ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Helen Pearson - Science journalist, editor, author
Helen Pearson's book, "The Life Project," tells the extraordinary story of the longest-running study of human development in the world.

Why you should listen

In March 1946, scientists began tracking almost every British baby born in a single week. What they discovered would change how we are born, grow up, raise children, live and die. Helen Pearson's 2016 book, The Life Project, is the story of this incredible project and the remarkable discoveries that have come from it. It was named best science book of the year by The Observer and was a book of the year for The Economist.

As Chief Magazine Editor for the world’s leading science journal, Nature, Pearson oversees all its journalism and opinion content. Her own stories have won accolades including the 2010 Wistar Institute Science Journalism Award and two best feature awards from the Association of British Science Writers.

More profile about the speaker
Helen Pearson | Speaker | TED.com
TED2017

Helen Pearson: Lessons from the longest study on human development

海倫皮爾森: 一項最長期的人類發展研究教導了我們什麼?

Filmed:
2,357,562 views

在過去七十年,英國的科學家一直在研究數千名孩童的一生,試圖找出為什麼有些人最後快樂又健康,有些卻過得很艱苦。這是世界上人類發展研究中最長的一個研究,他們是世上被研究最透徹的一群人,這些研究能夠改變我們生活、學習,和養育子女的方式。科學新聞工作者海倫皮爾森回顧了這項了不起的研究,並分享了一些重要的發現,以及關於人生和良好養育方式的幾個簡單事實。
- Science journalist, editor, author
Helen Pearson's book, "The Life Project," tells the extraordinary story of the longest-running study of human development in the world. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
Today今天 I want to confess承認 something to you,
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今天,我要向各位承認一件事,
00:17
but first of all I'm going to ask you
a couple一對 of questions問題.
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但首先,我要先問你們一些問題。
00:20
How many許多 people here have children孩子?
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在座有多少人有孩子?
00:23
And how many許多 of you are confident信心
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有多少人有信心
00:25
that you know how
to bring帶來 up your children孩子
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知道如何用正確的方式
00:27
in exactly究竟 the right way?
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來養育你的孩子?
00:28
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
00:32
OK, I don't see too many許多 hands
going up on that second第二 one,
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好,第二個問題沒有很多人舉手,
00:35
and that's my confession自白書, too.
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我要承認的也是這件事。
00:36
I've got three boys男孩;
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我有三個兒子;
00:38
they're three, nine and 12.
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分別 3 歲、9 歲、12 歲。
00:39
And like you, and like most parents父母,
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我和你們……和大部分父母一樣,
00:42
the honest誠實 truth真相 is I have
pretty漂亮 much no idea理念 what I'm doing.
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老實說我真的不知道我在做什麼。
00:45
I want them to be
happy快樂 and healthy健康 in their lives生活,
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我想要讓孩子一生都快樂、健康,
00:48
but I don't know what I'm supposed應該 to do
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但我並不知道我該怎麼做,
才能確保他們能快樂和健康。
00:50
to make sure they are happy快樂 and healthy健康.
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很多書提供了各種意見,
有些還互相矛盾,
00:52
There's so many許多 books圖書
offering all kinds of conflicting衝突的 advice忠告,
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00:55
it can be really overwhelming壓倒.
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這種書多到不行。
00:56
So I've spent花費 most of their lives生活
just making製造 it up as I go along沿.
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所以,他們大部分的人生,
我都是邊摸索邊養大的。
01:01
However然而, something changed me
a few少數 years年份 ago,
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然而,幾年前,有件事改變了我,
01:04
when I came來了 across橫過 a little secret秘密
that we have in Britain英國.
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我偶然發現我們英國有一個小秘密。
01:07
It's helped幫助 me become成為 more confident信心
about how I bring帶來 up my own擁有 children孩子,
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它協助我對如何養育
孩子變得更有信心,
01:10
and it's revealed透露 a lot about
how we as a society社會 can help all children孩子.
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也有很多關於我們社會
要如何協助所有孩子的資訊。
01:14
I want to share分享 that secret秘密
with you today今天.
