiological state matters – you need to be happy, relaxed, and most importantly, you need to be tolerant of ambiguity.Don‟t try to understand every detail as it will drive you crazy.心理状态和生理状态都很重要：你需要愉快、放松，最重要的是对于模棱两可要有一定容忍性。对于细枝末节不要过于纠结，因为那会把你逼疯的。

The seven actions are: 7个行动：

1.Listen a lot – it doesn‟t matter if you understand or not.Listen to rhythms and patterns.多听——理解与否不重要，尽管去听吧！去听听语言节奏和说话模式。

2.Focus on getting the meaning first, before the words.Body language and facial expressions can help.先专注理解整体意思，再弄清单词含义。身体语言和面部表情会有所帮助。3.Start mixing, get creative, and use what you‟re learning 开始混合，创造话语并使用你所学到的一切。

4.Focus on the core – use the most commonly-use the words, and use the language to learn more 把注意力集中在核心部分——使用高频词汇，利用你已经学会的东西学到更多。

5.Get a language parent – someone who is fluent in the language and who will do their best to understand what you mean;who will not correct your mistakes;who will feedback their understanding of what you‟re saying using correct language, and uses words that you know.找个语伴——能流利讲这门语言的人，或者能尽可能理解你说什么的人。注意，语伴不会纠正你的错误，但能够用正确的语言、你明白的语言来对你的表现做出反馈。

6.Copy the face – watch native speakers and observe their face, and particular their mouth moves when they‟re speaking.模仿面部表情——有些人的母语正是你要学习的新语言，你要观看他们讲话，观察他们的面部表情、尤其是讲话时的嘴型。

7.“Direct connect” to the target language – find ways to connect words directly with images and other internal representations.在大脑和目的语之间建立“直接联系”——想办法让语言和大脑中的图像或其他内部表象产生直接联系。

第三篇：评论杨澜在TED的演讲

She reflected the current situation of China.We want to be rich, we want to be respected , we want to be democratic, we want to be happy and we are on our way to it!1 day ago: Your mistake and downfall is your want--need--obsession--for being rich.You will not find happiness in money.You might live a more comfortable life, even see more of the world--but like consuming name brands--it only makes you happy for a short time--and then crash, and need another fix.Narcotic capitalism.True happiness is within.The man who has nothing, if he wants to,can have everything.Give, don't take.Be.BMW and Nike and Apple is not the meaning of life--its is the destruction of it.find out more.JZ Wang +1Edit Delete Reply Yang intentionally choose to ignore the key reason that underlines all of serious social problems, as well as people's disappointment and anger Actually, she is focusing on letting the world know what situation we face in China at present, numbers of problems looking for solutions.IT IS complicated but we are now experiencing.going to a university does not make you educated or intelligent or a critical thinker)I do appreciate YANG Lan for telling the world about these.At least all the examples she uses are what were once a hot topic in mainland China.And they are much more updated than what the outside world tend to believe.I think these examples truly reflect the young generation in China today, and how they are responding and transferring the Chinese society.I think she only “truly reflect some of the young generation in China”, I believe she can do something more.James Yao +6Edit Delete

