【2023.4.9】六分钟英语 你的韧性如何 How resilient are

Introduction

How do you deal with difficult situations? Why do some people cope better in times of stress than others? Are we born with resilience or can we learn it? Rob and Georgina discuss resilience and teach you related vocabulary.

Question

'Resilience' is also a word used in science to describe the characteristic of a substance or object. But what does it mean?

a) It is very tough or hard

b) It can return to its original shape after being bent

c) It can turn from a solid into a liquid quickly

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Transcript

Note: This is not a word for word transcript  

Rob

Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Rob… 

Georgina

And I'm Georgina. 

Rob

Now, Georgina, how resilient are you? 

Georgina

Resilient? You mean able to cope with difficult situations. I have a pile of work to do today, but I’m remaining calm and not getting stressed. 

Rob

That's good, you are showing resilience. And today we’re discussing whether we’re born with resilience or we have to learn it. 

Georgina

OK, Rob. But first I expect you’re going to ask me a question – bring it on!  

Rob

OK. Resilience is also a word used in science to describe the characteristic of a substance or object. But what does it mean?

a) That it's is very tough or hard.

b) That it can return to its original shape after being bent.

c) It can turn from a solid into a liquid quickly. 

Georgina

I have a feeling it means b) an object that returns to its original shape after being bent.  

Rob

OK, I'll let you know if you were correct at the end of the programme. But let’s talk more about human resilience. There are many self-help books and motivational speakers all promising us we can learn to be resilient. 

Georgina

Well, it is a useful trait to have, and it’s something that can help you deal with many difficult situations from coping with the pressures of work to handling the death of a loved one. 

Rob

And it’s more than just telling someone to ‘toughen up’ or ‘get a grip’, as Dr David Westley knows. He is Head of Psychology at Middlesex University and talked about levels of resilience on the BBC World Service programme, The Why Factor. 

Dr David Westley, Head of Psychology at Middlesex University

First of all, there's our social supports, our communities, our families, the people who are important to us, the organisations we work for, so one way we can look at resilience is to measure that – the amount of social support available to us. Another way to think about resilience is to think about how we think about the situations we are in. So, for example, one way to look at that would be just to look at how optimistic people are as a guide to how resilient they might be when times get tough. And then a third level that we can look at for resilience is a biological level - how well we can soothe ourselves, calm ourselves down, how well we can actually regulate our own nervous systems at times of distress.

Georgina

Right, so Dr Westley describes social supports – the people around us who we can talk to and support us and generally make us feel better. I think he’s saying, with more support we feel more resilient. 

Rob

It’s interesting to note that a resilient person isn’t necessarily someone quiet, who doesn’t make a fuss and gets on with things. Some experts think it’s people who ask for help and use this social support network who are acting in a more resilient way. 

Georgina

It’s a good point. And another level of resilience is how optimistic someone is. Being optimistic means having positive thoughts about the future and believing things will turn out well. A positive mind means you can deal with situations that, at first, look tough. Another level Dr Westley mentioned was our biological level - how our bodies cope in times of distress. Distress is the feeling you get when you are worried or upset by something. 

Rob

So, when we’re distressed, a resilient person is able to soothe his or her body and regulate his or her nervous system, which helps them stay calm. 

Georgina

But, Rob, the big question is, are we born with resilience or can we learn it? Experts speaking on The Why Factor programme tended to think it could be learned. 

Rob

Yes, one of them is Ann Masten, a professor at the University of Minnesota. From her studies, she found it was something that we learn when we need to. 

Georgina

Ann Masten talks about how some of the children she studied manifest resilience from the start. When something manifests, it shows clearly and is easy to notice. They remain resilient despite adversity – a difficult time in their life they've had to face. 

Rob

Other children, what she calls the late bloomers, started off less resilient, struggled with adversity, but turned their lives around by becoming more resilient. Maybe we can learn resilience from a having a bad experience? 

Georgina

Well, one thing Ann went on to say was that families and friends can be a great support and help with resilience. Those that were ‘late bloomers’ only connected with adults and mentors later in life.  

Rob

Yes, she says that teachers or parents are role models in how to handle adversity. And children are watching; they're learning from the adults around them by seeing how they react when they get challenged by something. Time now to find out how resilient you are when you discover the correct answer to the question I asked earlier. I said that ‘resilience’ is also a word used in science to describe the characteristic of a substance or object. But what does it mean? Is it...

a) It is very tough or hard.

b) It can return to its original shape after being bent.

c) It can turn from a solid into a liquid quickly.

And what did you say, Georgina? 

Georgina

I said it was b) It can return to its original shape after being bent. 

Rob

And you are right - well done! Bamboo is a good example of a resilient material – you can bend it, it doesn’t break and returns to its original shape. 

Georgina

Thanks for the science lesson, Rob. Now we need to recap the vocabulary we’ve mentioned today… 

Rob

Yes, we’ve talked about being resilient, an adjective that describes someone’s ability to cope with difficult situations. When you do this you show resilience. 

Georgina

Someone who is optimistic has positive thoughts about the future and believes things will turn out well. 

Rob

Distress is the feeling you get when you are worried or upset by something. 