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今天我想和大家分享這個秘密。
01:18
For the last 70 years年份,
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過去七十年,
01:20
scientists科學家們 in Britain英國 have been following以下
thousands數千 of children孩子 through通過 their lives生活
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英國的科學家一直在追蹤
數千名孩童的一生,
01:24
as part部分 of an incredible難以置信 scientific科學 study研究.
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並整理出一項了不起的科學研究。
01:27
There's nothing quite相當 like it
anywhere隨地 else其他 in the world世界.
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世界其它國家都沒有這樣的研究。
01:30
Collecting收集 information信息
on thousands數千 of children孩子
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要收集數千名孩童的資料
是件非常強大的事情,
01:33
is a really powerful強大 thing to do,
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因為那意味著,我們可以將那些
01:34
because it means手段 we can compare比較
the ones那些 who say,
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在學校表現出色,
或長大後健康、快樂、有錢的人,
01:37
do well at school學校 or end結束 up healthy健康
or happy快樂 or wealthy富裕 as adults成年人,
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01:40
and the ones那些 who struggle鬥爭 much more,
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和碰到比較多困境的人做比較,
01:42
and then we can sift through通過
all the information信息 we've我們已經 collected
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接著我們詳細研究了
所有收集到的資料,
01:45
and try to work out why
their lives生活 turned轉身 out different不同.
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試著找出為什麼他們的
人生發展結果不同。
01:48
This British英國的 study研究 --
it's actually其實 a kind of crazy story故事.
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這項英國研究──
其實是個有點瘋狂的故事。
01:51
So it all starts啟動 back in 1946,
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一切開始於 1946 年,
01:53
just a few少數 months個月
after the end結束 of the war戰爭,
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在戰爭結束後幾個月,
01:55
when scientists科學家們 wanted to know
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科學家想要知道
01:57
what it was like for a woman女人
to have a baby寶寶 at the time.
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女性在那時有孩子
是什麼樣的感覺。
02:00
They carried攜帶的 out
this huge巨大 survey調查 of mothers母親
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他們針對母親進行了一個大型調查,
02:03
and ended結束 up recording記錄 the birth分娩
of nearly幾乎 every一切 baby寶寶
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最後記錄了當週在英國、蘇格蘭、
02:06
born天生 in England英國, Scotland蘇格蘭
and Wales威爾士 in one week.
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威爾斯誕生的每個寶寶的出生資訊。
02:09
That was nearly幾乎 14,000 babies嬰兒.
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有近 14,000 個寶寶的資料。
02:12
The questions問題 they asked these women婦女
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他們問這些女性的問題
02:14
are very different不同 than the ones那些
we might威力 ask today今天.
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和我們現今可能會問的問題差很多。
02:16
They sound聲音 really old-fashioned過時 now.
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現在聽來會覺得很老套。
02:18
They asked them things like,
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問的問題類似這樣:
02:19
"During pregnancy懷孕,
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「在懷孕期間,
02:21
did you get your full充分 extra額外 ration配給
of a pint品脫 of milk牛奶 a day?"
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你是否每天都有拿到
額外配給的一品脫牛奶?」
02:25
"How much did you spend
on smocks工作服, corsets緊身胸衣,
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「你花多少錢在工作服、緊身胸衣、
02:28
nightdresses睡衣, knickers短褲 and brassieres胸圍?"
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睡衣、襯褲、胸罩上?」
02:32
And this is my favorite喜愛 one:
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我最喜歡的是這個:
02:34
"Who looked看著 after your husband丈夫
while you were in bed with this baby寶寶?"
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「當你和這個寶寶在床上時,
誰照顧你的先生?」
02:37
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
02:42
Now, this wartime戰時 study研究
actually其實 ended結束 up being存在 so successful成功
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這項戰時的研究最後非常成功,
02:45
that scientists科學家們 did it again.
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讓科學家決定再做一次。
02:47
They recorded記錄 the births出生
of thousands數千 of babies嬰兒 born天生 in 1958
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他們記錄了 1958 年
出生的數千名寶寶,
02:50
and thousands數千 more in 1970.
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1970 年又再記錄了數千名。
02:53
They did it again in the early 1990s,
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九〇年初期他們又做了一次,
02:55
and again at the turn of the millennium千年.