A real patriot is not the one that blindly praises his own country even the country is in real problems, but one that humbly learn from others and find solutions to build a better country.The country's future lies not in good praises alone, but in good actions with real results that deserver good praises.stepping on TED stage to her is just a show, not spreading ideas.she has no valuable ideas.as far as this speech is concerned.I hope more native Chinese can stand here and tell whole world how China looks like now and what will be in the future.I know there are lots of problems in China right now, but I really believe that things are going better.The quickly improvement of internet in China is one example.The media is opening out in some extent, much better than ten years ago, I think.Actually, I feel lucky that I was born after the policy of reformation and opening, and that I am living in the era of China with peace.The elder generation, our parents, they were working very very hard for decades to achieve a high-speed increasing economy.As my father told, when he married with my mother nearly thirty years ago, what they possessed were only few articles of furniture in a very small room, less than 20 meter square.And both my parents did not have the opportunity to gain education for the poverty at that time.Though the soaring housing price make a great amount of young people(plain office workers)despaired, the situation is much better than our parents when they were young.As young people, we are often dissatisfied with a lot of phenomenon in China and like to complain the government’s ability together.However, I believe deep in my heart that the government is trying to do its best(上有政策，下有对策), and China is developing all the time.And we are the generation to achieve it, remaking China and building a better society for the next generation.Just like our parents work for us.We are on the way！TED is one of my favorite website for its purpose that to spread great ideas from the whole world.But it is a pity that there are so few native Chinese to give lecture here.Hope for more such lecture in the future.China needs to introduce itself to the world.Yafim Simanovsky +7Edit Delete Reply I think she is taking a very Eastern approach towards the talkchinese media is no exception to this rule.The “real” China is difficult to grasp, as well as the “real” West.Is the West treated equally in chinese Media? I can read chinese and I found chinese media being biased as wellsomething we have in common.China is treated unfairly by western media.Well, please take a number-America is treated unfairly as well by german Medial, Africa, South-America...And personally I am tired of the “you can´t speak chinese so you don´t get the real China” argument.Sometimes it might be true, but any other time it is just an excuse.Can every Chinese explain to me the real China? Can every Westerner explain whats really going on in America, Italy, Spain? Samuel Morse 0Edit Delete Reply Oct 4 2011: Hey Ray, I live in Ninbo right now, and I do know some people who speak English, but none so well as this speaker...just sayin' Arthur Borges 50+ 0Edit Delete Reply 6 days ago: I'm afraid we still have the stereotype of the man in the local Chinese laundry who can't pronounce their “R”s correctly.Never mind that R is a problem for Cantonese rather than Mainlanders in general.And for most of the world, “Chinese” food is actually Cantonese cooking because historically, that's where most emigrants hailed from.Benjamin Blank 0Edit Delete Reply 5 days ago: At most it is ignorant not to speak and write Chinese.....isn't it implying that the Chinese are dangerous for Westerners not to speak and write Chinese? Welcome to the Lazy west.Chinese influence is inevitable everywhere, and at some level all of us know that.It is the idea that Chinese are “foreign” that is dangerous.We will adapt when the info is in our face, everything is completely in our face here.A little numb, but not completely stupid and fat.All of us in the world have something to offer that is probably vital for our evolution as humans, otherwise extinction would be a fact.It is learning each other that is the most amazing part of living now, something we did not have at this level of intensity in the past.When the “real” Global Social Network arrives I will be happy to argue on.Joy Zhang 0Edit Delete Reply 4 days ago: Can't agree with you too much Stefan Alexiev 0Edit Delete Reply 5 days ago: I feel like the latest generation can change the world everywhere.We now have the sources through which we can speak and be heard and we do not have to listen to the manipulated, biased, and corrupt mainstream media.We now how our own voices and we can build followings of like minded people and make things happen.For example the current financial crisis, Occupy Wall Street Movement, and more on the financial related news can be found on sites like http://www.xiexiebang.com/ which are unbiased, individually run, and have no interest in bringing you false information.We can eventually block out mainstream media, stop being follower sheep, and think for ourselves because the truth is out there through blogs and other media.Load more comments…

第四篇：温家宝在英国皇家学会的演讲(全文)

温家宝在英国皇家学会的演讲（全文）未来中国的走向——在英国皇家学会的演讲

中华人民共和国国务院总理 温家宝（2011年6月27日，伦敦）

The Path to China's Future

Speech by H.E.Wen Jiabao

Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

At the Royal Society

London, 27 June 2011

尊敬的纳斯会长，各位会员、各位使节，女士们、先生们：

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, Dear Fellows，Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 今天，我应邀访问久负盛名的英国皇家学会，深感荣幸。刚才，英国皇家学会授予我“查理二世国王奖”。这不仅是我个人的荣誉，也是对中国科技进步的肯定，同时也是中英两国科技界友谊与合作的象征。对此，我向你们表示衷心的感谢！

It gives me great pleasure to visit the renowned Royal Society today.I have just received the Royal Society King Charles II Medal.To me, it is not only a personal honor, but also a recognition of China's advances in science and technology.Indeed, it is a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and British science communities, and I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to you for awarding me the medal.英国皇家学会，是英国最高科学学术机构，也是世界上历史最悠久的科学学会。牛顿、达尔文、爱因斯坦、霍金等科学巨匠，为人类科技事业发展作出过划时代的贡献。在座的各位会员，同样以自己的杰出成就造福社会。我向你们表示崇高的敬意！

The Royal Society is the most prestigious science institution in the UK and the oldest science society in the world.It is often associated with such towering figures as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, who have made epoch-making contribution to the advancement of science and technology.I wish to also salute all the Fellows present today for your outstanding achievements in promoting human progress.担任中国总理以来，这是我第四次访问贵国。这一 次和上一次时隔两年，感觉大不相同。2009年初，贵国遭受一场罕见的大雪，同时也经历着国际金融危机的煎熬。我从达沃斯到伦敦一路走来，感受到一种忧郁 不安的气氛。我当时说，“信心比货币和黄金更宝贵”。如今仲夏的伦敦，人们又恢复了往日的从容和自信。我对贵国应对危机所作的努力和可喜进展，表示由衷的 钦佩！

