你喜欢回忆往事吗？你是否担心随着时间的推移会忘记过去的点点滴滴？不妨在忙碌间抽出片刻写篇日记，记录生活中的美好或失意。本期 “随身英语” 节目讨论写日记带来的种种好处。

词汇: journalling 写日记

For many of us, a work diary is a practical thing. We use them for work to make a note of appointments or meetings, scribbling words next to dates to remind us of something we have to do in the future. But journalling is more about feelings. It’s a personal diary, often kept far from prying eyes, sometimes detailing our secrets and desires. But, when it comes to feelings, what are the benefits to writing things down?

Sometimes it can be difficult to say exactly what we’re feeling. Because of anxiety or frustration, it can be tricky to put your problems into words. For some of us, putting pen to paper and jotting down our thoughts is a much easier process than saying them. But it’s not just about the ease of scrawling words. Writing things down can actually help us to formulate ideas, consolidate emotions, and understand our feelings. There’s something cathartic about making sense of something that is stressing us, annoying us, or getting us down. Writing a narrative of events or a series of words about what is on your mind can help you to focus, and is comparable to a form of meditation. And journalling isn’t just limited to words. Why not include squiggles, doodles or pictures of what’s happening in your life? Maybe the thing that is annoying you most could be best summed up by a caricature. In short, journalling is good for your mental health.

Another thing to consider is that our memories fade over time. What is clear in our minds today may just be forgotten a few years down the line. Logging what’s happening in our lives could trigger memories when we read our diary entries back in years to come, or could act as an insight into our past selves. We can see our development, or be reminded of exciting flashpoints in our lives. The person who was annoying us and you drew a doodle of five years ago may now be a close friend, or something that you were once scared of may now seem funny.

So, if you have something on your mind, it might be good to get things written down. And if something exciting happens, writing about it may help you to remember that wonderful time!

词汇表

work diary 工作日志，工作日程簿
make a note 记下
scribble 匆匆写下
personal diary 私人日记
prying eyes 窥探，窥视
detail 详细描述
write something down 写下
put (something) into words 用文字表达
put pen to paper 动笔，开始写
jot down 草草记下
scrawl 潦草地写
formulate 确切表达，构想
consolidate 巩固，加强
cathartic 释放情绪的
squiggle （写或画的）弯弯扭扭的线条，点点画画
doodle 随手涂画
caricature 漫画，讽刺画
log 记录
trigger 触发
insight 深刻见解
flashpoint 亮点，令人振奋的片段

测验与练习

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What do many people use work diaries for?

2. What can writing our thoughts down help us to do?

3. True or false? Journalling can be compared with meditation.

4. What things other than words can be included in a journal?

5. What can happen to your memories over time?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. We just need to _______ our ideas and present them to the boss.

consolidate                   flashpoint                     triggered                  insight   

2. Meeting up with family and remembering the old times was really _______.

prying eyes                   cathartic                       log                           detail

3. The smell of those roses _______ a childhood memory.

squiggle                        log                               triggered                  scrawl   

4. Watching that documentary can give you a good _______ into tribal life.

doodles                         jot down                       prying eyes             insight   

5. Are you listening to me or just drawing _______?

cathartic                        doodles                        insight                     jot down

答案

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What do many people use work diaries for?
Making notes about appointments or things we have to do in the future.

2. What can writing our thoughts down help us to do?
It can help us to consolidate and formulate ideas.

3. True or false? Journalling can be compared with meditation.
True. Journalling and meditation have a similar benefit of focussing your mind. 

4. What things other than words can be included in a journal?
Pictures and drawings.

5. What can happen to your memories over time?
Memories over time can fade, which is why a journal could help you to remember.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. We just need to consolidate our ideas and present them to the boss.

2. Meeting up with family and remembering the old times was really cathartic.

3. The smell of those roses triggered a childhood memory.

4. Watching that documentary can give you a good insight into tribal life.

5. Are you listening to me or just drawing doodles?