今天只有大概1/10的人可以过节
今天（8月13日）是国际左撇子日（International Left-Handers Day），据了解，每10个人中约有1个人是左撇子。
听说，莫扎特（Mozart）、普希金（Pushkin）、爱因斯坦（Einstein）、牛顿（Newton）、毕加索（Picasso）、卓别林（Chaplin）、马克·吐温（Mark Twain）、丘吉尔（Churchill）、奥巴马（Barack Obama）、达芬奇（Leonardo Da Vinci）......都是左撇子。
听说，LR也是，哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈。
无注释原文：
Why are some people left-handed and others are right-handed?
The Conversation
The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they'd like an expert to answer. Sofia, age 8, wants to know why some people are left-handed and others are right-handed. Experts explain.
For a lot of human history, lefties have been seen as a little odd, and unfortunately some have even been treated very badly. For example, the word "sinister" comes from the Latin for "left" or "left hand".
Luckily, some cultures have been more kind. The Inca, an old civilisation from South America, thought left-handed people had special spiritual powers. Also, it was good luck to be left-handed among the North American Zuni peoples. To be clear: there's nothing wrong with being left-handed!
This preference for a particular hand is known as "handedness" and can be seen across many parts of the world.
Interestingly, only around one in ten people are left-handed. This means there are probably two or three kids in your class who will use their left hand to throw a ball or draw a picture.
It seems humans throughout history have preferred to use our right hand instead of our left. Evidence suggests our ancestors tended to use their right hand for tasks, perhaps like throwing rocks or picking berries, as far back as 7 million years ago!
Why do we prefer one hand over another?
Sticking to one hand while writing a letter, drawing a picture or throwing a ball helps make you better at performing those tasks.
Constantly swapping hands may mean the brain takes longer to learn how to do those things, so your brain tells you to favour a particular hand.
It's also the reason why you probably prefer using a particular foot when kicking a ball. Remember, the more you kick with that foot, the better you become at kicking.
But when performing a task, it's not just our hands and feet that we prefer one side over another — even our brain does this!
For example, your abilities to speak, do maths and paint a picture prefer to sit on one side of the brain compared to the other.
Amazingly, the hand you use to write or throw a ball is often related to the side of the brain you use to speak. For example, if you use the left side of the brain to speak, you will likely be right-handed and the opposite is also true.
This relationship between brain function and handedness seems to be the reason why some people are left-handed and some are right-handed.
When do we become left-handed or right-handed?
Which hand you use is not a choice. Rather, it's a mixture of your genes that you get from your parents, and also your life experience.
Interestingly, identical twins, who share exactly the same genes, don't always share the same handedness.
Most parents can begin to tell which hand their children prefer by around two years of age.
However, scientists can accurately predict whether babies will be left- or right-handed before they are even born! By measuring which arm moves the most in babies still living in their mum's womb, scientists can determine which hand they will prefer when they are born.
For now, even though lefties make up around 10 per cent of the population, there are reasons to celebrate: 13 August is officially Left-Handers Day! So, who's got the upper hand now?
15 Things You Never Knew About Left-Handed People
Reader's Digest
Jun. 15, 2022
Only 10 percent of the population is left-handed. While there may not be many of them, being left-handed sure does come with some surprising perks!
1. Being a lefty may help you succeed in leadership roles
“When I was at Columbia Law School, which is one of the most elite schools in the country, we noticed that a large proportion of the class was left-handed,” says Robert S. Herbst a left-handed attorney, wellness expert, motivational speaker, and powerlifter. “This made sense as left-handed people are right brained meaning they are more creative, analytical, verbal, and have better language skills, all of which are traits necessary to being a good lawyer.” Herbst was also an Eagle Scout: “I have met a number of left-handed Eagle Scouts, including Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire and former New York City mayor. Perhaps being right brained and left-handed also gave us the leadership ability, discipline, and ambition to excel even at an early age.” It could very well be that being a lefty helps you succeed and many famous left-handed people are proof of that.