This is my fourth visit to the UK as China's premier.During this visit, I have a very different impression from my last visit two years ago, in early 2009.Back then, the UK was hit by both a rare heavy snow and the global financial crisis.Coming to London from Davos, I could sense anxiety and uneasiness in the air.I remember saying during that visit, “Confidence is more important than currency and gold.” But now back in mid-summer London, I can see that people have regained confidence.I greatly admire the UK's efforts and achievements.我要告诉朋友们的是，经过这场国际金融危机的洗礼，中国前进的步伐更加稳健了。在这里，我想说一件事。

As to my country China, it has emerged from the financial crisis stronger and is now on a steady course of growth.Let me give you an example: 2008年5月12日，中国西南部发生毁灭性的 特大地震。当时，我站在震中汶川的废墟上，对前来采访的中外记者说，“过三年再来，一个新的汶川会拔地而起”。三年过去了，我们一边应对国际金融危机的冲 击，一边举全国之力进行灾后重建。上个月，我第十次来到震区，欣喜地看到：灾区最漂亮的是住房，最坚固的是学校，最现代的是医院，最满意的是居民。我邀请 在座各位朋友，有机会到中国汶川走一走、看一看。如果你们身临其境，一定会为这里发生的奇迹感到震撼，也会从中真实地感受到中国的生机和活力。

You may recall that on May 12, 2008, a devastating earthquake hit southwest China.Standing on the rubbles in Wenchuan, the epicenter of the quake, I said to the Chinese and foreign journalists, “Come back in three years' time, and you will see a new Wenchuan.” Over the past three years, while fighting the global financial crisis, we have mobilized the whole country to carry out reconstruction in the earthquake areas.Last month, I visited these areas for the tenth time.I saw decent housing apartments, solid school buildings and modern hospitals, and the local people were pleased with the reconstruction.I hope you will visit Wenchuan, where you will be overwhelmed by the miraculous transformation, and you will personally experience China's vitality.对中国改革开放以来的发展变化，世界上有各种各样的解读；对未来中国的走向，人们也非常关注。我愿意借今天这个机会，谈谈我的看法。People outside China see the development and changes in China since reform and opening-up in different ways.There is also an intense interest in China's future path.I wish to take this opportunity to address this subject.上世纪80年代初，中国改革开放的总设计师邓小平，曾提出我国现代化进程分“三步走”的战略构想。第一步，基本解决温饱问题；第二步，全面建设小康社会；第三步，到本世纪中叶，基本实现现代化，达到世 界中等发达国家水平。2010年到2020年，是中国全面建设小康社会的关键阶段。“三步走”战略的核心和本质，都是坚持以人为本，增进全体中国人的福 祉。沿着这条社会主义现代化道路前进，中国必将会有一个更加光明的未来。In the early 1980s, Mr.Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up program, proposed a three-step strategy for China's modernization drive.The first step is to ensure adequate food and clothing for the people.The second step is to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects.The third step is to achieve modernization and reach the level of medium developed countries by the middle of this century.The current period from 2010 to 2020 is a crucial one for China to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects.Putting people's interests first and promoting the wellbeing of the entire Chinese people-this is what the three-step strategy is all about.Following this path of socialist modernization, China will embrace an even brighter future.未来的中国，将是一个经济发达、人民富裕的国 家。集中精力发展经济，不断改善人民生活，始终是中国政府的第一要务。我们将坚持科学发展，着力转变经济发展方式，走绿色、低碳、可持续的发展道路。我们 将扩大国内需求特别是消费需求，进一步释放城乡居民消费潜力，使消费成为拉动经济增长的根本动力。我们将更加注重改善民生，努力扩大就业，优先发展教育、卫生等公共事业，深化收入分配制度改革，增加城乡居民收入，加快建立覆盖城乡居民的社会保障体系，让各族人民共享发展成果。

Tomorrow's China will be an economically advanced country with its people enjoying prosperity.To pursue economic development and improve people's lives has always been the top priority of the Chinese government.We will stick to scientific development, work hard to shift the model of economic development and achieve green, low-carbon and sustainable development.We will expand domestic demand, particularly consumer demand, fully tap into the potential for consumption of urban and rural population, and make consumption the fundamental driver of economic growth.We will redouble efforts to improve public welfare, create jobs, and develop education, health and other social programs on a priority basis.We will deepen the reform of income distribution, increase the income of urban and rural households and speed up the establishment of a social security system covering both urban and rural residents.We will ensure that what is achieved in development will be shared by the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.中国经济的振兴和可持续发展，根本靠科技。中国 政府已经制定并组织实施了国家中长期科技发展规划。我们持续增加科技投入，近五年，中央财政共投入近1000亿美元，年均增长22.7%。从今年开始实施 的“十二五”规划，我们力争把研究开发投入占国内生产总值的比重从现在的1.75%提高到2.2%。同时，我们将加快培育和发展战略性新兴产业。现阶段重 点培育和发展节能环保、新一代信息技术、生物、高端设备制造、新能源、新材料、新能源汽车等产业。所有这些，都将促进当前发展并为长期发展提供有力支撑。