Georgina

When something manifests itself, it shows clearly and is easy to notice. And adversity is a difficult time in somebody’s life that they have had to face. 

Rob

And that brings us to the end of this discussion about resilience. Please join us again next time. Bye bye. 

Georgina

Bye.

Vocabulary

resilient

able to cope with difficult situations or to improve quickly after an illness or injury

resilience

ability to cope with difficult situations or improve quickly after an illness or injury 

optimistic 

have positive thoughts about the future and believe things will turn out well 

distress 

feeling you get when you are worried or upset by something 

manifest 

show clearly and is easy to notice

adversity 

difficult situation in somebody’s life

双语版Transcript

Rob

Hello, and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I m Rob… 

大家好，这里是BBC英语学习的6分钟英语，我是罗伯。

Georgina

And I m Georgina.

我是乔治娜。

Rob

Now, Georgina, how resilient are you? 

你的韧性如何？

Georgina

Resilient? You mean able to cope with difficult situations. I havea pile of work to do today, but I’m remaining calm and not getting stressed. 

韧性？你的意思是应付困难情况的能力吧。我今天有一大堆工作要做，但我保持镇定，不觉得有压力。

Rob

That s good, you are showing resilience. And today we’re discussing whether we’re born with resilience or we have to learn it. 

很好，你表现出了韧性。今天，我们讨论人们是否天生具有韧性，还是必须后天习得。

Georgina

OK, Rob. But first I expect you’re going to ask me a question – bring it on!  

但首先我希望你问我一个问题–提出来吧！

Rob

OK. Resilience is also a word used in science to describe the characteristic of a substance or object. But what does it mean?

a) That it s is very tough or hard.

b) That it can return to its original shape after being bent.

c) It can turn from a solid into a liquid quickly. 

韧性也是科学领域中用来描述物质或物体特性的词。但它是什么意思？

a）它很坚硬。

b）它弯曲后可以恢复到原始形状。

c）它可以快速从固体变成液体。

Georgina

I have a feeling it means b) an object that returns to its original shape after being bent.  

我感觉它是指b）弯曲后可以恢复原始形状的物体。

Rob

OK, I ll let you know if you were correct at the end of the programme. But let’s talk more about human resilience. There are many self-help books and motivational speakers all promising us we can learn to be resilient. 

在节目末尾我会让你知道正确与否。但让我们多谈谈人类的韧性。有许多自助类书籍和励志的演讲者都向我们保证，我们可以学习变得有韧性。

Georgina

Well, it is a useful trait to have, and it’s something that can help you deal with many difficult situations from coping with the pressures of work to handling the death of a loved one. 

这是一个有用的品质，它可以帮助你应对许多困难情况，从应对工作压力到处理爱人的死亡。

Rob

And it’s more than just telling someone to ‘toughen up’ or ‘get a grip’, as Dr David Westley knows. He is Head of Psychology at Middlesex University and talked about levels of resilience on the BBC World Service programme, The Why Factor. 

这不仅仅是告诉某人“要坚强”或“控制住情绪”，正如David Westley博士所知道的。他是米德尔塞克斯大学的心理学系主任，在BBC World Service的“Why因素”节目中谈到了韧性的多个层面。

Dr David Westley

First of all, there s our social supports, our communities, our families, the people who are important to us, the organisations we work for, so one way we can look at resilience is to measure that – the amount of social support available to us. Another way to think about resilience is to think about how we think about the situations we are in. So, for example, one way to look at that would be just to look at how optimistic people are as a guide to how resilient they might be when times get tough. And then a third level that we can look at for resilience is a biological level - how well we can soothe ourselves, calm ourselves down, how well we can actually regulate our own nervous systems at times of distress.

首先，有我们的社会支持，我们的社区，我们的家庭，对我们很重要的人，我们工作的组织，因此，我们考察韧性的一种方法是衡量那些—我们可以得到的社会支持。考察韧性的另一种方法是想想我们如何看待自己的处境。因此，比如说，查看韧性的方法之一就是，当情况变得严峻时，人们有多乐观就说明他们多能抗逆。然后第三个层面，我们可以考虑韧性的是生物层面：我们可以怎样舒缓自己，使自己平静下来，在痛苦的情况下我们如何调节自己的神经系统。

Georgina

Right, so Dr Westley describes social supports – the people around us who we can talk to and support us and generally make us feel better. I think he’s saying, with more support we feel more resilient. 

所以Westley博士描述了social supports(社会支持)——在我们周围，他们可以与我们交谈并支持我们，通常会使我们感觉更好。我想他是在说，有了更多的支持，我们就更能抗逆。

Rob

It’s interesting to note that a resilient person isn’t necessarily someone quiet, who doesn’t make a fuss and gets on with things. Some experts think it’s people who ask for help and use this social support network who are acting in a more resilient way. 

有趣的是，一个有韧性的人并不一定是安静的人——不会大呼小叫，与物体打交道。一些专家认为，是寻求帮助并使用社会支持网的人，他们的行为更能抗逆。

Georgina

It’s a good point. And another level of resilience is how optimistic someone is. Being optimistic means having positive thoughts about the future and believing things will turn out well. A positive mind means you can deal with situations that, at first, look tough. Another level Dr Westley mentioned was our biological level - how our bodies cope in times of distress. Distress is the feeling you get when you are worried or upset by something. 

