Fatigue and Rest-疲勞與休息
Fatigue and Rest
Scientists have made an interesting experiment about fatigue.
When a muscle in the body works, it produces lactic acid,and it is this lactic that makes the muscle tired.
Fatigue is not just a chemical process, it is also a biologicai process. We can't just "remove" fatigue; we must allow the cells of the body to rest. Damages must be repaired, nerve cells of the brain must be "recharged," the joints of the body must replace used-up lubricants. Sleep will always be necessary as a way of restoring the body's energy after fatigue.
However, a person who has been working hard at his desk for hours may not want to lie down at all when he is tired. He'd rather take a walk! Or when children come home from school they want to run out to play... not to lie down and rest.
The reason is that if only a certain part of the body is tried the best way to make that part feel fresh again is to make other parts of the body active! We can actually rest by means of activity. Of course, if you are totally exhausted, the best thing to do is to go to sleep!
[點評]
人人都懂得勞逸結合的道理。此文正是說明了人為什麼會疲勞，為什麼要休息的問題。文中有些比喻恰當、生動，說理性強。
[參考譯文]
疲勞與休息
關於疲勞，科學家們做了一項有趣的實驗。
人身體上的肌肉工作的時候，就會產生出乳酸，而就是這種乳酸使肌肉感到疲勞。
疲勞不僅是一種化學過程，也是一種生物過程。我們不能只是把疲勞“拿掉”；我們必須讓體內細胞得到休息。損壞的部分要得到修復，大腦的神經細胞必須要“充電”，關節部位要更換潤滑劑。疲勞之後，睡眠，作為恢復體能的方法總是必不可少的。
然而，有人伏案工作數小時之後，感到疲勞的時候，或許根本不想躺下休息，而更願意散散步。還有，孩子們放學回家後就想跑出去玩……卻不願躺下來休息。
其原因是，身體的某一部分感到乏困時，使這一部分恢復活力最好的辦法是讓其他部分活躍起來!我們實際上通過活動也能得到休息。當然，你若渾身上下疲憊不堪，最好還是去睡覺!
Fatigue and Rest-疲勞與休息