Science and technology hold the key to China's economic prosperity and sustainable development.The Chinese government has adopted the National Medium-and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development.Government R&D investment has reached nearly US$100 billion in the past five years, growing at an average annual rate of 22.7%.Under the 12th Five-Year Plan which starts this year, R&D funding as a percentage of China's GDP will rise to 2.2% from the current 1.75%.At the same time, we will accelerate the development of strategic emerging industries, with priority given to energy conservation, environmental protection, new generation of information technology, biotechnology, advanced equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials and new energy powered automobile.These efforts will boost our development at present, and provide strong support for our development in the long run.从世界范围看，克服国际金融危机，保证经济的稳 定、平衡和可持续发展，根本也要靠科技。当今世界正处于新科技革命的前夜，新技术革命和产业革命初现端倪，诸多领域正酝酿着激动人心的重大突破。这场新科 技革命，必将进一步深化我们对宇宙自然和人类自身的认识，必将开辟生产力发展的新空间，创造新的社会需求，必将深刻影响人类的生产方式、生活方式和思维方 式，从而从根本上改变21世纪人类社会发展进程。科技无国界。让我们共同迎接这一伟大时代的到来！

Globally, science and technology are also crucial for overcoming the financial crisis and ensuring stable, balanced and sustainable economic development.The world is seeing the advent of a new revolution in science and technology and a new industrial revolution.Exciting breakthroughs will be made in many fields.This new revolution in science and technology will deepen our understanding of the universe, nature and ourselves as human beings.It will open up new frontiers, unleash productive forces, create new social demand and exert a profound impact on mode of production, way of life and way of thinking.The revolution in science and technology will thus bring about a fundamental change in the development of human society in the 21st century.Science and technology know no borders.Let us together embrace the arrival of this great era.未来的中国，将是一个充分实现民主法治、公平正 义的国家。在人类历史上，在反对封建专制斗争中形成的民主、法治、自由、平等、人权等观念，是人类精神的一次大解放。只是不同社会、不同国家，实现的途径 和形式有所不同。人民民主是社会主义的生命，没有民主就没有社会主义。真正的民主离不开自由。真正的自由离不开经济权利和政治权利的保障。坦率地说，目前 中国社会还存在着贪污腐败、分配不公以及损害人民群众权益的种种弊端。解决这些问题的根本途径，是坚定不移地推进政治体制改革，建设社会主义民主法治国 家。

Tomorrow's China will be a country that fully achieves democracy, the rule of law, fairness and justice.The struggles against feudal autocracy in the human history gave birth to the concepts of democracy, the rule of law, freedom, equality and human rights.These ideas have greatly emancipated the human mind, although they may be achieved in different ways and forms in different societies and countries.People's democracy is the soul of socialism.Without democracy, there is no socialism.Without freedom, there is no real democracy.Without guarantee of economic and political rights, there is no real freedom.To be frank, corruption, unfair income distribution and other ills that harm people's rights and interests still exist in China.The best way to resolve these problems is to firmly advance the political structural reform and build socialist democracy under the rule of law.我们要尊重和保障人权，依法保障全体社会成员平等参与、平等发展的权利。我们要健全对政府权力的制约和监督机制，保证人民赋予的权力真正为人民谋福利。中国曾经是封建主义影响很深的国家，新中国成立后 曾经历十年“文革”的浩劫，在开放的环境下又出现一些新的情况和问题。发扬民主，健全法制，加强对权力的有效监督，仍然是一项长期而艰巨的任务。我们要创 造条件让人民监督和批评政府，使政府不敢懈怠、避免产生腐败。人民的责任感和民主精神，将带动社会的进步。人民参与社会管理和公共事务越多，推动社会进步 的能量就越大。