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在千禧年時又做了一次。
02:57
Altogether, more than 70,000 children孩子
have been involved參與 in these studies學習
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全部加起來,這些研究涉及了
超過 70,000 名孩童,
03:00
across橫過 those five generations.
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跨越五個世代。
03:02
They're called the British英國的 birth分娩 cohorts同夥,
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他們稱之為
「英國出生世代的大型調查」,
03:05
and scientists科學家們 have gone走了 back
and recorded記錄 more information信息
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每幾年,科學家就得回去
03:07
on all of these people
every一切 few少數 years年份 ever since以來.
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記錄所有這些人的更多資訊。
03:11
The amount of information信息
that's now been collected on these people
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從這些人收集來的資料量
03:14
is just completely全然 mind-boggling令人難以置信.
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多到難以想像。
03:15
It includes包括 thousands數千
of paper questionnaires問卷調查
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包括了數千份的紙本問卷,
03:18
and terabytes'兆兆字節“ worth價值 of computer電腦 data數據.
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及好幾兆位元組的電腦資料。
03:20
Scientists科學家們 have also built內置 up
a huge巨大 bank銀行 of tissue組織 samples樣本,
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科學家也建立了一個
組織樣本的大型資料庫,
03:23
which哪一個 includes包括 locks of hair頭髮,
nail clippings剪報, baby寶寶 teeth and DNA脫氧核糖核酸.
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包含頭髮綹、剪下的指甲、
寶寶牙齒及 DNA。
03:28
They've他們已經 even collected 9,000 placentas胎盤
from some of the births出生,
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他們甚至從一些分娩中
收集了 9,000 個胎盤,
03:33
which哪一個 are now pickled醃製 in plastic塑料 buckets水桶
in a secure安全 storage存儲 warehouse倉庫.
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它們目前被醃漬在塑膠桶中,
安全地儲存在倉庫裡。
03:38
This whole整個 project項目 has become成為 unique獨特 --
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這整個計畫變得獨一無二──
03:40
so, no other country國家 in the world世界
is tracking追踪 generations of children孩子
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所以,目前沒有其它國家
追蹤數代孩童資料
追蹤地那麼仔細。
03:43
in quite相當 this detail詳情.
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03:45
These are some of the best-studied研究最深入
people on the planet行星,
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這些人是地球上
被研究得最透徹的人,
03:48
and the data數據 has become成為
incredibly令人難以置信 valuable有價值 for scientists科學家們,
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這些資料對科學家來說
是極度有價值的,
03:51
generating發電 well over 6,000
academic學術的 papers文件 and books圖書.
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產生了超過 6,000 篇
學術論文以及書籍。
03:56
But today今天 I want to focus焦點
on just one finding發現 --
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但現今,我只想著重
在其中一項發現──
03:59
perhaps也許 the most important重要 discovery發現
to come from this remarkable卓越 study研究.
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也許是這了不起的研究
帶來最重大的一項發現。
04:03
And it's also the one
that spoke to me personally親自,
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且這項發現對我個人蠻有意義的,
04:06
because it's about how to use science科學
to do the best最好 for our children孩子.
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因為它告訴了我,如何利用科學的方法
帶給孩子最好的教育。
04:10
So, let's get the bad news新聞
out of the way first.
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所以,我們先談談它的黑暗面。
04:14
Perhaps也許 the biggest最大 message信息
from this remarkable卓越 study研究 is this:
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也許這項偉大研究是要告訴我們:
04:18
don't be born天生 into poverty貧窮
or into disadvantage壞處,
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不要出生於貧困或弱勢,
04:21
because if you are,
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因為若是這樣的話,
04:22
you're far more likely容易
to walk步行 a difficult path路徑 in life.
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你人生走得較艱苦的可能性
會高很多。
04:26
Many許多 children孩子 in this study研究
were born天生 into poor較差的 families家庭
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這項研究的許多孩童
生在貧窮的家庭,
04:29
or into working-class工人階級 families家庭 that had
cramped狹窄 homes家園 or other problems問題,
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或勞動階級家庭,有的住處狹窄,
有的家中有其它問題。
04:33
and it's clear明確 now
that those disadvantaged劣勢 children孩子
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現在很明顯可看出,那些弱勢孩童
04:35
have been more likely容易 to struggle鬥爭
on almost幾乎 every一切 score得分了.
