2013年1月31日 星期四

Seasonal Affective Disorder Attacks季節性情緒‏


 



by Nadia Chung
Understanding the winter blues
季節性情緒失調:少了陽光就憂鬱?
了解冬季憂鬱症
  Many of us experience mood swings when the seasons change, especially when winter comes. We lack motivation, feel sleepy, and crave sweets. _(1)_ Noted before 1845, seasonal mood swings became officially recognized in the late 1990s by the American Psychiatric Association as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). _(2)_ However, the winter version is more common and nearly non-existent in the tropics. Thus, people often compare it to hibernation. A SAD patient even said that he wished he were a bear. _(3)_
當季節轉變,尤其是冬天來臨時,許多人都會經歷情緒起伏。我們缺乏動力、昏昏欲睡和嗜吃甜食。但有大約百分之六的人口症狀不止如此,他們從秋天開始就會變得極度憂鬱,要到春天來臨後才會好轉。這種季節性情緒起伏在 1845 年就受到注意,在 1990 年代末期被美國精神病學會正式認定為『季節性情緒失調(SAD)』。季節性情緒失調的患者通常一年中的心理狀況都相當穩定,但會在冬季或夏季時變得憂鬱。不過,冬季季節性情緒失調比較常見,在熱帶地區則幾乎不存在。因此,人們經常將之比喻成冬眠。一名季節性情緒失調的患者甚至表示他希望自己是隻熊。如此一來,他就可以睡覺度過整個冬季,所有情況也會好轉。
  One possible cause of SAD could be a sleep-related hormone called melatonin (退黑激素). This substance, which causes symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. _(4)_ This in turn leads to lethargy and depression.
造成季節性情緒失調的可能因素之一是退黑激素,這是一種與睡眠有關的荷爾蒙。這種造成憂鬱症狀的激素在黑暗中會增加分泌。當日照時間縮短、白天變得比較暗時,我們體內的時間機制就會對這個因季節轉變而造成的日光模式改變產生反應,這時退黑激素的分泌就會增加。繼而導致了嗜睡和憂鬱的情形。
  There are different ways to help patients who suffer from SAD, including drugs like Prozac (百憂解). The most cost-effective and low-risk solution, though, is light therapy. _(5)_ While there are no definitive research findings that link this therapy with healing SAD, many people have responded to this treatment. If you ever feel depressed during the winter, get some lights and trick yourself into feeling better.
有許多不同的方法能幫助季節性情緒失調的患者,包括百憂解這種藥物。而最符合成本效益和低風險的解決方法是光照療法。基本上,這種療法是讓身體誤以為人工的光照是夏季日光。雖然沒有確切的研究發現指出光照療法可以治癒季節性情緒失調,但許多患者都對這種療法有良好的反應。如果你會在冬天覺得沮喪,照點光騙自己覺得好過一些吧。
說明:請依文意在所提供的 (A) 到 (F) 6 個選項中,選出最適當的 5 個選項。
(A) That way, he could sleep through the wintry season, and everything would be better.
(B) Basically, this treatment fools the body into thinking artificial light is summer sunlight.
(C) SAD sufferers are usually mentally stable throughout the year but become depressed in the winter or summer.
(D) Even so, he would be more active during the day, and everything would be under control.
(E) For about six percent of the population, it goes beyond that, and they become deeply depressed starting from autumn and recovering only after the spring.
(F) When the days are shorter and darker, the production of this hormone increases as our internal clocks react to the fluctuations in sunlight patterns during the change of seasons.
原來如此 
1. 第一題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,我們缺乏動力、昏昏欲睡和嗜吃甜食。
b. (E) 選項的句子則說,但有大約百分之六的人口症狀不止如此(goes beyond that),他們從秋天開始就會變得極度憂鬱,要到春天來臨後才會好轉,其中 that 就是指前一句指出的情況,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. go beyond...  超出∕超過……;不止於……
例: Susie's problems go beyond her inability to get along with others.
(蘇西的問題不只是她無法和別人相處而已。)
b. depressed a. 憂鬱的,沮喪的
c. recover vi. 恢復
recover from...  從……復原∕康復
例: Some patients recover from cancer, so don't lose hope.
(有些病患能戰勝癌症而康復,所以別喪氣。)
2. 第二題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,這種季節性情緒起伏在 1845 年就受到注意,在 1990 年代末期被美國精神病學會正式認定為『季節性情緒失調(SAD)』。
b. (C) 選項的句子說,季節性情緒失調的患者(SAD sufferers)通常一年中的心理情況都相當穩定,但會在冬季或夏季時變得憂鬱,語意連貫,且前後都有關鍵字 SAD,故選之。
大補丸:
a. sufferer n. 患病者
b. mentally adv. 心理上
c. stable a. 穩定的
例: Sam has had a stable job for several years.
(山姆這幾年來工作都很穩定。)
3. 第三題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前兩句提到,人們經常將季節性情緒失調比喻成冬眠,一名患者甚至表示他希望自己是隻熊。
b. (A) 選項的句子說,如此一來,他就可以睡覺度過整個冬季,所有情況也會好轉,前後語意連貫,故為正選。
大補丸:
a. That/This way, S + V  如此一來,……
例: Jerry saved NT$50 a day. This way, he was soon able to buy a new bicycle.
(傑瑞每天存 50 元。如此一來,他很快就可以買一輛新的自行車了。)
b. wintry a. 冬天的
4. 第四題空格應選 (F)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,這種造成憂鬱症狀的激素在黑暗中會增加分泌。
b. (F) 選項的句子說,當日照時間縮短、白天變得比較暗時,我們體內的時間機制就會對這個因季節轉變而造成的日光模式改變產生反應,這時退黑激素就會增加,語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. hormone n. 荷爾蒙
b. internal a. 體內的
c. react to...  對……產生反應
例: How did the boss react to your proposal?
(老闆對你的提案有什麼反應?)
d. fluctuation n. 變動
e. sunlight n. 日光
5. 第五題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,最符合成本效益和低風險的解決方法是光照療法(light therapy)。
b. (B) 選項的句子說,這種療法(this treatment)是讓身體誤以為人工的光照(artificial light)是夏季日光,說明何謂光照療法,語意連貫;且選項中的 treatment 和 light 與前一句中的 light therapy 相呼應,可知 (B) 為正選。
大補丸:
a. basically adv. 基本上
例: Basically, this is a good car, but it does have its limitations.
(基本上這輛車不賴,不過還是有其限制。)
b. fool + 受詞 + into V-ing  欺騙……從事……
= trick + 受詞 + into V-ing
例: David was fooled into believing that he had won the lottery.
(大衛被騙以為自己中樂透。)
c. artificial a. 人工的
精解字詞片語 

