翻译题 During a lab meeting, one of our PhD researchers recalls how her father would forbid her from using paper to help solve maths homework problems by writing them down. 【F1】Another admits that she sometimes still uses her hands to make small calculations, although she does so while hiding them behind her back. When we realize that all of us use our fingers in order to answer demands for the "third, fifth, and seventh digits" of our secret online banking password, we laugh in relief. We are not so foolish after all, or at least we are not alone.
Our ability to think and reason has been trained and tested in real world situations that restrict our ability to use our hands. At school, children quickly learn to count "in their heads", without using their fingers as props. At university, we ask our students to take "closed-book" exams, relying only on that information committed to memory. Job applicants take intelligence tests during which their interaction with the world is limited to a tick-box (or computer key-press) to mark their selected answers. 【F2】The implicit assumption that supports these practices is that truly intelligent behavior originates from the inner parts of the brain, and the brain alone.
Of course educators are well aware that props are a great help in teaching young children to reason with numbers and solve problems. Likewise, neuropsychologists use props to assess memory loss in the elderly. 【F3】In other words, it's acceptable to engage with the material world to support your thinking if your mental abilities are still developing or if you are losing your cognitive powers. For the rest of us, however, it's seen as a sign of cognitive weakness.
It is this view we aim to challenge, rejecting the metaphor of mind as computer according to which thoughts ultimately emerge from the brain's processing of information from the outside world. 【F4】The subtle consequence of this metaphor is that it implies that simulating a situation in your head while you think is equivalent to living through that situation while you think. In both cases, your answer will depend only on how (well) your brain processes the information.
Our research strongly challenges this assumption. We show instead that people's thoughts, choices and insights can be transformed by physical interaction with things. 【F5】So next time your child counts using her fingers, or you see your employees spread out information over their desk and walls, be reassured: they are not limited in their capacity to think well. In fact, they are enhancing their ability to think.

问答题 16.【F1】

【正确答案】另一个研究员承认说，她有时还会用手指做简单的计算，尽管她这么做时会把手藏到背后。

【答案解析】①本句为复合句，主句主干为Another admits that…；句首的Another结合上文的one of our PhD researchers可知，是指Another PhD researcher，翻译时可简单译作“另一个研究员”。admit后是由that引导的从句作admit的宾语，说明承认的内容；uses her hands to make small calculations中的use sth．to do sth．结构意为“用……做……”。②although引导让步状语从句，其中so作does的宾语，指代uses her hands to make small calculations这件事；while引出的时间状语可视为省略了主语(she)和助动词was的时间状语从句，其中的them指代hands；句末的behind her back为地点状语，说明该研究员用手指做计算时，手藏在背后。

问答题 17.【F2】

【正确答案】支持这些做法的隐含假定是真正具有智慧的行为产生于大脑内部，并仅仅依赖于大脑。

【答案解析】①本句为复合句，包含一个定语从句和一个表语从句。②定语从句that supports these practices修饰中心词assumption，补充说明这是怎样的assumption。③表语从句中的originate from意为“起源于，产生于”。from后接两个宾语，由并列连词and连接。

问答题 18.【F3】

【正确答案】换句话说，如果你的思维能力仍在发展中，又或者你的认知能力正在减弱，通过与物质世界打交道来帮助你思考是可以接受的。

【答案解析】①本句为复合句，包含两个并列的条件状语从句。②句首的In other words可视为插入语，意为“换句话说”。主句为主系表结构，主语it为形式主语，真正的主语为第一个to引出的不定式结构to engage with the material world。第二个to引出的不定式结构to support your thinking为目的状语，说明to engage with the material world的意图。③句子的后半部由连接词or连接两个并列的if引导的条件状语从句。

问答题 19.【F4】

【正确答案】这个比喻的微妙之处就是，它暗示了思考时大脑模拟情境，等同于思考时本人亲身经历这种情境。

【答案解析】①本句为多重复合句，包含一个表语从句、一个宾语从句和两个while引导的时间状语从句。②句首The subtle consequence of this metaphor为主句的主语，其中of this metaphor作The subtle consequence的后置定语；第一个that引导表语从句，解释说明主句主语The subtle consequence of this metaphor。③第二个that引导implies的宾语从句，说明暗示的内容；该宾语从句为A is equivalent to B结构，其中A为simulating a situation in your head while you think，B为living through that situation while you think。

问答题 20.【F5】

【正确答案】因此，下次你看见你的孩子用手指数数，或者看见你的雇员在他们桌子和墙上张贴信息，请放心：他们的思考能力没有受限。

【答案解析】①本句为复合句。主句为祈使句be reassured．．．，冒号后的内容是对be reassured“放心”的补充说明，即补充说明可以不用为什么担心。②句首的So表明本句与前一句为因果关系，前因后果；next time在句中作引导词，引导时间状语从句，说明什么时候可以be reassured“放心”；第一个逗号前的using her fingers为方式状语，说明是用手指counts“数数”；see sb．do sth.意为“看见某人做某事”；第二个逗号前的over their desk and walls为地点状语，补充说明employees spread out information的地点。③sb．be limited to do sth．意为“某人被限制傲某事”，in their capacity为状语，表示“在他们的能力方面”。