2. Lefties often learn to be ambidextrous
3. Left-handedness lets you stand out
4. It’s a great conversation starter
5. While it’s not always easy, the challenges can make you stronger
6. Lefties aren’t necessarily more likely to think outside the box
According to the American Psychological Association, 10 percent of the population is left-handed. One study in the Journal of Mental and Nervous Disease musicians, painters and writers were significantly more likely to be left-handed. However, a conflicting study of more than 1,000 people debunked the myth that “right-brained” people are more creative than “left-brained” people. It found that no one has a dominant side of the brain and both sides are involved in creativity.
7. You are in good company with these left-handed presidents
8. You’re likely to find lefties in your extended family tree
9. You have a decreased risk for some health concerns
10. You’re a better GPS
11. You bounce back more quickly from injuries
12. Lefties are more competitive
13. Lefties are better at video games
14. You may have better self-control
15. Your right-handed family members are more similar to you than you think
- ◆ -
注：中文文本为机器翻译仅供参考，并非一一对应
含注释全文：
Why are some people left-handed and others are right-handed?
The Conversation
The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they'd like an expert to answer. Sofia, age 8, wants to know why some people are left-handed and others are right-handed. Experts explain.
《对话》（The Conversation）杂志邀请孩子们提出他们希望专家回答的问题。8岁的索菲亚（Sofia）想知道为什么有些人是左撇子，有些人是右撇子。专家解释如下。
left-handed
表示“左撇子的”，英文解释为“Someone who is left-handed uses their left hand rather than their right hand for activities such as writing and sports and for picking things up.”举个🌰：
There is a shop in town that supplies practically everything for left-handed people.
镇上有一家商店，出售左撇子用品。
还有几个说法：
📍lefty/lefties：a person who uses their left hand to write, hit a ball, etc. 左撇子
📍southpaw /ˈsaʊθˌpɔː/：a person who prefers to use their left hand rather than their right, especially in a sport such as boxing （尤指拳击等运动中）惯用左手的人，左撇子
📍handedness：the tendency to use one hand more skilfully or in preference to the other 左右撇子倾向；一只手比另一只更灵巧的习惯；相对于一只手更喜欢用一只的倾向。
For a lot of human history, lefties have been seen as a little odd, and unfortunately some have even been treated very badly. For example, the word "sinister" comes from the Latin for "left" or "left hand".
在人类历史的很长一段时间里，左撇子都被视为有点古怪的，不幸的是，有些人甚至受到了非常糟糕的对待。例如，“sinister”（邪恶的，不祥的）这个词来自拉丁语，其意思为“左”或“左手”。
sinister
sinister /ˈsɪnɪstə/ 表示“不祥的，凶兆的；阴险的；邪恶的”，英文解释为“making you feel that something evil, dangerous, or illegal is happening or will happen”举个🌰：
There is a sinister side to these events.
这些事件有邪恶的一面。
Luckily, some cultures have been more kind. The Inca, an old civilisation from South America, thought left-handed people had special spiritual powers. Also, it was good luck to be left-handed among the North American Zuni peoples. To be clear: there's nothing wrong with being left-handed!
幸运的是，有些文化更为友善。南美洲的古老文明印加文明中，认为左撇子有特殊的精神力量。此外，在北美祖尼人中，左撇子会带来好运。要澄清的是：左撇子没有错！
civilisation
英式 civilisation 美式 civilization，表示“文明社会；（特定时期特定社会或国家的）文明，文化”，英文解释为“human society with its well developed social organizations, or the culture and way of life of a society or country at a particular period in time”举个🌰：
Some people think that nuclear war would mean the end of civilisation.
有人认为核战争将意味着文明的终结。
This preference for a particular hand is known as "handedness" and can be seen across many parts of the world.
这种对特定手的偏好被称为“惯用手”，在世界许多地方都可以看到。
Interestingly, only around one in ten people are left-handed. This means there are probably two or three kids in your class who will use their left hand to throw a ball or draw a picture.
有趣的是，只有大约十分之一的人是左撇子。这意味着你班上可能有两三个孩子会用左手扔球或画画。
It seems humans throughout history have preferred to use our right hand instead of our left. Evidence suggests our ancestors tended to use their right hand for tasks, perhaps like throwing rocks or picking berries, as far back as 7 million years ago!
