题目内容
If you don’t have a college degree, you’re at greater risk of developing memory problems or even Alzheimer’s (老年痴呆). Education plays a key role in lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder, and it's well documented that those with a college degree possess a cognitive(认知的) advantage over their less educated counterparts in middle and old age.
Now, a large national study from Brandeis University published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry shows that those with less schooling can significantly make up for poorer education by frequently engaging in mental exercises such as word games, puzzles, reading, and lectures.
“The lifelong benefits of higher education for memory in later life are quite impressive, but we do not clearly understand how and why these effects last so long,” said lead author Margie Lachman, a psychologist. She suggested that higher education may encourage lifelong interest in cognitive efforts, while those with less education may not engage as frequently in mental exercises that help keep the memory agile (敏捷地).
But education early in adulthood does not appear to be the only route to maintain your memory. The study found that intellectual activities undertaken regularly made a difference. “Among individuals with low education, those who are engaged in reading, writing, attending lectures, doing word games or puzzles once a week or more had memory scores similar to people with more education,” said Lachman.
The study, called Midlife in the United States, assessed 3,343 men and women between the ages of 32 and 84 with a mean age of 56 years. Almost 40 percent of the participants had at least a 4-year college degree. The researchers evaluated how the participants performed in two cognitive areas, verbal memory and executive function --- brain processes involved in planning, abstract thinking and cognitive flexibility. Participants were given a battery of tests, including tests of verbal fluency, word recall, and backward counting.
As expected, those with higher education said they engaged in cognitive activities more often and also did better on the memory tests, but some with lower education also did well, explained Lachman.
“The findings are promising because they suggest there may be ways to level the playing field for those with lower educational achievement, and protect those at greatest risk for memory declines,” said Lachman. “Although we can not rule out the possibility that those who have better memories are the ones who take on more activities, the evidence is consistent with cognitive plasticity (可塑性), and suggests some degree of personal control over cognitive functioning in adulthood by adopting an intellectually active lifestyle.”
57. What is the text mainly about?
A. Higher education has a better cognitive advantage.
B. Better memories result from college degree.
C. Cognitive activity does a mind good.
D. Poor education has more risk of memory declines.
58. According to the result of Margie Lachman’s study, we can conclude that ________.
A. education is responsible for the lifelong memory performance and risk for mental disorder
B. education early in adulthood can be the only route to maintain your memory
C. those with higher education did better on the memory tests than those with lower education
D. an intellectually active lifestyle does help to maintain your memory
59. What do we know about the study called Midlife?
A. Participants each were given a battery to test their memory.
B. The average age of the participants are 56 years old.
C. Participants had to perform in one of the two cognitive areas.
D. One in four of the participants had a 4-year college degree.
60. Why are the findings of the Lachman’s study promising?
A. The lower educated may have the same opportunities to keep up memory.
B. We may have ways to cure the people who have memory declines.
C. Adopting a different lifestyle can control over cognitive functioning.
D. We can find out the possibility to have better memories.
57---60 CDBA
A jobless man applied for the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
“You are employed,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as date when you may start.”
The man replied,“But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail.”
“I’ m sorry,” said the HR manager.“If you don’t have an e-mail,that means , you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job.”
The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do with only ten dollars in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes. He then sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars.
The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. Five years later, the man is one of the biggest food retailers(销售商) in the US.
He started to plan his family’s future and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker(经纪人)and chose a protection plan.
When the conversation was concluded the broker asked him his e-mail. The man replied, “I don’t have an e-mail.”
The broker answered curiously,“You don’t have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied,“Yes,I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”
1.The underlined word “tripled” can be replaced by .
A.became large |
B.became 3 times |
C.increased quickly |
D.decreased quickly |
2.According to the passage,which of the following is TRUE?
A.The man is one of the biggest food retailers in the world. |
B.The man didn’t give up though he failed the interview. |
C.He started his career by selling tomatoes in the Supermarket. |
D.Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft. |
3.The man can be described as .
A.helpful and considerate |
B.positive and generous |
C.smart and hardworking |
D.stubborn and unselfish |
4. Which proverb can best describe the story?
A.Misfortune may be an actual blessing. |
B.Where there is a will, there is a way. |
C.Accidents will happen. |
D.No pains, no gains. |
— If you don’t like the red coat, take the blue one.
— OK, but do you have ______ size in blue? This one’s a bit tight for me.
A.a big |
B.a bigger |
C.the big |
D.the bigger |