英语演讲稿:TED英语演讲稿：我们在出生前学到了什么是英语演讲稿的经典，只要你仔细了解并细心体会其中的技巧，你一定能够做好一个完美的演讲！
mysubjecttodayislearning.andinthatspirit,iwanttospringonyouallapopquiz.ready?whendoeslearningbegin?nowasyouponderthatquestion,maybeyou'rethinkingaboutthefirstdayofpreschoolorkindergarten,thefirsttimethatkidsareinaclassroomwithateacher.ormaybeyou'vecalledtomindthetoddlerphasewhenchildrenarelearninghowtowalkandtalkanduseafork.maybeyou'veencounteredthezero-to-threemovement,whichassertsthatthemostimportantyearsforlearningaretheearliestones.andsoyouranswertomyquestionwouldbe:learningbeginsatbirth.
welltodayiwanttopresenttoyouanideathatmaybesurprisingandmayevenseemimplausible,butwhichissupportedbythelatestevidencefrompsychologyandbiology.andthatisthatsomeofthemostimportantlearningweeverdohappensbeforewe'reborn,whilewe'restillinthewomb.nowi'masciencereporter.iwritebooksandmagazinearticles.andi'malsoamother.andthosetworolescametogetherformeinabookthatiwrotecalled"origins.""origins"isareportfromthefrontlinesofanexcitingnewfieldcalledfetalorigins.fetaloriginsisascientificdisciplinethatemergedjustabouttwodecadesago,andit'sbasedonthetheorythatourhealthandwell-beingthroughoutourlivesiscruciallyaffectedbytheninemonthswespendinthewomb.nowthistheorywasofmorethanjustintellectualinteresttome.iwasmyselfpregnantwhileiwasdoingtheresearchforthebook.andoneofthemostfascinatinginsightsitookfromthisworkisthatwe'realllearningabouttheworldevenbeforeweenterit.
whenweholdourbabiesforthefirsttime,wemightimaginethatthey'recleanslates,unmarkedbylife,wheninfact,they'vealreadybeenshapedbyusandbytheparticularworldwelivein.todayiwanttosharewithyousomeoftheamazingthingsthatscientistsarediscoveringaboutwhatfetuseslearnwhilethey'restillintheirmothers'bellies.
firstofall,theylearnthesoundoftheirmothers'voices.becausesoundsfromtheoutsideworldhavetotravelthroughthemother'sabdominaltissueandthroughtheamnioticfluidthatsurroundsthefetus,thevoicesfetuseshear,startingaroundthefourthmonthofgestation,aremutedandmuffled.oneresearchersaysthattheyprobablysoundalotlikethethevoiceofcharliebrown'steacherintheold"peanuts"cartoon.butthepregnantwoman'sownvoicereverberatesthroughherbody,reachingthefetusmuchmorereadily.andbecausethefetusiswithherallthetime,ithearshervoicealot.oncethebaby'sborn,itrecognizeshervoiceanditpreferslisteningtohervoiceoveranyoneelse's.
howcanweknowthis?newbornbabiescan'tdomuch,butonethingthey'rereallygoodatissucking.researcherstakeadvantageofthisfactbyrigginguptworubbernipples,sothatifababysucksonone,ithearsarecordingofitsmother'svoiceonapairofheadphones,andifitsucksontheothernipple,ithearsarecordingofafemalestranger'svoice.babiesquicklyshowtheirpreferencebychoosingthefirstone.scientistsalsotakeadvantageofthefactthatbabieswillslowdowntheirsuckingwhensomethingintereststhemandresumetheirfastsuckingwhentheygetbored.thisishowresearchersdiscoveredthat,afterwomenrepeatedlyreadaloudasectionofdr.seuss'"thecatinthehat"whiletheywerepregnant,theirnewbornbabiesrecognizedthatpassagewhentheyhearitoutsidethewomb.myfavoriteexperimentofthiskindistheonethatshowedthatthebabiesofwomenwhowatchedacertainsoapoperaeverydayduringpregnancyrecognizedthethemesongofthatshowoncetheywereborn.sofetusesareevenlearningabouttheparticularlanguagethat'sspokenintheworldthatthey'llbeborninto.
astudypublishedlastyearfoundthatfrombirth,fromthemomentofbirth,babiescryintheaccentoftheirmother'snativelanguage.frenchbabiescryonarisingnotewhilegermanbabiesendonafallingnote,imitatingthemelodiccontoursofthoselanguages.nowwhywouldthiskindoffetallearningbeuseful?itmayhaveevolvedtoaidthebaby'ssurvival.fromthemomentofbirth,thebabyrespondsmosttothevoiceofthepersonwhoismostlikelytocareforit--itsmother.itevenmakesitscriessoundlikethemother'slanguage,whichmayfurtherendearthebabytothemother,andwhichmaygivethebabyaheadstartinthecriticaltaskoflearninghowtounderstandandspeakitsnativelanguage.
