Question

【题目】 Getting a high grade in an exam depends partly on how much you can remember. So, improving memory is essential to success in studying. But is there anything that we can do about it? One solution might be walking backwards.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Cognition, walking backwards, whether doing it really or just imagining it, can boost (增强) the brainpower in the short term.

In the study, 114 volunteers were asked to watch a video in which a woman had her bag stolen. Then they answered 20 questions about the details shown in the video. Ten minutes after watching the video, the volunteers were divided into three groups. The first two groups were told to move forwards or backwards 10 meters while the third group was asked to stay still on the same point. The researchers found that the backwards-walking group got two more correct answers on average than the other two groups. This suggests that a relationship between the concepts (概念) of time and space is essential to the way our minds form memories.

When we walk backwards, everything we learn becomes strange to us. "This forces the brain to think in a different way—it's a rewiring and changes the focus," US neuropsychologist (神经心理学家) Christine Weber told Forbes. It almost always means that our brain needs to be more active and alert in the limited time. Naturally, our short-term memory will be improved significantly.

Apart from improving our memory, walking backwards also plays an important role in physical health, especially fitness. A study published in Journal of Biomechanics in 2012 found that backward walking puts less strain and requires a smaller range of movements from the knee joints (膝关节). Thus, there's less pressure and pain in the knees.

In addition, walking backwards, compared to forward walking, is more challenging. It requires you to use muscles and movements that you probably rarely use, making it a perfect way to change your exercise routine for greater fitness gains. Meanwhile, by making people put in extra effort, it naturally burns more fat and calories.

【1】Which group of people perform best in the memory test?

A.The staying-still group.B.The forwards-walking group.

C.The imaginary-walking group.D.The backwards-walking group.

【2】In what way does walking backwards benefit people's health?

A.It can make people slim.B.It can reduce peopled stress.

C.It can strengthen people's joints.D.It can make people more energetic.

【3】What do we know about backward walking?

A.It follows our exercise routine.

B.It limits people's thinking time.

C.It directs our focus to important details.

D.It makes people's brain more active and alert.

【4】What's the writer's purpose in writing paragraph 4?

A.To add another aspect of the topic.

B.To support the result of the research.

C.To sum up the main idea of the passage.

D.To provide some background information.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】D

【4】B

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章通过实验证明，“向后行走”有助于短期记忆改善，还可以帮助减轻膝盖的压力，帮助减肥。

【1】

细节理解题。由第三段中的“The researchers found that the backwards-walking group got two more correct answers on average than the other two groups.”（研究人员发现，向后行走组平均比其他两组多得到两个正确答案。）可知向后行走组在记忆测试中表现最好。故选D项。

【2】

细节理解题。由最后一段中的“It requires you to use muscles and movements that you probably rarely use, making it a perfect way to change your exercise routine for greater fitness gains. Meanwhile, by making people put in extra effort, it naturally burns more fat and calories.”（它要求你使用肌肉和你可能很少使用的运动，使向后行走成为一个完美的方式来改变你的锻炼计划，以获得更大的健身收益。同时，通过让人们付出额外的努力，它自然会燃烧更多的脂肪和卡路里。）可知向后行走能够减肥，使人苗条。故选A项。

【3】

细节理解题。由第四段中的“It almost always means that our brain needs to be more active and alert in the limited time.”（向后行走几乎总是意味着我们的大脑需要在有限的时间内变得更加活跃和警觉。）可知向后行走使人的大脑更加活跃和警觉。故选D项。

【4】

推理判断题。由第四段尾句“It almost always means that our brain needs to be more active and alert in the limited time. Naturally, our short-term memory will be improved significantly.”（向后行走几乎总是意味着我们的大脑需要在有限的时间内变得更加活跃和警觉。当然，我们的短期记忆会大大改善。）可推断出第四段是为了支持研究结果：向后行走可以提高短期记忆。故选B项。