研究：廢寢忘食並不能有效提高成績

Sacrificing sleep and skipping meals to study in quest for academic excellence actually doesn't work, a new Harvard study into 'grit' has revealed.
哈佛大學一項關於“決心”的研究表明，“廢寢忘食”並不能奏效。

Children who strive for excellence tend to be seen as those who make extra sacrifices, like getting less sleep or adopting poor eating habits, in a search for top grades.
人們認爲，爭取優秀的孩子爲了追求高分，一般都要做出額外犧牲，比如睡得少，或者養成糟糕的飲食習慣。

But the new study of 4,000 British teenagers shows those who display determination, courage and persistence also tend to have healthier lifestyles.
但是一項針對4000名英國中學生的新研究表明，那些展現出決心、勇氣和堅持的學生一般會有更加健康的生活方式。

The findings, from Harvard Graduate School of Education, showed "that children who exhibit grit are also likely to look after themselves, and cultivate healthy emotional regulation skills, rather than behaving in ways that are bad for their health".
哈佛大學教育研究生院的研究結果表明，“那些有決心的孩子更可能照顧好自己，培養健康的情感管理技能，而不是養成不利於健康的行爲方式。”

Studies have shown the harmful effects stress over exams have on children's health. A survey by Kellogg's published last month found that children as young as 10 smoke cigarettes, eat sweets and use energy drinks to prepare for their exams.
之前已有研究表明，考試壓力過大對兒童的健康不利。凱洛格上個月發表的一項調查發現，年僅10歲的孩子就通過吸菸、吃糖果、喝能量飲料來備考。

Dr Christina Hinton, a faculty member at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said: "Our results suggest that grit does not require pushing yourself at all costs, but rather cultivating healthy emotional regulation skills and effective learning strategies."
哈佛大學教育研究生院的教員克里斯提娜·辛頓說：“研究結果表明，追求好成績的決心並不需要不惜一切代價來逼自己，而是要培養健康的情感管理技能和高效的學習策略。”Children aged 11 to 18 took part in the year-long research, which was carried out during 2014 and20015 inconjunction with four UK independent and state Schools in the Wellington College Teaching Schools Alliance.
11歲至18歲的孩子參加了這項時長爲一年的研究，在2014~2015年期間與惠靈頓學院教學學校聯盟的四所英國獨立學校和公立學校聯合開展的。

Carl Hendrick, head of research atWellingtonCollege, said it was "good news" for students who think need to "kill themselves" in order to achieve good grades.
惠靈頓學院的研究負責人卡爾·亨德里克說，這對那些認爲好成績需要“頭懸樑，錐刺股”的學生來說，是個好消息。

The study also found for the first time a link between high-achieving students and helpfulness.
這項研究還首次發現成績好的學生和樂於助人之間的聯繫。

The research revealed that those pupils who see themselves as having potential rather than having fixed abilities are more inclined to help their peers.
研究發現，那些認爲自己有更多潛力可發掘的孩子更願意幫助同伴。

Having a growth mindset, which children can also be taught, appears to have more impact on the others around them than previously realised, the research team said.
研究小組說，擁有成長心態對周圍人的影響比之前所知的更大，而學生們也可以通過學習來獲得這種心態。

The academics said: "A teenager who thinks in this way is more likely to be helpful and care more deeply about others. This may be because they think 'if I feel I can develop, I feel others can', which makes them more understanding and sympathetic."
專業學者說：“有這種思考方式的青少年更可能提供幫助，更深切關心他人。也許這是因爲他們認爲“如果我覺得我可以進一步發展的話，其他人也能”，這讓他們更加能理解他人並富有同情心。

Vocabulary

grit: 毅力，決心

sympathetic: 有同情心的，有共鳴的