很好。弹性的另一个层次是人的乐观程度。乐观意味着对未来抱有积极的想法，并相信事情会好起来的。积极的心态意味着你可以应对起初看起来很难的情况。Westley博士提到的另一个层面是我们的生物层面-在痛苦情况下我们的身体如何应付。Distress(痛苦)是当你为某事担心或沮丧时的感觉。

Rob

So, when we’re distressed, a resilient person is able to soothe his or her body and regulate his or her nervous system, which helps them stay calm. 

当我们感到痛苦时，有韧性的人能够安定自己的身体并调节他或她的神经系统，这有助于他们保持平静。

Georgina

But, Rob, the big question is, are we born with resilience or can we learn it? Experts speaking on The Why Factor programme tended to think it could be learned. 

但是，最大的问题是，我们是天生具有韧性还是后天习得？在“Why因素”节目上发言的专家倾向于认为可以后天习得。

Rob

Yes, one of them is Ann Masten, a professor at the University of Minnesota. From her studies, she found it was something that we learn when we need to. 

是的，其中之一是明尼苏达大学教授Ann Masten。从她的研究中，她发现这是我们在需要时就会学的东西。

Georgina

Ann Masten talks about how some of the children she studied manifest resilience from the start. When something manifests, it shows clearly and is easy to notice. They remain resilient despite adversity – a difficult time in their life they ve had to face. 

Ann Masten谈到她研究的一些孩子是如何一开始就表现出韧性。当事物manifests(显现)，它会清晰展现并且很容易被注意。他们仍然保持韧性，尽管遇到了adversity (逆境)——是指生活中必须面对的艰难时期。

Rob

Other children, what she calls the late bloomers, started off less resilient, struggled with adversity, but turned their lives around by becoming more resilient. Maybe we can learn resilience from a having a bad experience? 

其他孩子，她称其为“后起之秀”，起初韧性较差，在逆境中挣扎，但通过变得更有韧性而改变了人生。也许我们可以从糟糕的经历中学习抗逆？

Georgina

Well, one thing Ann went on to say was that families and friends can be a great support and help with resilience. Those that were ‘late bloomers’ only connected with adults and mentors later in life.  

Ann继续说，家人和朋友可以成为巨大的支持并且有助于抗逆。那些“后起之秀”只在人生后期与成年人和导师建立联系。   

Rob

Yes, she says that teachers or parents are role models in how to handle adversity. And children are watching; they re learning from the adults around them by seeing how they react when they get challenged by something. Time now to find out how resilient you are when you discover the correct answer to the question I asked earlier. I said that ‘resilience’ is also a word used in science to describe the characteristic of a substance or object. But what does it mean? Is it...

a) It is very tough or hard.

b) It can return to its original shape after being bent.

c) It can turn from a solid into a liquid quickly.

And what did you say, Georgina? 

是的，她说老师或父母是应对逆境的榜样。孩子们在观察。他们从周围的成年人那里学习，通过观察他们遇到挑战时的反应。现在时间到了，来看看你有多少抗逆能力，当你发现我之前问题的正确答案时。我说 “韧性”也是科学中用来形容某种物质或物体特征的词。但它是什么意思？是...

a）它很坚硬。

b）它弯曲后可以恢复到原始形状。

c）它可以快速从固体变成液体。

你说的是什么？

Georgina

I said it was b) It can return to its original shape after being bent. 

我说是b）它弯曲后可以恢复到原始形状

Rob

And you are right - well done! Bamboo is a good example of a resilient material – you can bend it, it doesn’t break and returns to its original shape. 

你说对了——好样的！竹子是弹性材料的一个好例子–你可以弯曲它，它不会断裂，会恢复其原始形状。

Georgina

Thanks for the science lesson, Rob. Now we need to recap the vocabulary we’ve mentioned today… 

感谢你的科学课。现在我们需要回顾一下我们今天提到的词汇...

Rob

Yes, we’ve talked about being resilient, an adjective that describes someone’s ability to cope with difficult situations. When you do this you show resilience. 

是的，我们谈到resilient(韧性的)，一个形容词，用来形容某人应付困难情况的能力。当你这么做，你就展现出resilience(韧性)

Georgina

Someone who is optimistic has positive thoughts about the future and believes things will turn out well. 

Optimistic是有对未来抱有积极的想法，并相信事情会好起来。

Rob

Distress is the feeling you get when you are worried or upset by something. 

Distress是当你为某事忧虑或沮丧时得到的感觉。

Georgina

When something manifests itself, it shows clearly and is easy to notice. And adversity is a difficult time in somebody’s life that they have had to face. 

当某事物manifest(显现)，它会清晰显示并且很容易被注意到。Adversity(逆境)是人生中不得不面对的困难时刻。

Rob

And that brings us to the end of this discussion about resilience. Please join us again next time. Bye bye. 

关于韧性的讨论就结束了。下次请收听我们的节目。再见。