情绪多变可以帮助我们适应瞬息万变的世界

Moody1 people are often baffling to those of us with steadier emotions.

喜怒无常的人常常令情绪稳定的人感到困惑。

But scientists argue that changing moods - as seen in sulking teenagers, grumpy spouses2, or bad-tempered3 parents - serve an important purpose.

Rather than being a weakness, they are nature's way to of helping4 us adapt to an ever changing world. So when times are good and spirits are high, we take more risks at a time they are likely to be rewarded.

And when times are tough, sulking can help us conserve5 our energy.

To take a human example, a stock market trader who makes a successful deal becomes more optimistic about the outcome of his next transaction.

He is then likely to take more risks - as he becomes more optimistic things will go in his or her favour.

The increase in risk taking allows him to make maximum gains at a time when risk taking is most likely to pay off.

This holds true when a variety of different events have an underlying6 connection, the authors argue.

1 moody

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。

I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

2 spouses

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句

An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

3 bad-tempered

adj.脾气坏的

参考例句：

He grew more and more bad-tempered as the afternoon wore on.随着下午一点点地过去，他的脾气也越来越坏。

I know he's often bad-tempered but really,you know,he's got a heart of gold.我知道他经常发脾气，但是，要知道，其实他心肠很好。

4 helping

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。

By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 conserve

vt.保存，保护，节约，节省，守恒，不灭

参考例句：

He writes on both sides of the sheet to conserve paper.他在纸张的两面都写字以节省用纸。

Conserve your energy,you'll need it!保存你的精力，你会用得着的！

6 underlying

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。

This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。