历史上，人类似乎更喜欢用右手而不是左手。证据表明，早在700万年前，我们的祖先就倾向于用右手完成任务，比如扔石头或摘浆果！
ancestor
ancestor /ˈæn.ses.tər/ 表示“祖先，祖宗”，英文解释为“a person related to you who lived a long time ago”举个🌰：
There were portraits of his ancestors on the walls of the room.
房间墙壁上挂着他祖先的画像。
Why do we prefer one hand over another? 为什么我们喜欢用某一只手而不是另一只？
Sticking to one hand while writing a letter, drawing a picture or throwing a ball helps make you better at performing those tasks.
写信、画画或扔球时坚持用某一只手有助于你更好地完成这些任务。
Constantly swapping hands may mean the brain takes longer to learn how to do those things, so your brain tells you to favour a particular hand.
不断地换手可能意味着大脑需要更长的时间来学习如何做这些事情，所以你的大脑会告诉你偏爱某只手。
swap
swap 可以作动词，也可以作名词，表示“交换”，英文解释为“If you swap something with someone, you give it to them and receive a different thing in exchange.”举个🌰：
Next week they will swap places and will repeat the switch weekly.
下周他们将互换位置，以后将每周换一次。
It's also the reason why you probably prefer using a particular foot when kicking a ball. Remember, the more you kick with that foot, the better you become at kicking.
这也是为什么你踢球时可能更喜欢用特定的脚。记住，你用某只脚踢得越多，你就会踢得越好。
But when performing a task, it's not just our hands and feet that we prefer one side over another — even our brain does this!
但是当执行一项任务时，不仅仅是我们的手和脚喜欢用某一边，甚至我们的大脑也会有这样的倾向。
For example, your abilities to speak, do maths and paint a picture prefer to sit on one side of the brain compared to the other.
例如，你说话、做数学和画画的能力更喜欢用大脑的某一侧，而不是另一侧。
Amazingly, the hand you use to write or throw a ball is often related to the side of the brain you use to speak. For example, if you use the left side of the brain to speak, you will likely be right-handed and the opposite is also true.
神奇的是，你用来写字或扔球的手往往与你用来说话的大脑一侧有关，例如，如果你用左脑说话，你很可能是右撇子，反之亦然。
This relationship between brain function and handedness seems to be the reason why some people are left-handed and some are right-handed.
大脑功能和惯用手之间的这种关系似乎是有些人是左撇子，有些人是右撇子的原因。
When do we become left-handed or right-handed? 我们什么时候变成左撇子还是右撇子？
Which hand you use is not a choice. Rather, it's a mixture of your genes that you get from your parents, and also your life experience.
你用哪只手不是通过选择而来。相反，这是由你从父母那里得到的基因和你的生活经历的复合结果。
mixture
表示“混合物；混合体；混合料”，英文解释为“a substance made from a combination of different substances, or any combination of different things”举个🌰：
Their latest CD is a mixture of new and old songs.
他们最新的光盘中收录了新歌和老歌。
Interestingly, identical twins, who share exactly the same genes, don't always share the same handedness.
有趣的是，拥有完全相同基因的同卵双胞胎并不总是拥有相同的惯用手。
Most parents can begin to tell which hand their children prefer by around two years of age.
大多数父母可以在孩子两岁左右开始分辨他们更喜欢哪只手。
However, scientists can accurately predict whether babies will be left- or right-handed before they are even born! By measuring which arm moves the most in babies still living in their mum's womb, scientists can determine which hand they will prefer when they are born.
然而，科学家们甚至可以在婴儿出生前准确预测他们是左撇子还是右撇子！通过测量仍生活在妈妈子宫里的婴儿哪只手臂移动最多，科学家们可以确定他们出生时更喜欢哪只手。
womb
womb /wuːm/ 表示“子宫”，英文解释为“the organ in the body of a woman or other female mammal in which a baby develops before birth”。
📍uterus /ˈjuːtərəs/ 同样表示“子宫”，英文解释为“the organ in the body of a woman or other female mammal in which a baby develops before birth”。
For now, even though lefties make up around 10 per cent of the population, there are reasons to celebrate: 13 August is officially Left-Handers Day! So, who's got the upper hand now?
