Another possible explanation is that the part of the brain that stores memories, the hippocampus, is not fully formed until around 18 months. Identity is also important: tests show infants don't recognise themselves in the mirror until they are around two years old.

Finally, there's the question of how accurate our early memories are at all. "People can pick up suggestions and begin to visualise them - they become like memories," psychologist Elizabeth Loftus told the BBC. Are our cherished first memories really just family stories?

词汇表

hazy 模糊的、不清晰的

recollection 记忆，往事

silver birch 白桦树

patchy 零零碎碎的，拼凑起来的

infancy 婴儿期、年幼时候

sporadic 零星的，分散的

fleeting 一闪而过的，短暂的

amnesia 失忆，健忘（症）

to coin 创造，杜撰（新词或表达）

psychoanalysis 精神分析学

sponge 像海绵般地吸收（信息）

neural 神经的

to wield 施加影响

accomplished 有造诣的，有才华的

polyglot 通晓多种语言的人

green with envy 非常羡慕，十分忌妒

forgetfulness 健忘

to interfere 干预，干涉

to visualise 设想，想象

cherished 珍惜的，珍爱的

测验与练习

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