We are committed to respecting and protecting human rights.Pursuant to the law, we protect the right of all members of society to equal participation and development.We will improve mechanisms for checking and supervising government powers so as to ensure that these powers entrusted by the people are exercised in people's interests.China was long under the influence of feudalism.After the founding of New China, the country went through the turmoil of the decade-long Cultural Revolution.Since China opened itself, some new developments and problems have occurred.To promote democracy, improve the legal system and strengthen effective oversight of power remains a long and arduous task for us.We need to create conditions for people to oversee and criticize the government to make the government live up to its responsibility and prevent corruption.With a keen sense of responsibility and democracy, people will spur social progress.The more the people participate in social management and public affairs, the greater the momentum there will be to sustain social progress.近些年来，我们在深化经济体制改革的同时，积极 稳妥地推进政治体制改革。在推进政府决策科学化、民主化，加强人民对政府的监督等方面，也有许多进步。例如，实行政务公开，政府预算公开，推行电子政务、听证制度和专家咨询制度等。我已连续三年在作《政府工作报告》之前，在网上同网民交流。今年春，我在新华网在线交流时，收到网民来贴40多万条，手机信息 11万多条，页面访问量近3亿人次。同这些普通民众的交流，是心对心的交流，可以直接体察人民的喜怒哀乐和对政府的诉求，有利于改进政府工作。In recent years, while deepening the economic structural reform, we have actively and steadily advanced the political structural reform.Much progress has been made in making government decision-making sound and democratic and enhancing public oversight of the government.For example, we have made government affairs and budgets more transparent and introduced such practices as e-government, public hearing and expert consulting.During the past three years, before I delivered the Report on the Work of the Government each year, I had an online dialogue with the public.During this year's dialogue with the public in spring on the website of the Xinhua News Agency, I received over 400,000 posts and more than 110,000 text messages, and the webpage was visited nearly 300 million times.I opened my heart to the people, and this direct engagement enabled me to learn about what is on their minds and what they want from the government.This helps the government improve its performance.未来的中国，将是一个更加开放包容、文明和谐的国家。一个国家、一个民族，只有开放包容，才能发展进步。唯有开放，先进和有用的东西才能进得来；唯有包容，吸收借鉴优秀文化，才能使自己充实和强大起来。

Tomorrow's China will be a more open, inclusive, culturally advanced and harmonious country.A country or a nation will grow and progress only when it is open and inclusive.Only an open country can introduce all that is advanced and useful.And only an inclusive society can enrich and strengthen itself by drawing on the strengths of fine foreign cultures.我们不仅要在经济领域、科技领域继续扩大对外开 放，而且在文化建设、社会管理等领域也要大胆博采众长。中国在推进现代化过程中遇到的诸多问题，如能源问题、环境问题、贫富差距问题、司法公正问题和廉政 问题等，许多发达国家都曾经遇到过。对各国的成功经验，我们要认真借鉴；对别人走过的弯路，我们不应重复；对世界面临的难题，我们要同国际社会一道来破 解。

We should not only continue to open up in economic, scientific and technological fields, but also boldly learn from others in promoting cultural progress and social management.In its modernization drive, China has encountered various problems in the fields of energy, the environment, wealth distribution, judicial justice and government integrity.These are problems that many developed countries have run into before.We will learn from the successful experience of other countries while avoiding their mistakes.We will work with the rest of the international community to address common challenges facing the world.我们要创造更加良好的政治环境和更加自由的学术 氛围，让人民追求真理、崇尚理性、尊重科学，探索自然的奥秘、社会的法则和人生的真谛。做学问、搞科研，尤其需要倡导“独立之精神，自由之思想”。正因为 有了充分的学术自由，像牛顿这样在人类历史上具有伟大影响的科学家，才能够思潮奔腾、才华迸发，敢于思考前人从未思考过的问题，敢于踏进前人从未涉足的领 域。不久前，我同中国科学家交流时提出，要大力营造敢于创造、敢冒风险、敢于批判和宽容失败的环境，鼓励自由探索，提倡学术争鸣。

We should create a better political environment and a freer academic atmosphere in which people can pursue truth, exercise reasoning and respect science, in which the mysteries of nature, the laws governing society and the true meaning of life can be fully explored.The spirit of independence and freedom in thinking is particularly important in academic studies and research.It was in an environment of academic freedom that great scientists like Isaac Newton, who had a profound impact on human history, were able to bring out their best, probe issues not questioned by predecessors and blaze a new trail.In my recent conversation with some Chinese scientists, I called for creating an environment which encourages innovation, criticism and risk-taking and tolerates failure, an environment that encourages free exploration of new things and stimulates academic debate.我们历来主张尊重世界文明的多样性，倡导不同文 明之间的对话、交流与合作。我国已故著名社会学家费孝通先生，上世纪30年代曾就读于伦敦政治经济学院并获得博士学位，一生饱经沧桑。他在晚年提出：“各 美其美，美人之美，美美与共，世界大同。”费老先生的这一人生感悟，生动反映了当代中国人开放包容的胸怀。

