听力文本

If you're like me, you know that multitasking does not always save time.
You slow down or make mistakes that require fixing.
But maybe I'm just doing the wrong things.
Because a new study shows that people on a stationary bike pedaled faster when they simultaneously tackled some sort of mental test.
Even the researchers were surprised by that result.
They had originally set out to demonstrate what other studies have shown:
that when people try to do two things at once, they do both more poorly.
Their counterintuitive finding is in the journal PLoS ONE.
In the experiment, subjects were asked to complete various cognitive jobs that ranged in difficulty.
everything from saying go when they saw a blue star on a projection screen to remembering a long list of numbers and then repeating them back in reverse order.
They tackled these tasks once while sitting in a quiet room and again while on the bike.
Turns out, cyclists rode 25 percent faster when they were distracted by some mental gymnastics—but only when the tasks were relatively easy.
When confronted with tough brain-teasers, their cycling speeds were about the same as when they had nothing in particular to think about.
And in case you're wondering, the participants' cycling neither helped nor hindered their brain function.
The findings could point toward new programs in which we get better workouts simply by using our heads.

参考译文

如果你同我一样，你就应该知道多任务处理并不总能节省时间ID3r^+m)~Bzn-A]]。
你会降低速度或者会犯需费时修改的错误Azpnw1!*Hhmdy4b。
但也许我只是选错了需要处理的任务GJsEyhzR2Bf。
因为一项新研究表明当人们在静止不动的自行车上进行心理测试时踩踏板的速度会更快6d-4e&ZF@@qk8。
甚至研究人员也对这样的结果感到惊讶VuHa_;%)xZ2zD7+。
他们原本是打算证明其他的研究结果：
即当人们一心二用做两件事时结果都不是很好P+Zv@h)5#~FoPD@。
他们这项违背本意的研究已在《公共科学图书馆期刊》上发表=1LSLr3diVLMozlP。

在实验中的受试者们被要求进行一系列依难度等级划分的认知任务Q]KN%l3(6X。
在开始后看到投影屏幕上出现一颗蓝色星星时，受试者们需要记忆一长串数字，之后以倒序的方式复述|6nUSz!gYR3b。
他们一开始是在一间安静的房间中，而后又在自行车上再进行一遍mOt9upfjjK#z;okZkphA。
结果显示骑脚踏车的受试者在被脑力测试分心时，他们的骑行速度却快了25%—但仅限任务相对简单的情况yO)~3r]T%3.bpC,*Ci。
而在思考较难的脑力问题时，他们的骑行速度和平时没有特别问题考虑时几乎一样gDeh55WU(Z5b~gN。
而且如果你正在考虑，受试者的骑行既没有帮助也没有妨碍他们的大脑功能[[TCAHQw!E。
这样的结果可能会带来仅通过大脑获得更好锻炼效果的新项目-7rnD*1^^~~|qnjD2。

译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！

重点讲解

1.slow down 减速；慢下来

例句:We turned to see the approaching car slow down.
我们转身看见驶近的车慢慢停下~y3EH)YkFjAAS。

2.set out to 着手；出发

例句:We set out to find the truth behind the mystery.
我们开始着手揭开谜团背后的真相[MOxiie_23^7SRKo=。

3.ask to 邀请…参加…

例句:Ask to speak to the sister on the ward.
请求和病房里的护士长说话yz75&L|WhV[。

4.turn out 结果是；关掉

例句:I feel certain that it will all turn out well.
我觉得最后肯定会皆大欢喜|ASbggghUPC。