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在各方面幾乎都走得比較艱苦。
04:38
They've他們已經 been more likely容易
to do worse更差 at school學校,
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他們很可能在學校的表現較差,
04:41
to end結束 up with worse更差 jobs工作
and to earn less money.
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後來的工作比較差,
賺的錢也比較少。
04:44
Now, maybe that sounds聲音 really obvious明顯,
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也許這聽起來是不用說也知道,
04:46
but some of the results結果
have been really surprising奇怪,
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但有些結果卻十分讓人意外,
04:48
so children孩子 who had a tough強硬 start開始 in life
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人生起跑點就比較艱苦的孩童
04:50
are also more likely容易 to end結束 up
unhealthy不良 as adults成年人.
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長大也比較可能會
變成不健康的成人。
04:53
They're more likely容易 to be overweight超重,
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他們比較可能會過胖、
04:55
to have high blood血液 pressure壓力,
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有高血壓,
04:56
and then decades幾十年 down the line,
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且在數十年後,
04:58
more likely容易 to have a failing失敗 memory記憶,
poor較差的 health健康 and even to die earlier.
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比較可能會記憶衰退、
健康狀況差,甚至早逝。
05:05
Now, I talked about what happens發生 later後來,
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我剛說的是後續發生的狀況,
05:08
but some of these differences分歧 emerge出現
at a really shockingly令人吃驚 early age年齡.
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但另人吃驚的是,
有些差異在很早期就會浮現。
05:12
In one study研究,
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在一項研究中,
05:13
children孩子 who were growing生長 up in poverty貧窮
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在貧窮環境中成長的孩童
05:15
were almost幾乎 a year behind背後
the richer更豐富 children孩子 on educational教育性 tests測試,
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在教育考試的表現,
會落後有錢孩童一年之多,
05:19
and that was by the age年齡 of just three.
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而且在三歲時就會顯現出來。
05:22
These types類型 of differences分歧 have been found發現
again and again across橫過 the generations.
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在各世代,我們都會
發現這類的差異。
05:26
It means手段 that our early circumstances情況
have a profound深刻 influence影響
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這意味著,我們早年的處境,
對人生後續發展有著深遠的影響。
05:29
on the way that the rest休息
of our lives生活 play out.
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05:32
And working加工 out why that is
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找出這背後的原因,
05:33
is one of the most difficult questions問題
that we face面對 today今天.
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是我們現今面臨到
最困難的問題之一。
05:37
So there we have it.
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所以,就是這樣。
05:39
The first lesson for successful成功 life,
everyone大家, is this:
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各位,成功人生的第一課就是:
05:42
choose選擇 your parents父母 very carefully小心.
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小心選擇你的父母。
05:44
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
05:45
Don't be born天生 into a poor較差的 family家庭
or into a struggling奮鬥的 family家庭.
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不要生在貧窮
或是謀生艱困的家庭中。
05:49
Now, I'm sure you can see
the small problem問題 here.
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我相信各位都能發現,
這裡有一個小問題。
05:52
We can't choose選擇 our parents父母
or how much they earn,
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我們無法選擇父母或是他們的收入,
05:55
but this British英國的 study研究 has also struck來襲
a real真實 note注意 of optimism樂觀
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但這項英國研究也傳達出
一項樂觀的訊息,
05:58
by showing展示 that not everyone大家
who has a disadvantaged劣勢 start開始
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研究顯示,並非所有
在起跑點就屬弱勢的人
06:02
ends結束 up in difficult circumstances情況.
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最後就一定會身處困苦的境遇。
06:05
As you know, many許多 people
have a tough強硬 start開始 in life,
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如你所知,許多人
在人生剛開始很辛苦,
06:07
but they end結束 up doing very well
on some measure測量 nevertheless雖然,
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最後他們在某些地方
表現非常出色,
06:10
and this study研究 starts啟動 to explain說明 how.
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而這項研究對此做了解釋。
06:13
So the second第二 lesson is this:
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所以第二課是:
06:15
parents父母 really matter.