butit'snotjustsoundsthatfetusesarelearningaboutinutero.it'salsotastesandsmells.bysevenmonthsofgestation,thefetus'tastebudsarefullydeveloped,anditsolfactoryreceptors,whichallowittosmell,arefunctioning.theflavorsofthefoodapregnantwomaneatsfindtheirwayintotheamnioticfluid,whichiscontinuouslyswallowedbythefetus.babiesseemtorememberandpreferthesetastesoncethey'reoutintheworld.inoneexperiment,agroupofpregnantwomenwasaskedtodrinkalotofcarrotjuiceduringtheirthirdtrimesterofpregnancy,whileanothergroupofpregnantwomendrankonlywater.sixmonthslater,thewomen'sinfantswereofferedcerealmixedwithcarrotjuice,andtheirfacialexpressionswereobservedwhiletheyateit.theoffspringofthecarrotjuicedrinkingwomenatemorecarrot-flavoredcereal,andfromthelooksofit,theyseemedtoenjoyitmore.
asortoffrenchversionofthisexperimentwascarriedoutindijon,francewhereresearchersfoundthatmotherswhoconsumedfoodanddrinkflavoredwithlicorice-flavoredaniseduringpregnancyshowedapreferenceforaniseontheirfirstdayoflife,andagain,whentheyweretestedlater,ontheirfourthdayoflife.babieswhosemothersdidnoteataniseduringpregnancyshowedareactionthattranslatedroughlyas"yuck."whatthismeansisthatfetusesareeffectivelybeingtaughtbytheirmothersaboutwhatissafeandgoodtoeat.fetusesarealsobeingtaughtabouttheparticularculturethatthey'llbejoiningthroughoneofculture'smostpowerfulexpressions,whichisfood.they'rebeingintroducedtothecharacteristicflavorsandspicesoftheirculture'scuisineevenbeforebirth.
nowitturnsoutthatfetusesarelearningevenbiggerlessons.butbeforeigettothat,iwanttoaddresssomethingthatyoumaybewonderingabout.thenotionoffetallearningmayconjureupforyouattemptstoenrichthefetus--likeplayingmozartthroughheadphonesplacedonapregnantbelly.butactually,thenine-month-longprocessofmoldingandshapingthatgoesoninthewombisalotmorevisceralandconsequentialthanthat.muchofwhatapregnantwomanencountersinherdailylife--theairshebreathes,thefoodanddrinksheconsumes,thechemicalsshe'sexposedto,eventheemotionsshefeels--aresharedinsomefashionwithherfetus.theymakeupamixofinfluencesasindividualandidiosyncraticasthewomanherself.thefetusincorporatestheseofferingsintoitsownbody,makesthempartofitsfleshandblood.andoftenitdoessomethingmore.ittreatsthesematernalcontributionsasinformation,aswhatiliketocallbiologicalpostcardsfromtheworldoutside.
sowhatafetusislearningaboutinuteroisnotmozart's"magicflute"butanswerstoquestionsmuchmorecriticaltoitssurvival.willitbebornintoaworldofabundanceorscarcity?willitbesafeandprotected,orwillitfaceconstantdangersandthreats?willitlivealong,fruitfullifeorashort,harriedone?thepregnantwoman'sdietandstresslevelinparticularprovideimportantcluestoprevailingconditionslikeafingerliftedtothewind.theresultingtuningandtweakingofafetus'brainandotherorgansarepartofwhatgiveushumansourenormousflexibility,ourabilitytothriveinahugevarietyofenvironments,fromthecountrytothecity,fromthetundratothedesert.
toconclude,iwanttotellyoutwostoriesabouthowmothersteachtheirchildrenabouttheworldevenbeforethey'reborn.intheautumnof1944,thedarkestdaysofworldwarii,germantroopsblockadedwesternholland,turningawayallshipmentsoffood.theopeningofthenazi'ssiegewasfollowedbyoneoftheharshestwintersindecades--socoldthewaterinthecanalsfrozesolid.soonfoodbecamescarce,withmanydutchsurvivingonjust500caloriesaday--aquarterofwhattheyconsumedbeforethewar.asweeksofdeprivationstretchedintomonths,someresortedtoeatingtulipbulbs.bythebeginningofmay,thenation'scarefullyrationedfoodreservewascompletelyexhausted.thespecterofmassstarvationloomed.andthenonmay5th,1945,thesiegecametoasuddenendwhenhollandwasliberatedbytheallies.
