But one day in 2005, while covering the USA National Memory Championship, a competition designed to test the limits of the human brain. He's presented with an unusual opportunity - a former champion offers to train him to become a mental athlete.

但在 2005 年的某一天，在他報導美國全國記憶錦標賽 (一項旨在測試人腦極限的比賽) 的時候，他獲得了一個特別的機會：一位前冠軍提議要訓練他成為一名心智高手。

Over the course of the year, Joshua learns ancient methods like memory palaces.

在整整一年中，約書亞學習到了一些古老的方法，例如記憶宮殿。

This is where you associate pieces of information with a location in your mind to make them unforgettable.

這是一種將資訊片段聯繫在腦袋中的一個地點，好讓你難以忘懷的技巧。

He also uses cutting-edge mnemonic techniques, which allow him to remember hundreds of playing cards in a specific order.

他還使用了最先進的記憶技巧，讓他能夠按照特定順序記住數百張撲克牌。

Soon, Joshua's competitive instinct takes over.

很快，約書亞不服輸的競爭本能便佔了上風。

He trains in his parents' basement for hours a day.

他在父母的地下室裡每天訓練好幾個小時。

By 2006, he's ready to attend the championship again, but this time not as a journalist but as a competitor.

到了 2006 年，他已經準備好再次參加錦標賽，但這次不是作為一個記者，而是作為一個參賽者。

Round after round, Joshua the newcomer gives former champions a run for their money.

經過了一個又一個回合，約書亞讓前冠軍參賽者們各個棋逢敵手。

He makes it to the final.

他最終打進了決賽。

Despite being up against the formidable opponent, he uses the brain training methods he was taught... and wins.

儘管面對的是一位強大的對手，他活用了之前學習到的大腦訓練方法... 在最終獲得了勝利。

How could a novice like Joshua become a champion so quickly?

像約書亞這樣的新手怎麼這麼快就能成為冠軍？

Does this mean that anybody could become a mental athlete?

這是否意味著任何人其實都可以成為一名心智高手？

To really understand Joshua's success, we need to consider the role of opportunity.

要真正理解約書亞成功的背後原因，我們需要考慮機會在這裡扮演的角色。

It was long thought that richer children did better than poorer children in school because they were more "naturally gifted."

長久以來，人們認為富裕的孩子之所以比貧窮的孩子在學校的表現更好，因為他們「天生就比較有天賦」。

But now we know that it is times when children aren't in school, including the long school holidays, when poorer children lack access to extracurricular activities, that often creates an attainment gap.

但現在我們知道，其實是孩子們不在學校的時候才往往是造成成績上差距的原因，其中包括漫長的學校假期時，較貧窮的兒童更缺乏機會參與課外活動。

Nutrition and access to technology also make a contribution, which is partly why IQ scores across the globe rose an average of 30 points in the 20th Century, factors that have literally nothing to do with genetics.

營養與能否利用科技產品也是原因之一，而這也是為什麼全世界的平均智商在 20 世紀時拉高了 30 分的部分原因，與天生的基因毫無關聯的因素。

When it comes to differences in outcome, it's not nature but nurture which has the greater impact, and it's the same with Joshua Foer.

當涉及到結果的差異時。影響最大的不是天性，而是後天的教養。 和約書亞福爾的情況一樣。

His expert training, access to special techniques his opponents hadn't yet discovered, and a quiet place to study - his parents' basement - that all contributed to his success.

他所經歷的專家培訓、得知了對手還沒發現的技巧，還有能有個安靜的地方供他好好學習 (也就是父母地下室)，都是他能成功的原因。

Though it's also worth knowing that despite being a memory champion, even Joshua can sometimes forget where he put his car keys.

不過還有一點值得我們注意的是，雖然約書亞是個記憶錦標賽冠軍，但就連他自己有時也會忘記自己把車鑰匙放到哪裡去了。

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