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父母真的很重要。
06:17
In this study研究,
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在這項研究中,
06:19
children孩子 who had engaged訂婚,
interested有興趣 parents父母,
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如果孩童的父母很投入、很關心,
06:21
ones那些 who had ambition志向 for their future未來,
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對他們的未來有著野心,
06:23
were more likely容易 to escape逃逸
from a difficult start開始.
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這些孩童就比較有機會
脫離困苦的開端。
06:26
It seems似乎 that parents父母 and what they do
are really, really important重要,
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似乎父母本身,以及他們的
所做所為,都非常重要,
06:30
especially特別 in the first few少數 years年份 of life.
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特別是在孩童人生中的前幾年。
06:32
Let me give you an example of that.
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讓我舉個例子。
06:34
In one study研究,
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在一項研究中,
06:35
scientists科學家們 looked看著 at about 17,000 children孩子
who were born天生 in 1970.
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科學家研究了約 17,000 名
生於 1970 年的孩童。
06:40
They sifted過篩 all the mountains of data數據
that they had collected
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他們仔細探究了
他們收集到的大量資料,
06:43
to try to work out
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試圖想要找出
06:45
what allowed允許 the children孩子
who'd誰願意 had a difficult start開始 in life
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是什麼因素
讓人生開端很困苦的孩童
06:47
to go on and do well
at school學校 nevertheless雖然.
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能繼續走下去
並在學校表現出色。
06:50
In other words, which哪一個 ones那些 beat擊敗 the odds可能性.
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換言之,他們是如何創造不可能的?
06:52
The data數據 showed顯示 that what mattered要緊
more than anything else其他 was parents父母.
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資料顯示,最重要的因素就是父母。
06:56
Having engaged訂婚, interested有興趣 parents父母
in those first few少數 years年份 of life
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大部分後續能在學校
表現出色的孩童,
06:59
was strongly非常 linked關聯 to children孩子 going on
to do well at school學校 later後來 on.
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在人生的前幾年都有
投入且關心的父母相隨。
07:04
In fact事實, quite相當 small things
that parents父母 do
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事實上,父母做的一些小事,
07:07
are associated相關 with good
outcomes結果 for children孩子.
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都與孩童將來的好表現有關。
07:10
Talking and listening to a child兒童,
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跟孩童說話並傾聽他們、
07:12
responding響應 to them warmly熱烈,
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以溫暖的方式回應他們、
07:14
teaching教學 them their letters and numbers數字,
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教他們字母和數字、
07:16
taking服用 them on trips旅行 and visits訪問.
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帶他們出去玩或造訪別人。
07:17
Reading to children孩子 every一切 day
seems似乎 to be really important重要, too.
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每天唸書給孩童聽也非常重要。
07:21
So in one study研究,
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所以,在一項研究中,
07:22
children孩子 whose誰的 parents父母 were reading
to them daily日常 when they were five
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孩童在五歲時,若父母
每天唸書給他們聽,
07:26
and then showing展示 an interest利益
in their education教育 at the age年齡 of 10,
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在十歲時,若父母展現出
對他們所學的內容感到興趣,
相較於父母不做這些事的孩童,
07:29
were significantly顯著 less likely容易
to be in poverty貧窮 at the age年齡 of 30
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這些孩童在三十歲時,
有很大的機率不會貧窮。
07:33
than those whose誰的 parents父母
weren't doing those things.
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07:37
Now, there are huge巨大 challenges挑戰
with interpreting解讀 this type類型 of science科學.
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要詮釋這類的科學,
有很大的挑戰。
07:41
These studies學習 show顯示
that certain某些 things that parents父母 do
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這些研究顯示,
父母是否有做這些事情
07:44
are correlated相關 with good
outcomes結果 for children孩子,
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對孩子將來的表現好壞有關,
07:46
but we don't necessarily一定 know
those behaviors行為 caused造成 the good outcomes結果,
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但我們並不清楚
是那些行為造成了好表現,
07:50
or whether是否 some other factor因子
is getting得到 in the way.
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或是還有其它因素夾在中間。
07:52
For example, we have to take
genes基因 into account帳戶,
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比如,我們得要考量基因,
07:54
and that's a whole整個 other talk in itself本身.
