雅艾尔：唐，我正在读一篇非常有趣的文章，讲在史前时代由于大气中二氧化碳含量急剧减少造成地表温度骤降。
Don: Uh huh.
唐：哦，哈。
Yael: Yeah you know, because carbon dioxide is agreenhouse gas.
雅艾尔：你知道的，二氧化碳是温室气体。
Don: Right.
唐：对。
Yael: Don, are you even listening?
雅艾尔：唐，你在听吗?
Don: Yes, of course.
唐：是的，当然。
Yael: No you're not, you're doodling! Look at that: stars, squiggles. I have to say, Don, it'spretty rude. If you're doodling then you're clearly not paying attention.
雅艾尔：不，你没在听，你在涂鸦!看，你画了星星，花体字。唐，我得告诉你，这样很无礼。很明显，你涂鸦就说明你没有注意我。
Don: Actually, that's not true. A study found that doodling can help you remember details—it'sa way of concentrating the mind.
唐：实际上，这种想法不对。一项研究发现，涂鸦可以帮助你记忆细节——这是一种集中注意力的方式。
Yael: Really?
雅艾尔：真的吗?
Don: Yep. The researchers had forty subjects listen to a tape listing the names of severalpeople, some of whom were going to a party. Twenty of the participants were told to shade inshapes on a piece of paper, the other twenty just listened. Then all forty were told to writedown only the names of the people on the tape going to the party.
唐：是的。研究人员让40名被试者听一段列举了好几个人名的录音，其中一些人要去参加派对。要求20名参与者将纸上的图形涂上阴影，其余20人只听不涂。然后让这40人写下去参加聚会的人的名字。
Yael: So the people who doodled while listening remembered more of the names?
雅艾尔：那么，在听的时候涂鸦的人能记住更多的人名?
Don: Right. Granted, it's only a small study, but psychologists know that something likedoodling can help keep the mind from wandering when you're listening to a boring list orsomething. So you actually end up concentrating more on the content of what you're hearing.
唐：对。当然，这只是一个小实验。但心理学家们知道，在听一段枯燥的名单时涂鸦能防止思想走神。所以最终你会集中更多的注意力在你所听到的内容上。
Yael: So are you saying I was being boring?
雅艾尔：你的意思是我的话很枯燥吗?
Don: No! Please, tell me more about carbon dioxide in prehistoric times.
唐：不!请告诉我更多关于史前二氧化碳的信息。
Yael: OK. And feel free to doodle.
雅艾尔：好吧。你可以随意涂鸦了。