the"hungerwinter,"asitcametobeknown,killedsome10,000peopleandweakenedthousandsmore.buttherewasanotherpopulationthatwasaffected--the40,000fetusesinuteroduringthesiege.someoftheeffectsofmalnutritionduringpregnancywereimmediatelyapparentinhigherratesofstillbirths,birthdefects,lowbirthweightsandinfantmortality.butotherswouldn'tbediscoveredformanyyears.decadesafterthe"hungerwinter,"researchersdocumentedthatpeoplewhosemotherswerepregnantduringthesiegehavemoreobesity,morediabetesandmoreheartdiseaseinlaterlifethanindividualswhoweregestatedundernormalconditions.theseindividuals'prenatalexperienceofstarvationseemstohavechangedtheirbodiesinmyriadways.theyhavehigherbloodpressure,poorercholesterolprofilesandreducedglucosetolerance--aprecursorofdiabetes.
whywouldundernutritioninthewombresultindiseaselater?oneexplanationisthatfetusesaremakingthebestofabadsituation.whenfoodisscarce,theydivertnutrientstowardsthereallycriticalorgan,thebrain,andawayfromotherorgansliketheheartandliver.thiskeepsthefetusaliveintheshort-term,butthebillcomesduelateroninlifewhenthoseotherorgans,deprivedearlyon,becomemoresusceptibletodisease.
butthatmaynotbeallthat'sgoingon.itseemsthatfetusesaretakingcuesfromtheintrauterineenvironmentandtailoringtheirphysiologyaccordingly.they'repreparingthemselvesforthekindofworldtheywillencounterontheothersideofthewomb.thefetusadjustsitsmetabolismandotherphysiologicalprocessesinanticipationoftheenvironmentthatawaitsit.andthebasisofthefetus'predictioniswhatitsmothereats.themealsapregnantwomanconsumesconstituteakindofstory,afairytaleofabundanceoragrimchronicleofdeprivation.thisstoryimpartsinformationthatthefetususestoorganizeitsbodyanditssystems--anadaptationtoprevailingcircumstancesthatfacilitatesitsfuturesurvival.facedwithseverelylimitedresources,asmaller-sizedchildwithreducedenergyrequirementswill,infact,haveabetterchanceoflivingtoadulthood.
therealtroublecomeswhenpregnantwomenare,inasense,unreliablenarrators,whenfetusesareledtoexpectaworldofscarcityandareborninsteadintoaworldofplenty.thisiswhathappenedtothechildrenofthedutch"hungerwinter."andtheirhigherratesofobesity,diabetesandheartdiseasearetheresult.bodiesthatwerebuilttohangontoeverycaloriefoundthemselvesswimminginthesuperfluouscaloriesofthepost-warwesterndiet.theworldtheyhadlearnedaboutwhileinuterowasnotthesameastheworldintowhichtheywereborn.
here'sanotherstory.at8:46a.m.onseptember11th,XX,thereweretensofthousandsofpeopleinthevicinityoftheworldtradecenterinnewyork--commutersspillingofftrains,waitressessettingtablesforthemorningrush,brokersalreadyworkingthephonesonwallstreet.1,700ofthesepeoplewerepregnantwomen.whentheplanesstruckandthetowerscollapsed,manyofthesewomenexperiencedthesamehorrorsinflictedonothersurvivorsofthedisaster--theoverwhelmingchaosandconfusion,therollingcloudsofpotentiallytoxicdustanddebris,theheart-poundingfearfortheirlives.
aboutayearafter9/11,researchersexaminedagroupofwomenwhowerepregnantwhentheywereexposedtotheworldtradecenterattack.inthebabiesofthosewomenwhodevelopedpost-traumaticstresssyndrome,orptsd,followingtheirordeal,researchersdiscoveredabiologicalmarkerofsusceptibilitytoptsd--aneffectthatwasmostpronouncedininfantswhosemothersexperiencedthecatastropheintheirthirdtrimester.inotherwords,themotherswithpost-traumaticstresssyndromehadpassedonavulnerabilitytotheconditiontotheirchildrenwhiletheywerestillinutero.
nowconsiderthis:post-traumaticstresssyndromeappearstobeareactiontostressgoneverywrong,causingitsvictimstremendousunnecessarysuffering.butthere'sanotherwayofthinkingaboutptsd.whatlookslikepathologytousmayactuallybeausefuladaptationinsomecircumstances.inaparticularlydangerousenvironment,thecharacteristicmanifestationsofptsd--ahyper-awarenessofone'ssurroundings,aquick-triggerresponsetodanger--couldsavesomeone'slife.thenotionthattheprenataltransmissionofptsdriskisadaptiveisstillspeculative,butifinditratherpoignant.itwouldmeanthat,evenbeforebirth,mothersarewarningtheirchildrenthatit'sawildworldoutthere,tellingthem,"becareful."
letmebeclear.fetaloriginsresearchisnotaboutblamingwomenforwhathappensduringpregnancy.it'saboutdiscoveringhowbesttopromotethehealthandwell-beingofthenextgeneration.thatimportanteffortmustincludeafocusonwhatfetuseslearnduringtheninemonthstheyspendinthewomb.learningisoneoflife'smostessentialactivities,anditbeginsmuchearlierthanweeverimagined.
thankyou.
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