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光這點就可以再做一場演說。
07:57
But scientists科學家們 working加工
with this British英國的 study研究
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但做這項英國研究的科學家
07:59
are working加工 really hard to get at causes原因,
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非常努力地想要找出原因,
08:01
and this is one study研究 I particularly尤其 love.
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而我特別喜愛的一項研究,
08:03
In this one,
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是這項研究:
08:05
they looked看著 at the bedtime就寢時間 routines例程
of about 10,000 children孩子
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他們去研究一萬名千禧年出生的孩童
08:08
born天生 at the turn of the millennium千年.
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上床睡覺時間的習慣。
08:09
Were the children孩子 going to bed
at regular定期 times,
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研究這些孩童
是否有固定的上床時間,
08:12
or did they go to bed
at different不同 times during the week?
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或是平常日上床睡覺時間都不同?
08:15
The data數據 showed顯示 that those children孩子
who were going to bed at different不同 times
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資料顯示,在不同時間上床的孩童
08:18
were more likely容易
to have behavioral行為的 problems問題,
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比較有可能會產生行為問題,
08:21
and then those that switched交換的
to having regular定期 bedtimes就寢時間
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而有固定上床時間的孩童
08:23
often經常 showed顯示 an improvement起色 in behavior行為,
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通常在行為上就會有改善,
08:26
and that was really crucial關鍵,
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這點非常重要,
08:27
because it suggested建議
it was the bedtime就寢時間 routines例程
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因為它意味著,規律的上床時間
08:29
that were really helping幫助 things
get better for those kids孩子.
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真的能協助孩童有更好的表現。
08:33
Here's這裡的 another另一個 one to think about.
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還有一項研究值得思考。
08:34
In this one,
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在這項研究中,
08:36
scientists科學家們 looked看著 at children孩子
who were reading for pleasure樂趣.
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科學家研究的是
把閱讀當樂趣的孩童。
08:39
That means手段 that they picked採摘的 up
a magazine雜誌, a picture圖片 book, a story故事 book.
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也就是常拿起雜誌、
圖畫書、故事書的小孩子。
08:43
The data數據 showed顯示 that children孩子
who were reading for pleasure樂趣
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資料顯示,在五歲和十歲時
08:46
at the ages年齡 of five and 10
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把閱讀當樂趣的孩童,
08:48
were more likely容易 to go on in school學校
better, on average平均,
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平均來說,將來比較有可能在學校
08:51
on school學校 tests測試 later後來 in their lives生活.
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1971
有較好的考試成績。
08:53
And not just tests測試 of reading,
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不只是閱讀相關的考試,
08:55
but tests測試 of spelling拼字 and maths數學 as well.
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也包括拼字和數學的考試。
08:58
This study研究 tried試著 to control控制
for all the confounding混雜 factors因素,
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這項研究試圖控制所有
會造成混淆的因素,
09:01
so it looked看著 at children孩子
who were equally一樣 intelligent智能
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所以它研究的孩童,
有同等的智力、
09:03
and from the same相同 social-class社會階層 background背景,
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來自同樣的社會階級背景,
09:05
so it seemed似乎 as if it was the reading
which哪一個 really helped幫助 those children孩子
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所以這樣看來,
的確是閱讀幫助了這些孩童
09:09
go on and score得分了 better on those
school學校 tests測試 later後來 in their lives生活.
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在後續的考試中能有好的表現。
09:13
Now at the start開始,
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在一開始,
09:14
I said the first lesson from this study研究
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我說過,這項研究教導的第一課
09:16
was not to be born天生 into poverty貧窮
or into disadvantage壞處,
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就是不要生在貧窮或弱勢的家庭中,
09:19
because those children孩子 tend趨向 to follow跟隨
more difficult paths路徑 in their lives生活.
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因為這些孩童傾向會有
比較辛苦的人生道路。
09:23
But then I said that parenting育兒 matters事項,
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但接著我說,父母是重要的,
09:25
and that good parenting育兒,
if you can call it that,
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好的養育,如果可以這麼稱它的話,
09:27
helps幫助 children孩子 beat擊敗 the odds可能性
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好的養育能協助孩童突破不可能
09:29
and overcome克服 some
of those early disadvantages缺點.
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並克服早期的一些弱勢。
09:31
So wait,
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等等,
09:33
does that actually其實 mean, then,
that poverty貧窮 doesn't matter after all?
