1.maximize VERB
maximize sth to increase sth as much as possible 使增加到最大限度
maximize sth to make the best use of sth 充分利用;最大限度地利用
仿We are aiming to maximize profits.
原They maximized their gains with very little personal cost .
2.lousy ADJ
very bad 非常糟的;極壞的;惡劣的
[only before noun ] used to show that you feel annoyed or insulted because you do not think that sth is worth very much (認為某物無太大價值而感到不滿或受辱)討厭的,倒霉的
lousy with sth/sb (某事物或人)太多的
仿He felt lousy .
原If the rational you says, “No, it’s a lousy deal!” try to catch the moment you reverse your preferences.
3.sobriety NOUN
the state of being sober (= not being drunk) 未醉
the fact of being sensible and serious 持重;冷靜
仿You had to talk to him in those moments of sobriety.
原Not the drink, but sobriety. Not the deep-fried doughnut, but the tight derrière.
4.contemplate VERB
to think about whether you should do sth, or how you should do sth 考慮;思量;思忖
contemplate doing sth
to think carefully about and accept the possibility of sth happening 考慮接受(發生某事的可能性)
仿I have never contemplated giving up.
原When our modern selves contemplate immediate versus future rewards, the brain processes these two options very differently.
5.cool off 变凉,冷静下来
to become cooler after being very hot
to become calm again
if sales, prices etc cool off, they become lower
仿 Cool off the milk quickly.
原To delay gratification, the prefrontal cortex has to cool off the promise of reward.
6.Sentence
As soon as there is any distance between you and the temptation, the power of balance shifts back to the brain’s system of self-control.
面临诱惑时,即便再不情愿,也要给自己点时间距离来冷静冷静。哪怕只是一点时间也可以让我们的判断更准确。
7.Summary
What impressed me most in today's reading is the"Ten Minute Rule".When we are blinded by the promise of reward, immediate gratification often points us to the wrong direction. In fact, the longer we wait for a reward, the lower it appeal to us. Therefore, when we faces the temptation, waiting for ten minutes will help us avoid many traps. At the same time, we can flip the"Ten Minute Rule" to over come our procrastination.