考研英語：歷年真題閱讀要點之1995-Text 5（三）

　　In thinking about the evolution of memory together with all its possible aspects, it is helpful to consider what would happen if memories failed to fade. Forgetting clearly aids orientation in time, since old memories weaken and the new tend to stand out, providing clues for inferring duration.

　　together with all its possible aspects“及其所有可能的方面”;it充當(dāng)形式主語，真正的主語是to consider...;if條件句與現(xiàn)在事實相反;fail to do“沒能做某事”;fade“逐漸消失”，也可以表示“褪色”或“凋謝”;aid“有助于”，也可以充當(dāng)名詞;orientation in time“定位時間”，orientation可以表示“適應(yīng)，情況介紹”，orientation session“熟悉情況的介紹會”，應(yīng)用文涉及過相關(guān)考查;since“因為”;weaken“變?nèi)?rdquo;;stand out“突出”;providing現(xiàn)在分詞充當(dāng)結(jié)果狀語;provide sth. for sb.或provide sb. with sth.“提供”;clue“線索”;infer“推斷”。

　　Without forgetting, adaptive ability would suffer, for example, learned behaviour that might have been correct a decade ago may no longer be. Cases are recorded of people who (by ordinary standards) forgot so little that their everyday activities were full of confusion. Thus forgetting seems to serve that survival of the individual and the species.

　　without“如果沒有”，引導(dǎo)虛擬條件句;adaptive ability“適應(yīng)能力”;suffer在這里充當(dāng)不及物動詞“受損害”;learned behaviour可以表示“后天習(xí)得的行為”;第二句的主干結(jié)構(gòu)Cases are recorded;confusion“混亂，困惑”，動詞confuse，confuse... with...“混淆”，形容詞confused“困惑的，糊涂的”，閱讀中，涉及作者態(tài)度題可能會出現(xiàn)這個詞;serve“對...有用”。

　　Another line of thought assumes a memory storage system of limited capacity that provides adaptive flexibility specifically through forgetting... Indeed, there is evidence that the rate at which individuals forget is directly related to how much they have learned.

　　assume“假設(shè)”;limited capacity“有限的容量”;that引導(dǎo)定語從句，修飾限定a memory storage system;flexibility“靈活性”;continual adjustments“不斷的調(diào)整”;that引導(dǎo)同位語從句，解釋說明抽象名詞evidence;be directly related to“與...直接相關(guān)”。