While convergent knowledge is based on prior knowledge, divergent thinking is based on imagination.

聚敛性知识建立在先验知识的基，而发散性思维建立在想象力的基。

One way to think of it is like the tiles of a roof.

可以把它想象成屋顶的瓦片。

You imagine all the ways a risk could blow up in your face, you envision yourself becoming a spectacular failure, you worry the world will crumble at your feet and that imaginary disaster drives you further down the easy road.

你想象着各种各样的风险会在你面前爆发，你想象自己成为一个引人注目的失败者，你担心世界会在你脚下崩溃，而想象中的灾难会驱使你继续在想象的道路走得更远。

Imagine your fingers are coated in butter.

想象你的手指被涂了黄油。

You can think of these words as branches on a tree.

你可以把这些词想象成一棵树的树枝。

So everything would be pink at her wedding, everyone would be dressed in pink, including the men and boys… You wouldn't catch me wearing pink!

所以在想象的婚礼，所有的东西都是粉红色的，每个人都穿粉红色的衣服，包括男人和男孩… … 你不会看到我穿粉红色的！

Metaphors can be particularly helpful in explaining unfamiliar concepts: imagining the Einsteinian model of gravity (heavy objects distort space-time) as something like a bowling ball on a trampoline, for example.

在解释不熟悉的概念时，比喻尤其有用：例如，把爱因斯坦的重力模型(重物会扭曲时空)想象成蹦床的保龄球。

But let's say, for example, that you could come up with a maxim for cheating, that you could conceive of working as a universal law in the world.

但是我们假设，比方说，你可以想出作弊的准，你可以把它想象成世界的普遍法。

And while things are reorganizing and growing inside the chrysalis, the new parts the future butterfly will need are already there on those imaginal discs, growing into their final form.

当新器官在蛹内重组和生长时，未来蝴蝶需要的新部分已经在那些想象的光盘，成长为它们的最终形态。

Consider visualizing how you'll feel once you have your target amount in the bank. Will it take a weight off your shoulders? Will you be proud of what you've achieved?

想象着存折的数字一亘在增加，你是不是感到自己的生活压力小了许多？你会为自己所拥有的而自豪吗？

If there are carbon-based molecules actually in Europa's water, it's not too crazy to wonder if the same spark that occurred here also happened there.

假如在木卫二的液态水里真的有碳基分子，那么想象地球曾经出现的生命火焰也在木卫二产生也就不那么疯狂了。

Studies about gender differences have suggested a hypothesis that females have better verbal skills, while males excel at tasks requiring the ability to visualize.

有关性别差异的研究提出这样一个假设，那就是女性在语言能力更好，而男性在需要想象能力的工作更优秀。

You can think of it like rivets in an airplane, you can take out one or two rivets and the plane will still fly.

你可以把它想象成飞机的铆钉，你可以去掉一两个铆钉，飞机仍然可以飞行。

I don't think so. But you're perfectly fluent now so it is hard to believe you sitting in ESL classes.

我不这么认为，你现在的口语非常流利，很难想象你的是把英语作为第二语言的课程。

The Mongol Empire rose to power in the 13th century, and raided, traded, and toppled empires over previously unthinkable distances.

十三世纪，蒙古帝国得势，并在此前难以想象的距离进行了掠夺、贸易和推翻帝国的行动。

And you can imagine how the cramped confines of airline toilets are really bad news for these sufferers.

你可以想象飞机狭窄的厕所对这些患者来说是多么糟糕的事情。

That did some serious damage. Just imagine that this is the asteroid that slammed in to the Earth.

造成如此大的破坏。想象一下地球的这些小行星撞击。

So, instead of cowering on an imaginary stage, just set yourself free.

所以，与其在想象的舞台畏畏缩缩，不如释放自己。

Think of these like stairs on a staircase, where the landing is the nucleus.

你可以把这些想象成楼梯的阶梯，最终的平台是原子核。

Think of it like a job interview on paper.

把它想象成纸的工作面试。