目前，尽管左撇子仅约占总人口的10%，但仍有理由庆祝：8月13日是正式的左撇子日！那么，现在谁更有优势呢？
the upper hand
表示“上风；有利位置”，英文解释为“If you have the upper hand, you have more power than anyone else and so have control.”举个🌰：
After hours of fierce negotiations, the president gained/got/had the upper hand.
经过几个小时的激烈谈判，总统最终占了上风。
15 Things You Never Knew About Left-Handed People
Reader's Digest
Jun. 15, 2022
Only 10 percent of the population is left-handed. While there may not be many of them, being left-handed sure does come with some surprising perks!
只有10%的人口是左撇子。虽然这样的人可能不多，但左撇子确实带来了一些令人惊讶的好处！
perk
1）表示“（因工作而享有的）补贴，津贴，额外待遇”，英文解释为“an advantage or something extra, such as money or goods, that you are given because of your job”举个🌰：
A company car and a mobile phone are some of the perks that come with the job.
这份工作的一些额外待遇包括配备公车和移动电话。
2）表示“好处，有利条件”，英文解释为“an advantage”举个🌰：
Having such easy access to some of the best cinema and theatre is one of the perks of living in Hangzhou.
一些最好的电影院和剧院就近在咫尺，这是在杭州生活所享受的便利之一。
1. Being a lefty may help you succeed in leadership roles 成为左撇子可能有助于你在领导岗位上取得成功
“When I was at Columbia Law School, which is one of the most elite schools in the country, we noticed that a large proportion of the class was left-handed,” says Robert S. Herbst a left-handed attorney, wellness expert, motivational speaker, and powerlifter. “This made sense as left-handed people are right brained meaning they are more creative, analytical, verbal, and have better language skills, all of which are traits necessary to being a good lawyer.” Herbst was also an Eagle Scout: “I have met a number of left-handed Eagle Scouts, including Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire and former New York City mayor. Perhaps being right brained and left-handed also gave us the leadership ability, discipline, and ambition to excel even at an early age.” It could very well be that being a lefty helps you succeed and many famous left-handed people are proof of that.
“当我在哥伦比亚法学院（Columbia Law School）时，这是美国最顶尖的学校之一，我们注意到班上很大一部分人是左撇子，”左撇子律师、健康专家、励志演说家、举重运动员罗伯特·赫布斯特（Robert S. Herbst）。“这是有道理的，因为左撇子惯用右脑，这意味着他们更有创造力、分析能力、言语能力以及更好的语言技能，所有这些都是成为一名优秀律师所必需的特质。”赫布斯特也是一名鹰级童军（Eagle Scout），他说：“我见过许多左撇子鹰级童军，包括亿万富翁、前纽约市长迈克尔·布隆伯格（Michael Bloomberg）。也许右脑和左撇子也给了我们领导能力、自律和雄心，即使在很小的时候就表现出色。”很可能成为左撇子有助于你成功，许多著名的左撇子就是证明。
elite
elite /iˈliːt/ 作形容词，表示“（社会）上层集团的；掌权人物的；精英的；出类拔萃的，精锐的”，英文解释为“belonging to the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society”；
作名词，表示“（社会）上层集团；掌权人物；出类拔萃的人，精英”，英文解释为“the richest, most powerful, best-educated, or best-trained group in a society”如：the country's educated elite 这个国家受过良好教育的精英。
verbal
verbal /ˈvɜːbəl/ 1）表示“口头的”，英文解释为“You use verbal to indicate that something is expressed in speech rather than in writing or action.”举个🌰：
They were jostled and subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse.
他们被推来搡去，并受到了潮水般的辱骂。
2）表示“词语的；文字的”，英文解释为“You use verbal to indicate that something is connected with words and the use of words.”举个🌰：
The test has scores for verbal skills, mathematical skills, and abstract reasoning skills.