204
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那麼這是否意味著
是否貧窮完全不重要?
09:38
You could argue爭論 it doesn't matter
if a child兒童 is born天生 poor較差的 --
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你會主張說:孩童是否
出生於貧窮並不重要──
09:41
as long as their parents父母 are good parents父母,
they're going to do just fine.
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只要他們的父母是好父母,
他們之後的表現就會很好。
09:44
I don't believe that's true真正.
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我不相信這是對的。
09:46
This study研究 shows節目 that poverty貧窮
and parenting育兒 matter.
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這項研究顯示貧困和養育是重要的。
09:49
And one study研究 actually其實
put figures人物 on that,
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有項研究真的加上了數字,
09:51
so it looked看著 at children孩子
growing生長 up in persistent一貫 poverty貧窮
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它研究了一直在貧困中成長的孩童,
09:54
and how well they were doing at school學校.
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看他們在學校的表現。
09:56
The data數據 showed顯示
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資料顯示,
09:57
that even when their parents父母
were doing everything right --
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即使他們的父母做對了一切──
10:00
putting them to bed on time
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讓他們準時上床,
10:01
and reading to them every一切 day
and everything else其他 --
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每天唸書給他們聽,
及其它的每一件事──
10:04
that only got those children孩子 so far.
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也只能幫孩子到這樣。
10:06
Good parenting育兒 only reduced減少
the educational教育性 gap間隙
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好的養育也只能將
富有孩童和貧窮孩童
之間的教育落差減少約 50%。
10:09
between之間 the rich豐富 and poor較差的 children孩子
by about 50 percent百分.
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3013
10:13
Now that means手段 that poverty貧窮
leaves樹葉 a really lasting持久 scar瘢痕,
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那意味著,貧窮留下的傷疤
會一直持續下去,
10:17
and it means手段 that if we really want
to ensure確保 the success成功 and well-being福利
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也意味著,如果我們真的
想要確保下一代的
10:21
of the next下一個 generation,
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成功和幸福,
10:22
then tackling搶斷 child兒童 poverty貧窮
is an incredibly令人難以置信 important重要 thing to do.
222
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那麼如何處理孩童的貧困,
就是非常重要的事。
10:27
Now, what does all this mean
for you and me?
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615882
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對你我來說,這又有什麼意涵?
10:30
Are there lessons教訓 here
we can all take home and use?
224
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有什麼我們可以帶回家用的方法嗎?
10:32
As a scientist科學家 and a journalist記者,
225
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身為科學家和新聞工作者,
10:34
I like to have some science科學
to inform通知 my parenting育兒 ...
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2548
我會想要用科學的方法
來教我如何養育孩童……
10:37
and I can tell you that when
you're shouting叫喊 at your kids孩子
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2757
我可以告訴各位,當你在大聲叫
10:40
to go to bed on time,
228
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1260
孩子準時上床時,
10:41
it really helps幫助 to have
the scientific科學 literature文學 on your side.
229
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那你的案例對科學的
文獻貢獻會很大。
10:45
(Laughter笑聲)
230
633033
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(笑聲)
10:46
And wouldn't不會 it be great to think
231
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如果說要讓我們的孩子
10:47
that all we had to do to have
happy快樂, successful成功 children孩子
232
635703
2709
能快樂、成功,我們
只需要和他們說話、
10:50
was to talk to them,
be interested有興趣 in their future未來,
233
638436
2699
關心他們的未來、讓他們準時上床、
10:53
put them to bed on time,
and give them a book to read?
234
641159
2574
給他們一本書看,這樣不是很好嗎?
10:55
Our job工作 would be doneDONE.
235
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我們的工作就完成了。
10:57
Now, as you can imagine想像,
236
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各位應該可以想像,
10:58
the answers答案 aren't quite相當
as simple簡單 as that.
237
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3209
答案並沒有那麼簡單。
11:02
For one thing, this study研究
looks容貌 at what happens發生
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理由之一是,這項研究所探討的
11:04
to thousands數千 and thousands數千
of children孩子 on average平均,
239
652310
2421
是數千名孩童的平均狀況,
11:06
but that doesn't necessarily一定 say
what will help my child兒童 or your child兒童
240
654755
3598
但那不表示它就一定能
幫助到我的孩子、你的孩子,
11:10
or any individual個人 child兒童.