We have always called for respecting the diversity of civilizations and advocated dialogue, exchanges and cooperation among them.The late Mr.Fei Xiaotong, a well-known Chinese sociologist, received his PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the 1930s.Having gone through many vicissitudes in life, he concluded in his late years that “The world will be a harmonious place if people appreciate their own beauty and that of others, and work together to create beauty in the world.” These thoughts best illustrate the open and inclusive mindset of China today.未来的中国，将是一个坚持和平发展、勇于担当的 国家。走和平发展道路，是中国政府和人民根据时代潮流和自身利益作出的战略抉择，是中国积极参与经济全球化、最终实现现代化的必由之路。中国的和平发展，对世界不是威胁，而是机遇。中国已经成为世界经济增长的重要引擎，近五年对世界经济增长的贡献率在20%以上。自2001年中国加入世界贸易组织以来，年 均进口近7500亿美元商品，为相关国家和地区创造了1400多万个就业岗位。未来5年，中国进口规模累计有望超过8万亿美元，将给世界各国带来更多商 机。Tomorrow's China will be a country committed to peaceful development and ready to shoulder its responsibilities.To pursue peaceful development is a strategic decision made by the Chinese government and people in keeping with the trend of the times and based on our own interests.Only such a pursuit will enable China to embrace economic globalization and achieve modernization.China's peaceful development is an opportunity rather than a threat to the rest of the world.China has become an engine driving global economic growth, having contributed to over 20% of world economic growth each year in the past five years.Since joining the WTO in 2001, China has imported close to US$750 billion of goods every year, creating over 14 million jobs for relevant countries and regions.China's import is expected to exceed US$8 trillion in the next five years, and this will provide more business opportunities for other countries.21世纪应是合作的世纪，而不是冲突和争霸的世纪。中国是世界和平的坚定维护者。我们一贯主张和平解决国际争端，反对使用武力。中国将同国际社会一道，共担责任、共迎挑战，继续推动国际体系朝着更加公平、公正、包容的方向发展。

The 21st century should be a century of cooperation rather than conflict and rivalry.China is committed to upholding world peace.We have consistently called for settling international disputes by peaceful means and opposed the use of force.China will work with the rest of the international community to undertake responsibilities, meet challenges and make the international system more equitable, just and inclusive.女士们、先生们：

建设有中国特色的社会主义，是13亿中国人民的 庄严选择。中国30多年的变化，得益于改革开放；中国未来的发展，仍然要靠改革开放。改革开放，要贯穿中国现代化建设的始终。倒退没有出路，停滞也没有出 路。只有坚定信心、继续前进，中国才能建设成为富强、民主、文明、和谐的社会主义现代化国家，中国人民才能更加普遍和以更高水准过上有尊严的幸福生活。尽 管前进的道路上还会有这样那样的艰难险阻，但这一历史进程不可逆转！

Ladies and Gentlemen, To build socialism with distinctive Chinese features is the solemn choice made by the 1.3 billion Chinese people.China owes the success of its transformation in the past 30-odd years to reform and opening-up.And China must deepen reform and opening-up to sustain its future development.Reform and opening-up will be carried out in the entire process of China's modernization endeavor.To stall or reverse course is not an option for China.We must move on with confidence.Only by doing so can China turn itself into a prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, modern and harmonious socialist country, and can the Chinese people enjoy a happy life with dignity in a more extensive way and at a higher level.Whatever difficulties and obstacles may lie ahead, they cannot block this historical process!

女士们、先生们：

英国是世界上最早实现工业化的发达国家，在高科 技、高等教育、金融服务、医疗卫生、低碳经济等领域，都具有中国所需要的技术和管理经验。中国广阔的市场、丰富的人力资源和巨大的发展潜力，可以为英国经 济发展提供有力的支持。中国政府积极推进大型企业、研究型大学和科研机构同英国的合作，鼓励双方高端人才的交流和合作研究。Ladies and Gentlemen, The United Kingdom is a developed country and the first to achieve industrialization.Its advanced technologies and managerial expertise in research, higher education, financial services, public health and medical services and its development of low-carbon economy can well meet China's demand.On China's part, its vast market, abundant human resources and huge development potential can help boost UK's economic growth.The Chinese government encourages large Chinese companies, research-oriented universities and research institutions to increase cooperation with their British counterparts.It also encourages more exchanges of top-level talents and joint research between our two countries.英国伟大思想家培根说过，“智者创造机会，而不是等待机会”。富有思想和智慧的中英两国人民，一定能创造更多的机会，推动两国合作迈上新的台阶！我对中英关系的明天充满信心，更充满期待！

谢谢大家！

Francis Bacon said, “A wise man will make more opportunities, than he finds.” The Chinese and British people, with vision and creativity, can certainly create more opportunities and lift our cooperation to a new level.I have every confidence in and great expectation for the future of China-UK relations.Thank you.

