Should we fear maths? 我们有必要害怕数学吗？

并非人人都喜欢或懂得数学。自上学起，不少人就开始害怕这门科目，并且从未克服这种感觉。究竟是什么让我们对数字产生恐惧？怎样才能战胜这种心理？听 “随身英语” 节目探讨人们惧怕数学的原因和改变这种心态的方法。

词汇：maths 数学

How good are you at maths? Some people love the challenge of 

algebra

 or enjoy working out number 

puzzles

 such as 

Sudoko

. Maths is all around us, from working out how to 

split the bill

 after a meal, to 

calculating 

your household bills. But many dread the moment when they have to deal with numbers and 

figures

 and feel a real sense of worry and confusion. It can seem daunting, but this ‘

maths anxiety

’ is perfectly normal, and you’re definitely not alone. And anyway, our worries and fears don’t necessarily reflect our 

ability

. 你的数学有多好?有些人喜欢代数的挑战，或者喜欢数独等数字谜题。数学在我们身边无处不在，从计算饭后如何分摊账单，到计算家庭账单。但许多人害怕面对数字和数字的时刻，感到真正的担忧和困惑。这似乎令人生畏，但这种“数学焦虑”是完全正常的，你绝对不是一个人。无论如何，我们的担忧和恐惧并不一定反映我们的能力。 The problem really starts in childhood, at school. Research has found that maths teachers who are 

nervous

 about teaching the subject can pass on their anxiety to the pupils, and girls may be more likely to be affected. The Programme for International Student Assessment found around 31% of 15 and 16-year-olds across 34 countries said they got very nervous doing maths 

problems

, 33% said they got tense doing maths 

homework

, and nearly 60% said they worried maths classes would be difficult. Shulamit Kahn, from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, told the BBC she believes giving students, particularly girls, good 

role models

 “is critical, especially at a young age”. She thinks the key is to get people, especially women, who love teaching maths to younger children. 这个问题在儿童时期，在学校就开始了。研究发现，在教学过程中感到紧张的数学老师会把他们的焦虑传递给学生，而女孩可能更容易受到影响。国际学生评估项目发现，在34个国家的15岁和16岁的学生中，约有31%的人说他们做数学题很紧张，33%的人说他们做数学作业很紧张，近60%的人说他们担心数学课很难。波士顿大学奎斯特罗姆商学院的舒拉米特·卡恩告诉BBC，她认为给学生，尤其是女孩树立好榜样“至关重要，尤其是在年轻的时候”。她认为，关键是让人们，尤其是女性，喜欢给年幼的孩子教数学。 Writing for BBC Future, David Robson says “It’s not clear why maths arouses so much fear compared to geography. But the fact that there’s a right or wrong answer – there’s no room for 

bluffing

 – might make you more worried about 

underperforming

.” And once we assume we’re not a ‘maths person’, we avoid 

solving

 things that we probably could do. 大卫·罗布森在为BBC Future撰写的文章中表示:“与地理相比，目前还不清楚为什么数学会引起如此多的恐惧。但事实上，有一个正确或错误的答案——没有虚张声势的余地——可能会让你更担心表现不佳。”一旦我们认为自己不是一个“数学人”，我们就会避免解决我们可能会做的事情。 Psychologists have been trying to work out why 

mental arithmetic

 can bring us out in a sweat. That seed of fear may come from many sources, but some suggest that 

articulating

 your fears can loosen their hold on you, and encourage children to see a maths test as a 

challenge

, not a threat. Ideally, we need to think positively about maths and give it 

a second chance

. 心理学家一直在努力研究为什么心算会让我们大汗淋漓。恐惧的种子可能有很多来源，但有些人认为，说出你的恐惧可以放松它们对你的控制，并鼓励孩子将数学考试视为挑战，而不是威胁。理想情况下，我们需要积极看待数学，给它第二次机会。 词汇表 algebra 代数 puzzle 谜题，智力游戏 Sudoko 数独游戏 split the bill 分摊费用 calculate 计算 figures 数字 maths anxiety 数学焦虑症 ability 能力 nervous 紧张的，担忧的 problem 习题，问题 homework 家庭作业 role model 榜样 bluff 蒙混过关 underperform 表现不佳 solve 解决 mental arithmetic 心算 articulate 清楚表达 challenge 挑战 a second chance 第二次机会

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. When does maths anxiety really begin? 2. What can happen if teachers are nervous about teaching maths? 3. True or false? 

If we don’t like maths, we are unable to solve mathematical problems.

4. How should children view a maths test? 5. What does Shulamit Kahn think should be done to help children enjoy maths?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. According to my _______, we’ve actually made a profit this year. algebra            figures             ability            solving 2. You can’t afford to pay for us both so let’s _______. split the bill         spilt the bill         splits the bill       split my bill 3. I’ve _______ how much you owe me for the shopping – it’s 20 pounds! calculated          bluffing            solved            puzzled 4. Climbing the mountain was a real _______, but it was worth it when I got to the top. ability             role model          challenge         nervous 5. I am useless at _______, so I always use a calculator. mentals arithmetic                     mental arithmetics  arithmetic mental                      mental arithmetic

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. When does maths anxiety really begin?

The problem really starts in childhood, at school.

2. What can happen if teachers are nervous about teaching maths?

Maths teachers who are nervous about teaching the subject can pass on their anxiety to the pupils.

3. True or false? 

If we don’t like maths, we are unable to solve mathematical problems.

False. We assume if we’re not a ‘maths person’, we avoid solving things that we probably could do.

4. How should children view a maths test?

Children should be encouraged to see a maths test as a challenge, not a threat.

5. What does Shulamit Kahn think should be done to help children enjoy maths?

She thinks the key is to get people, especially women who love maths, teaching younger children.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. According to my 

figures

, we’ve actually made a profit this year. 2. You can’t afford to pay for us both so let’s 

split the bill

. 3. I’ve 

calculated

 how much you owe me for the shopping – it’s 20 pounds! 4. Climbing the mountain was a real 

challenge

, but it was worth it when I got to the top. 5. I am useless at 

mental arithmetic

, so I always use a calculator. 文章来源BBC侵权删。