241
658377
1737
或任何各別的孩子。
11:12
In the end結束, each of our children孩子
is going to walk步行 their own擁有 path路徑,
242
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最終,我們的孩子
都得要走他們自己的路,
11:15
and that's partly部分地 defined定義
by the genes基因 they inherit繼承
243
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2579
有部分是取決於他們被遺傳的基因,
11:17
and of course課程 all the experiences經驗
they have through通過 their lives生活,
244
665973
3001
當然,還有他們一生中
走過的所有經驗,
11:20
including包含 their interactions互動
with us, their parents父母.
245
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包括與我們──
也就是他們的父母──的互動。
11:23
I will tell you what I did
after I learned學到了 all this.
246
671474
2455
讓我告訴各位,
學到這些後我做了什麼。
11:25
It's a bit embarrassing尷尬.
247
673953
1150
其實有點尷尬。
11:27
I realized實現 I was so busy working加工,
248
675952
2473
我發現我忙著工作,
11:30
and ironically諷刺地,
249
678449
1159
很諷刺的是,
11:31
learning學習 and writing寫作 about this incredible難以置信
study研究 of British英國的 children孩子,
250
679632
3584
我也忙著學習和撰寫這項
關於英國孩童的偉大研究,
11:35
that there were days when I hardly幾乎不
even spoke to my own擁有 British英國的 children孩子.
251
683240
3458
忙到有些日子我幾乎沒時間
跟我的孩子說話。
11:39
So at home, we introduced介紹 talking time,
252
687446
2254
所以回到家後,
我們設立了談話時間,
11:41
which哪一個 is just 15 minutes分鐘
at the end結束 of the day
253
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在每天結束前的 15 分鐘,
11:43
when we talk and listen to the boys男孩.
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我們要和孩子說話
並傾聽他們的聲音。
11:46
I try better now to ask them
what they did today今天,
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我現在做得比較好,
會問他們今天做了什麼事,
11:50
and to show顯示 that I value
what they do at school學校.
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讓他們知道我看重他們
在學校做的事。
11:52
Of course課程, I make sure
they always have a book to read.
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當然,我也會確保
他們隨時都有本書能讀。
11:55
I tell them I'm ambitious有雄心
for their future未來,
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我告訴他們,
我期望他們有好的未來,
11:57
and I think they can be happy快樂
and do great things.
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我認為他們能過得快樂、
能成就偉大的事。
12:02
I don't know that any of that
will make a difference區別,
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2782
我不知道這樣做是否能造成改變,
12:04
but I'm pretty漂亮 confident信心
it won't慣於 do them any harm危害,
261
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2390
但我很有信心,
這樣做對他們無害,
12:07
and it might威力 even do them some good.
262
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甚至對他們會有些好處。
12:09
Ultimately最終,, if we want happy快樂 children孩子,
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最終,如果我們想要孩子快樂,
12:12
all we can do is listen to the science科學,
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我們能做的只有聽科學怎麼說,
12:14
and of course課程,
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當然,還有,
12:15
listen to our children孩子 themselves他們自己.
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聽我們的孩子怎麼說。
12:17
Thank you.
267
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謝謝。
Translated by Lilian Chiu
Reviewed by Yi-Fan Yu

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Helen Pearson - Science journalist, editor, author
Helen Pearson's book, "The Life Project," tells the extraordinary story of the longest-running study of human development in the world.

Why you should listen

In March 1946, scientists began tracking almost every British baby born in a single week. What they discovered would change how we are born, grow up, raise children, live and die. Helen Pearson's 2016 book, The Life Project, is the story of this incredible project and the remarkable discoveries that have come from it. It was named best science book of the year by The Observer and was a book of the year for The Economist.

As Chief Magazine Editor for the world’s leading science journal, Nature, Pearson oversees all its journalism and opinion content. Her own stories have won accolades including the 2010 Wistar Institute Science Journalism Award and two best feature awards from the Association of British Science Writers.

More profile about the speaker
Helen Pearson | Speaker | TED.com