第五篇：ted演讲：人类大脑最特别的地方在哪里

TED演讲：人类大脑最特别的地方在哪里？

问：是什么让人类比其他动物更聪明？答：烹饪。这个答案真是吃货的福音！烹饪熟食能够使得我们在短时间为身体提供更多能量，而充足的能量使大脑进化出超出普通哺乳动物的数倍的神经元……啥都别说了，菌菌要去吃热乎乎的夜宵了！片长：13分22秒，人类大脑最特别的地方在哪里？ 以下内容整理自：TED | 人类大脑最特别的地方在哪里？对于人类的大脑来说，什么是最特别的？我们为什么要研究其他的动物？而不是他们研究我们？有没有什么是人类大脑可以做的，而其他动物的大脑不能做的？十年前，我对这些问题产生兴趣。所有的大脑的构成方式不尽相同科学家认为，他们知道大脑不同的组成部分，即使那些都是基于一些非常小的证据。科学界认为所有的哺乳动物的大脑，包括人类的大脑，是由同样的东西组成，一系列的神经元和大脑的大小总是成为成正比。这个意味着，两个同样大小的大脑应该有同样数量的神经元。如果我们说神经元是大脑功能信息处理的单位，那么两个大脑各自的拥有者应该有的相近的认知能力。然而，其中一个是黑猩猩，而另一大脑属于一头母牛。也许牛有很丰富的精神生活，并且很聪明，他们选择不会让我们意识到这一点，但我想大多数人会同意，相比于牛来说，黑猩猩具有更加复杂以及灵活的行为。所以这是第一个征兆，显示“所有的大脑的构成方式都是一样的”不是特别正确。我们不妨继续这个比喻。如果所有的大脑由相同的方式组成，那么将大脑大小不同的动物拿来做比较，大一点的大脑对于小一点的大脑来说应该具有等多的神经元，并且越大的大脑，它的主人应该更有认知能力，所以最大的脑应该具有最好的认知能力。这里有个坏消息：我们的大脑，不是最大的一个。我们的大脑重量在1.2和1.5公斤之间，而大象的大脑在四、五公斤之间，鲸鱼大脑可重达9公斤。这就是为什么科学家们说我们的大脑肯定是非常特别的，来解释我们的认知能力。它必须是真的非同寻常，一个例外情况。他们的大脑可能会更大，但我们的更好，并且我们的大脑可以变得更好。对于我们的身体的大小，我们的大脑皮层面积比我们应该有的更大。因此，这样将会给我们额外皮质去做更多有趣的事情，而不是只主管我的身体。比较我们自己和巨猿，大猩猩可以是比我们大两到三倍，但它的大脑比我们的小，我们的大脑比大猩猩的大三倍。人类的大脑需要消耗很多能量人类的大脑也特别在它使用的能源的量。虽然它的重量只有全身的2%，但是它单独使用你身体每天所需能量的25%。2000卡路里中的500卡路里仅仅只是为了让你的大脑的工作。人类的大脑已经比应有的大小大出很多了，相对他应该消耗的来说，它消耗了更加多的能量，所以它很特殊。为什么进化的规则应用到了其他生物，但不是我们？也许两个大小相似的大脑，实际上可以由数目不同的神经元组成；也许是一个非常大的大脑，相对于一个更具规模适度的大脑，不一定需要具有更多的神经元；也许相比于其他大脑来说，人类的大脑具有最多的神经元，无论其规模大小。所以这成为了对于这个答案来说最重要的问题。您可能会听到或读到过我们有1000亿个神经元。10年前，我就问我的同事们他们是否知道这个数字是从哪里来的，但没人知道。我通过深入细致的研究文献，试图找出该数字的原始参考，但我找不到它。似乎其实没有人去真正的数过人类大脑里面的神经元数量，或者其他任何的大脑里面神经元的数量。所以我想出了我自己的方式，来统计大脑里面的细胞，它最重要的一个步骤是将大脑溶解在试剂里。它的工作方式：你将一个大脑或部分的大脑，让它溶化在洗涤剂里，洗涤剂会破坏细胞膜，但保持细胞核不变，所以你最终会看到细胞核悬浮。溶液中包含所有细胞核，可以摇晃它，并使这些细胞核在液体中均匀分布。通过在显微镜下观察，只需四个或五个这种细胞核均匀分布的样本，可以数数原子核，并能够计算知道有多少脑细胞。这样很简单、非常直接，并且速度也很快。所以我们使用了这种方法来计数神经元。目前为止，我们计数了几十个不同的物种。结果发现，所有的大脑都是由不同的方式组成的。以啮齿类动物和灵长类动物为例：在大一些的啮齿类动物大脑里，神经元的平均尺寸在增加。所以，大脑非常迅速地膨胀，尺寸增长比获得神经元更加快。但灵长类动物的大脑增加神经元，而不是神经元平均尺寸增大。在大脑里添加神经元的结果是，灵长类动物的大脑和啮齿动物相同大小的脑相比,总有更多的神经元。大脑越大，这种差异性也会越大。人类的大脑又是如何呢？我们平均有860亿个神经元，其中有160亿个存在于大脑皮质里。