1. crave vt. 渴望獲得
例: Smokers often crave cigarettes after meals.
(癮君子通常在飯後都會渴望來根菸。)
2. recognize A as B  認定 A 為 B
recognize vt. 認定;認出
例: Those who compete in the Olympics are recognized as world-class athletes.
(參加奧運的選手被公認為世界級的運動員。)
3. compare A to B  把 A 比喻為 B
例: The poet compared his lover's eyes to the shining stars in the night sky.
(那位詩人將他情人的眼睛比喻成夜空閃亮的星星。)
4. suffer from...  飽受(某疾病)之苦
例: Lucy suffers from allergies whenever the weather changes.
(每當天氣變化露西就會犯過敏。)
5. definitive a. 確切的;可信的
例: The definitive source of the spring has yet to be found.
(這個泉水確切的源頭尚未被發現。)
6. link A with/to B  將 A 和 B 聯繫在一起
例: Scientists have linked certain types of cancer to junk food.
(科學家認為某些癌症和垃圾食物有關。)
7. respond to...  對……有(良好)反應
例: After six weeks, Ted's body was finally responding to the treatment.
(經過 6 個星期,泰德的身體對那種療法終於有了良好的反應。)
單字小舖 
1. swing n. 擺動;改變
2. motivation n. 幹勁,動力
3. note vt. 注意到;提到
4. officially adv. 正式地;官方地
5. non-existent a. 不存在的
6. tropics n. 熱帶(與定冠詞 the 並用)
7. hibernation n. 冬眠
8. melatonin n. 退黑激素
9. substance n. 物質
10. symptom n. 症狀
11. depression n. 沮喪;憂鬱
12. lethargy n. 昏睡;嗜睡
13. Prozac n. 百憂解(一種抗憂鬱藥物)
14. cost-effective a. 符合成本效益的
15. therapy n. 治療,療法
16. heal vt. 治癒
答案: 1. (E) 2. (C) 3. (A) 4. (F) 5. (B)

1 則留言: