2019-09-16 Think positive! 积极乐观地考虑问题

美国的一项研究发现，如果你想长寿，想活得快活，那么你需要积极乐观的生活态度！但是积极的心态并不总是与生俱来的。“随身英语” 提供一些关于如何改变思维定势，去思考生活中美好事物的建议。

Vocabulary: mental health 词汇：心理健康

How are you feeling today? If your head’s in a spin because you’ve had a bad night’s sleep, or you’re hungover, or maybe you’ve just got too much to do, the chances are you’re not in the best of moods. If everything seems like an effort and you have a negative attitude, the last thing you want to be told it to ‘be positive!’ But having this mindset could have more benefits than you think.

Of course, developing a positive attitude is easier said than done – it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. When you’re feeling down in the dumps, it is hard to be optimistic. But a study in the US has found that people who are optimists are more likely to live longer than those who have a more negative approach to life. It revealed the likelihood of positive people living to the age of 85 or more to be higher. So, maybe the thought of a longer life might encourage you to have a more hopeful outlook on life.

The study concluded that optimists may find it easier to control emotions and get less stressed. And as stress impacts on the immune system, it’s possible that optimists cope better with infections. Professor Lewina Lee from Boston University School of Medicine, who worked on the study, told the BBC that: “Our findings speak to the possibility that raising levels of optimism may promote longevity and healthy ageing.” And she advises that pessimists could benefit from doing things like imagining a future where everything turns out well.

But if you’re a ‘glass half empty’ type of person, could seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses work for you? Accepting that we all have problems and that we’re not all the same helps us to get a grip on our emotions. Some people say it’s best to celebrate the positives and not dwell on the negative parts of our lives.

People have being giving the BBC their personal advice on keeping a healthy and positive approach to life: Vicki Siska says “Music feeds my soul, a sense of humour keeps things in perspective, and I have good friends who love and care for me.” And Pippa Kennedy says “being grateful for what you have – and lots of chocolate – helps!” The saying goes that ‘a healthy body leads a healthy mind’ which is probably why other people have recommended doing yoga and meditation as well as staying fit and healthy to help maintain a positive outlook on life.

词汇表

head’s in a spin 晕头转向
negative attitude 消极态度
mindset 思维模式
come naturally 天生的，自然得来
down in the dumps 情绪低落，心情郁闷
optimistic 乐观的
optimist 乐观的人，乐天派
outlook 人生观
emotion 情绪
longevity 长寿
pessimist 悲观主义者
glass half empty 水杯一半是空的（指看事物或问题时看到更多坏的一面的人）
rose-tinted glasses “玫瑰色的眼镜”，只看到事物好的方面
get a grip 控制，掌控
positives 正面的事物
sense of humour 幽默感
in perspective 正确地看待……
yoga 瑜伽
meditation 冥思

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. According to a study, what is the benefit of having a positive attitude?

2. Why might an optimistic person get less stressed?

3. According to the study, who should start imagining a future that turns out well?

4. True or false? A ‘glass half full’ type of person tends to focus on celebrating the positive things in life.

5. Why might jogging regularly help you maintain a positive outlook on life?

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思恰当的单词填入句子中的空格处。

1. Learning English doesn’t _______ to me – that’s why I’ve been going to evening classes to learn it for years!

get a grip                        come naturally                mindset                     negative attitude

2. I want a long and happy retirement so I’m giving up smoking in attempt to improve my health and _______.

longevity                         outlook                           emotions                    rose-tinted glasses

3. I’m feeling very _______ after my girlfriend split up with me and I lost my job.

down on the dumps       down in the dumped      down in the dumps      down at the dump

4. Keep things in _______ – you didn’t get the exam grades you were expecting but you got enough to earn a place at university!

optimistic                       outlook                          meditation                    perspective

5. Mr brother has a _______ attitude – he always thinks his friends are more successful than he is!

glass half full                 glass half empty             full glass half               glass half emptying

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. According to a study, what is the benefit of having a positive attitude?
A study in the US has found that people who are optimists are more likely to live longer than those who have a more negative approach to life.

2. Why might an optimistic person get less stressed?
The study concluded that optimists may find it easier to control emotions and get less stressed.

3. According to the study, who should start imagining a future that turns out well?
One of the study’s conclusions was that pessimists could benefit from doing things like imagining a future where everything turns out well.

4. True or false? A ‘glass half full’ type of person tends to focus on celebrating the positive things in life.
True. Someone with a glass half FULL is an optimist and more likely to celebrate the positive things in life.

5. Why might jogging regularly help you maintain a positive outlook on life?
Some people say that ‘a healthy body leads a healthy mind’ so staying fit by jogging, for example, helps you maintain a positive mind set.

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思恰当的单词填入句子中的空格处。

1. Learning English doesn’t come naturally to me – that’s why I’ve been going to evening classes to learn it for years!

2. I want a long and happy retirement so I’m giving up smoking in attempt to improve my health and longevity.

3. I’m feeling very down in the dumps after my girlfriend split up with me and I lost my job.

4. Keep things in perspective – you didn’t get the exam grades you were expecting but you got enough to earn a place at university!

5. Mr brother has a glass half empty attitude – he always thinks his friends are more successful than he is!