The ups and downs of life may seem to have no predictable plan.But scientists now know there are very definite patterns that almost all people share.Even if you've passed some of your "prime",you still have other prime years to experience in the future.Certain important primes seem to peak later in life.

人生的起伏似乎没有可预知的模式，但是科学家现在发现有一些模式相当明确，绝大多数人都有不例外。即使你度过了一些最佳时期，你仍然会在将来经历另外几个最佳时期。某些最佳期时期似乎在生命的后半段才会到来。

When are you smartest?From 18—25,according to I.Q.scores;but you're wiser and more experienced with increasing age.

什么时候你最聪明？根据智商得分，你从15岁至25岁最聪明。然而，随着年龄增长，你更加具有智慧和经验。

You're sharpest in your 20's;around 30,memory begins to decline,particularly your ability to perform mathematical computations.But your I.Q.for other tasks climbs.Your vocabulary at age 45,for example is three times as great as when you graduated from college.At 60,your brain possesses almost four times as much information as it did at age 21.This trade-off between sharpness and wisdom has led psychologists to suggest that "maturity¹ quotients"(M.Q.)be adopted for adults.

20多岁的时候你的思维最敏捷；30岁左右，记忆力开始衰退，尤其是你的数学计算能力。然而，你做其他事情的智商提高了。例如45岁时你的词汇量是你刚从大学毕业时的3倍。60岁时你大脑中储存的信息几乎是你21岁时的4倍。敏锐和智慧之间的协调，心理学家们就此提出了在成年人在采用“成熟商”这一概念。

When are you happiest?You have the best physical sense of yourself from 15to 24;the best professional sense from 40to 49.

什么时候你的感觉最好？15岁至24岁之间你的身体感觉最好；40岁至49岁之间你对自己的职业感觉最佳。