1 . It is very common for people to have very vivid memories of certain events.     1     , such as a graduation ceremony or the birth of a child. Or they may be things that they see or hear about in the news.     2    . Psychologists refer to them as flashbulb (闪光灯) memories.

As the name suggests, flashbulb memories are like “snapshots (快闪) ”of important moments that we take with our brains rather than a camera.     3    , either at the scene or on television. Take the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States as an example. Many people claim that they remember the disaster exactly even after 20 years.

According to psychologists, there are several factors that affect these types of memories. Among the most significant are the emotions a person may be feeling at the time, especially if it’s shocking.     4    . Receiving a very special and unexpected birthday gift, for instance, would have special significance for an individual but would be meaningless to others.

    5     As time passes, people’s version of events can change. This may result from a number of influences, such as their other life experiences or being exposed to media coverage of an event. So, keep in mind that those clear memories that you have of an event may not be entirely accurate.