该项测试对文字表达技能、数学技能和抽象推理技能进行记分。
🎬电影《旗鼓相当》（Grudge Match）中的台词提到：And I say, "Well, women are more verbal than men." 然后我说“女人比男人更善于言辞。”
2. Lefties often learn to be ambidextrous 左撇子往往心灵手巧
ambidextrous
ambidextrous /ˌæm.bɪˈdek.strəs/ 表示“双手都很灵巧的；左右开弓的”，英文解释为“able to use both hands equally well”
3. Left-handedness lets you stand out 左撇子能让你脱颖而出
4. It’s a great conversation starter 很好的对话发起者
5. While it’s not always easy, the challenges can make you stronger 虽然并不总是容易的，但挑战可以使你更强大
6. Lefties aren’t necessarily more likely to think outside the box 左撇子并不一定更容易跳出固有思维模式
According to the American Psychological Association, 10 percent of the population is left-handed. One study in the Journal of Mental and Nervous Disease musicians, painters and writers were significantly more likely to be left-handed. However, a conflicting study of more than 1,000 people debunked the myth that “right-brained” people are more creative than “left-brained” people. It found that no one has a dominant side of the brain and both sides are involved in creativity.
根据美国心理协会的数据，10%的人口是左撇子。《精神和神经疾病杂志》上的一项研究表明，音乐家、画家和作家成为左撇子的可能性明显更高。然而，一项针对1000多人的研究得出了相反的结论，揭穿了“右脑”人比“左脑”人更有创造力的神话。它发现，人的大脑没有主优势的一边，两边都参与了创造力。
think outside the box
表示“跳出传统的思维框框，以新的眼光看问题，独辟蹊径”，英文解释为“to think imaginatively using new ideas instead of traditional or expected ideas”
debunk
debunk /ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/ 表示“驳斥；揭穿，揭露…的真相”，英文解释为“to show that something is less important, less good, or less true than it has been made to appear”举个🌰：
The writer's aim was to debunk the myth that had grown up around the actress.
作者的目的是为了揭穿围绕这位女演员的种种传闻。
📍《经济学人》（The Economist）2020年关于《拆穿胡扯》（Calling Bullshit: The Art of Scepticism in a Data-Driven World）一书的书评文章标题就用的：How to debunk dodgy data 如何看穿骗人的数据。
dominant
1）表示“首要的；占支配地位的；占优势的；显著的”，英文解释为“more important, powerful or noticeable than other things”举个🌰：
The firm has achieved a dominant position in the world market.
这家公司在国际市场上占有举足轻重的地位。
2）表示“（基因）显性的，优势的”，英文解释为“a dominant gene causes a person to have a particular physical characteristic, for example brown eyes, even if only one of their parents has passed on this gene”。
🎬电影《王牌特工：特工学院》（Kingsman: The Secret Service）中的台词提到：but a Kingsman wears it on whichever hand happens to be dominant. 但王牌特工都戴在惯用手上。
7. You are in good company with these left-handed presidents 左撇子总统不占少数
be in good company
表示“（有同样问题的）大有人在”，英文解释为“to have the same problem as many other people”举个🌰：
"I can't play tennis - I'm hopeless at it!" "Oh well, you're in good company."
“我不会打网球——我对网球一窍不通！”“噢，是吗，像你这样的大有人在。”
8. You’re likely to find lefties in your extended family tree 你很可能在你的大家族中找到左撇子
9. You have a decreased risk for some health concerns 你的某些健康问题的风险会降低
10. You’re a better GPS 你的方向感更好
11. You bounce back more quickly from injuries 你从伤病中恢复得更快
bounce back
表示“恢复；恢复元气；重振旗鼓”，英文解释为“to start to be successful again after a difficult period, for example after experiencing failure, loss of confidence, illness, or unhappiness”举个🌰：
Stock prices bounced back after a steep plunge earlier this week.
股票价格在本周早些时候急剧下跌后又回弹了。
12. Lefties are more competitive 左撇子更有竞争力
13. Lefties are better at video games 左撇子更擅长电子游戏
14. You may have better self-control 你可能有更好的自制力
15. Your right-handed family members are more similar to you than you think 你的右撇子家庭成员比你想象中的更像你
- 今日盘点 -
left-handed
sinister
civilisation
ancestor
swap
mixture
womb
the upper hand
perk
elite
verbal
ambidextrous
think outside the box
debunk
dominant
be in good company
bounce back
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