Want to be smarter in work, love, and life? Recent scientific advances have shown that one’s intelligence can be improved by “braining training” – and it’s not just a bump of one or two IQ points.
想在工作，愛情和生活上表現得更加睿智嗎？近來的科學發展成果表明，一個人的智力是可以通過腦瓜訓練來提升的，而且不僅僅只是提高那麼一兩分智商值哦！
IQ, measured by a battery of tests that capture a wide range of cognitive skills, from verbal to analytical and beyond, has long been thought to be unchanged throughout one’s life.
IQ，也就是智商，是通過對不同類型的認知技能測試而最終得出的，其中包括語言、分析判斷等方面。長久以來，人們認為IQ是終生不變的。
But according to a recent groundbreaking study published in science magazine Nature, IQ can rise by a staggering 21 points over four years–or fall by 18.
但最近，科學雜誌《自然》刊登了一篇具有開創性意義的研究文章。文章裏說，IQ可以在四年內提高21點或者下降18點，著實令人驚奇。
Cognitive scientist Cathy Price of University College London, UK, and her colleagues found that IQ changes are linked to structural changes in the brain.
來自英國倫敦大學學院的認知科學家凱西?普萊斯和同事們發現智商值變化與大腦結構改變之間存在聯繫。
More specifically, the density and volume of the gray matter changed in the brains of those people with significantly improved IQ points.
更具體點說就是，那些IQ顯著提高的人大腦中灰質的密度和體積都增加了。
Recent research has also shown that short-term memory, traditionally regarded as only one aspect of one’s IQ, may in fact be the lever that can raise overall intelligence.
近來有研究表明，我們原本認為只是IQ的一個方面的短期記憶，事實上可能是“撬動”整體智力水準的一個“杠桿”。
Scientists led by Susanne Jaeggi of the University of Michigan, US, found in 2008 that short-term memory may be the foundation of pure intelligence to a greater extent than anyone suspected.
來自美國密歇根大學由蘇珊娜?耶吉領導的一支科學家團隊于2008年發現，短期記憶力對智力的直接促進作用可能超乎任何人的想像。
They trained adult volunteers on a difficult short-term-memory task: simultaneously hearing a string of letters and seeing a series of computer screens that had a blue square in different places.
他們對成年自願者做了培訓，讓他們完成一項頗具挑戰性的短期記憶任務。一邊聽研究人員說的一連串字母，一邊同時觀察一組電腦螢幕上顯示的藍色方框的位置，每個螢幕的藍框位置各不相同。
The volunteers then had to identify when the spoken letter or the square’s position matched that of several screens earlier.
志願者必須在聽到的字母或者藍框位置與之前螢幕出現的相符時作出判斷。
The more they practiced and honed their short-term memory, the greater the improvement in the purest form of brain power, fluid intelligence–the ability to reason and solve problems independently of existing knowledge. The same results have also been achieved in school-age kids.
他們短期記憶力的訓練強度越大，腦力最直接的表現形式——流體智力的改善越大。流體智力是根據已有知識獨立理清問題、解決問題的能力。該實驗結果也在學齡兒童身上得到了證實。
The other brain element you can train in order to raise your IQ is attention. Neuroscientists have shown over and over that attention is the requisite condition of learning and thus of boosting intelligence.
另一個提高IQ的辦法就是鍛鍊你的注意力。神經學家一次次證明注意力是學習能力的必要條件，因而也有助於提高智力。
While improving your brain takes work, the good news is there are some accessible ways to go about it. Aerobic exercise, for one, is very good for both the brain and muscles.
雖然提高智力是一項龐大工程，但幸運的是我們還是有路可走的。比如，有氧運動就是既提高腦力又鍛鍊肌肉的好辦法。
Walking 30 minutes a day five times a week stimulates production of a molecule that nurtures the creation of the new neurons and synapses that underlie learning.
每天步行30分鐘，一週五次，可以促進一些分子的分泌，這種分子能促進神經元和突觸的生成，而學習能力的產生正是源於這些神經元和突觸。
Scientists have also found that exercise increases gray matter in the region of the brain that processes new knowledge and sends it to be stored permanently in the frontal cortex, helping one become more knowledgeable.
科學家們還發現，鍛鍊身體可以增加腦部某個區域的灰質，該區域主要負責處理大腦接收的新知識，將其傳遞給額皮質永久儲存，增加人的知識儲備。
A midday nap not only can restore brain power to its fully awake best but can also raise it beyond what it would have been without some shut-eye.
午睡不僅可以最大程度上將腦力恢復到完全清醒狀態，同時還可以使腦力在原沒有睡眠的基礎上有所提高。
Too excited to nap during the day? Then drink some coffee. Caffeine can make your mind sharper. Learning a second language can also help.
白天時過於興奮而無法入睡？那就喝點咖啡吧。咖啡因是可以讓你的思維更加敏捷。另外，學習外語也可以幫助提升腦力。 （來源：21英語網）