研究生英语精读教程课文原文+翻译+短文unit3.doc

Rats and Men Insoluble Problems Professor N. R. F. Maier of the University of Michigan performed a series of experiments several years ago in which neurosis is induced in rats. The rats are first trained to jump off the edge of a platform at one of two doors.If the rat jumps to the right, the door holds fast, and it bumps its nose and falls into a net; if it jumps to the left, the door opens, and the rat finds a dish of food. When the rats are well trained to this reaction, the situation is changed. The food is put behind the other door, so that in order to get their reward they now have to jump to the right instead of to the left. (Other changes, such as marking the two doors in different ways, may also be introduced by the experimenter.)If the rat fails to figure out the new system, so that each time it jumps it never knows whether it is going to get food or bump its nose, it finally gives up and refuses to jump at all. At this stage, Dr. Maier says, Many rats prefer to starve rather than make a choice. 密执安大学的N.R.F. 麦耶教授几年前做过一系列可以诱导鼠产生“ 神经官能症” 的实验。首先训练鼠由平台边缘跳向两个门中的一个。如果鼠向右跳，右门是碰不开的，那么鼠就撞了鼻子并掉进网里；如果鼠向左跳，左门就打开，鼠就会找到一碟食物。在鼠已很熟悉这一反应时，就改变情况：把食物放在另外一扇门后，这样鼠要想得到犒赏就不能向左跳，而要向右跳了。( 实验者也可采用其他变化形式，比如用不同的方式标记两个门。) 如果鼠弄不懂新规则，它每次跳时决不知是会得到食物还是会撞鼻子。最终它就会放弃，拒绝再跳。到这一步，麦耶博士说：“ 许多鼠宁愿挨饿也不再做选择。” Next, the rats are forced to make a choice, being driven to it by blasts of air or an electric shock. Animals which are induced to respond in the insoluble problem situation, says Dr. Maier, settle down to a specific reaction (such as jumping solely at the left hand door) which they continue to execute regardless of consequences....The response chosen under these conditions becomes fixated.... Once the fixation appears, the animal is incapable of learning an adaptive response in this situation. When a reaction to the left-hand door is thus fixated, the right-hand door may be left open so that the food is plainly visible. Yet the rat, when pushed, continues to jump to the left, becoming more pan