如果你认为大脑皮质是下列功能的基础：意识、逻辑和抽象推理，那么这160亿个神经元对大脑皮质来说是最重要的。我想这是对于我们能拥有卓越的认知能力最简单的说明。我们发现了大脑的大小和其神经元数目之间的关联是可以用数学模型来计算的，我们可以计算出人类大脑如果被作成像是一个啮齿类动物的大脑会如何——有着860亿神经元的啮齿类动物大脑将重36公斤。巨大的大脑将会被它自己本身的重量所挤压，这个不可能的大脑需要一个89吨的身体。和其他的灵长类动物作比较，你会发现一般的灵长类动物，如果有着860亿神经元，将会有一个约1.2公斤的大脑，在大约66公斤身体中这似乎刚刚好。我们的大脑和其它灵长类动物的大脑一样。所以人类大脑的特别之处不在于其神经元的数目，从这方面看它只是一个大的灵长类动物的大脑。我想这是个非常谦卑和发人深省的思考，提醒了我们在自然界的位置。能量的摄入量限制了大脑的大小为什么我们的大脑消耗这么大的能量？人类和其他物种的大脑神经元消耗相同的能量，平均每日，每十亿个神经元消耗六个卡路里的热量。所以一个大脑全部精力的消耗是简单的，线性函数可计算其神经元的数目。结果发现，人类的大脑消耗如此多的能量的原因是，它有大量的神经元；而且由于我们是灵长类动物，在一个特定大小的身体里，人类比任何其他的动物，有着更多的神经元。因为我们是灵长类动物，我们的大脑的相对消耗量是很大的。所以我们为什么有数量巨大的神经元，特别是，如果巨猿比我们更大，那为什么他们沒有一个有着更多神经细胞，比我们还大的大脑呢？我想，可能有一个简单的原因。他们只是不能负担一个大型的身体，以及多量的神经细胞共存所需的能量。一方面，我们计算着一个灵长类动物每一天借由吃生的食物获取多少能量；另一方面，有多少能量在一个特定大小的身体中消耗，有多少能量在含有特定数量神经元的大脑中消耗。然后我们结合身体尺寸，找到灵长类动物每天花一定时间在吃上面，能够负担得起的大脑神经元数目。然后我们发现，一个灵长类动物每天吃八个小时，才能够负担最多530亿神经元，但是与此同时，它的身体不能超过25公斤。任何比这更重的重量都使它必须放弃一些神经细胞。当你吃的像灵长类动物时，庞大的身体和大数量的神经元不可兼得。一个方法超出此种代谢限制就是每一天花更多的时间在吃饭上面，但是，这样是很危险的，某种程度上，它是不可能发生的。例如大猩猩和红毛猩猩，能够负担约300亿个神经元。它们每天花八个半小时吃饭，这似乎是它们所能做的一切。9个小时的每日饲喂是灵长类动物的实际限制。人类通过烹饪提高了能量的摄取效率那我们呢？根据我们的860亿神经元和60到70公斤的体重，我们应该每天要花超过九个小时在吃饭上，这是不可行的。如果我们像灵长类动物一样吃，我们不应该在这里。我们怎么在这里呢？唯一的选择是以某种方式从相同的食品上获取更多的能量。引人注目的是，这和我们的祖先早已发现的完全匹配。在一百五十万年前，他们发明了烹饪，在食物进入你身体前预先消化食物。煮熟的食物比较软，所以他们更容易嚼烂，在你的嘴里完全粉碎，这就使他们能够完全被消化并且被你的肠道所吸收，这使得它们在更少的时间内带来更多能源。所以烹饪让我们有更多的时间，去用我们的神经元做更多有趣的事情，而不是只想着食物，寻找食物，并吞噬下食物，花去整整一天。由于烹饪，曾是一个沉重的负担且极其昂贵的、有着一大堆神经元的大脑，现在能够成为一项重要资产。我们可以为神经元提供能量，并且把时间用在去做一些有趣的事情。这就解释了为什么人类的大脑在进化过程中增长如此之快。由于烹饪，我们可以负担得起这么大的大脑，我们迅速地进步着，从生食到文化、农业、文明、杂货店、电力、冰箱，所有这些事物。现今使我们能够快速得到我们一整天所需的所有能量，来自于你最喜欢的快餐食品。所以曾经的一种解决办法，现在成为了一个问题。讽刺的是，我们在生食中寻找解决方案。人类的优势是什么？我们有什么东西是其他动物没有的吗？我的答案是我们有最大数量神经元存在于大脑皮层中，并且我认为这能最简单地解释为什么我们有卓越的认知能力。还有就是我们做了什么是没有其他动物做的？我认为使我们能够达到这么多的，最多数量的神经元存在于大脑皮质中的基本原因是两个词，我们做饭。没有其他动物烹饪它们的食物，只有人类才做。而且我认为，这就是我们是怎么成为人类的。研究人类大脑改变我对食物的想法。现在我看看自己的厨房，然后我向它鞠躬，然后我谢谢我的祖先想到这个有可能使我们成为人类的发明。