一天40分钟打造你的超级记忆力

It is said that for memorization purposes, there are forty minutes each day in which our memory is vastly more receptive than it is during the other 23 hours and 20 minutes. This 40-minute “super memory” period is divided into two parts: the 20 minutes before we sleep, and the 20 minutes after we first awake.

据说想要有效率的背诵，必须知道人在一天之中有40分钟记忆力最强，接收能力超过其余23小时20分。而这“记忆超强”的40分钟又可以分为两段：临睡前的20分钟和醒来后的20分钟。

The theory supporting this is pretty simple. First, the last information you input into your brain before a good night’s sleep has a better chance of taking root than information acquired during the hustle bustle of normal daily routine; and, second, your mind is free of distraction when you first awake in the morning — so more receptive to inputs, like a blank slate.

要用理论证明这个说法十分简单。首先，在进入梦乡前把信息植入脑海比在白天乱哄哄的情景下更容易扎根；其次，早晨醒来精力不容易分散，就像空白的石板，更容易铭刻下输入的信息。

As far as language study goes, it’s not only useful for memorizing vocabulary. It’s also a very useful window of time in which to listen to the language you’re studying, even as background noise, and even if it’s at a level you find difficult to comprehend. It might be audio language study aids, or just radio, TV or whatever.

在语言学习方面，这个方法不仅对背单词有帮助，也可以成为锻炼听力的最佳时段，即使只是作为做其他事的背景音乐听，即使你所听的材料超过了你的理解能力，你也会受益良多。你可以听外语听力材料、广播、电视音响或随便其他什么。

Beyond our years of formal education, memory skills are hugely important in any career.

记忆力除了上学必需外，在各行各业中也很重要。

How many times have you heard a speaker read their speech from a prepared text, or read the word-by-word content of a powerpoint presentation as they present each slide?

你听过几个演讲者会照着写好的稿子念，又见过几个人在做演示时会逐字逐句地朗读每张幻灯片的文字？

These are annoying, distracting, boring, and ineffective ways of communicating. They are almost guaranteed to lose the audience’s close attention and interest, let alone persuade or inspire anyone to do anything. And yet lots of people still make this mistake.

这样的沟通方式令人厌烦、不能吸引注意、枯燥乏味、效率低下，保证会让听众兴趣索然，味同嚼蜡，根本就无法说服或激励听众采取行动。但仍有很多人会犯这样的错误。

If you use the “forty minute” technique, you may not succeed in memorizing your presentation contents on a 100% word-by-word basis, but you’ll be familiar enough that you can spend much more time making eye contact with your audience. You will engage them in the process, while glancing at your text instead of staring at it. This will also free up your hands and arms to add some emphasis through gesture.

运用“40分钟”技巧，也许你并不能一字不落地背诵演示稿，却可以充分掌握内容，从而留出更多时间与听众进行眼神交流。你可以让观众参与其中，抽空儿再扫一眼屏幕，不用紧盯不放。你还可以解放胳膊和双手，增加一些手势，以示强调。

The technique really works, but like many things, it takes practice and discipline to hone and perfect it.

这个办法真的很管用，但和其他很多事一样，也需要练习和自律才能日臻完美。