Question

【题目】Directions: Read the following passage and choose the most suitable statement from A-F for each blank. There are two extra statements, which you do not need.

Life would be a lot sweeter if you were a memory athlete. Most of us however, are not wired that way. But don’t be discouraged: thanks to neuroplasticity, anyone can transcend their fallible memory. 【1】

There are a few relatively simple things a person can do to help improve their memory function. First up, the basics: the foundation of good memory is good health. 【2】

Then there are more deliberate approaches like practicing mnemonics. A mnemonic device is a trick designed to make remembering things easier. So instead of remembering to buy eggs, rice, apples and dog food, it might be easier to think of READ, which stands for rice, eggs, apples, and dog food. This is the acrostic method.

【3】 Let’s use the same shopping list as an example. Instead of focusing on the word ‘rice,’ this technique works by focusing on the image of rice thrown on the ground in a yard. For eggs, picture a hen pecking at the rice, followed by a nearby tree of apple blossoms, the petals falling around the hen, falling on a sleeping dog. Once the interconnected scene is created it’s a simple visual to ease your way around the halls of the grocery store with no list needed. This technique, where you base a memory around visual images, is more formally called ‘method of loci’.

A recent study published in Neuron has unearthed some interesting insights about the brains of competitive memorizers. The researchers invited 23 of the world’s top 50 memory athletes to have their brains scanned in rest states, and while performing memory tests, and matched each champion to a control participant. Anatomically, the scans showed there was no difference in brain structure or region size between the groups. 【4】 And what’s more, after they gave the ‘naive’ control group training in the method of loci, their neural connectivity began to look more like that of the pros.

A. What you're born with isn't what you're stuck with.

B. Where the difference was observed was in connectivity.

C. Another more complicated mnemonic technique is called a mind palace.

D. Training in method of loci can physically change the way a person remembers.

E. Eating and sleeping right will lead to optimal brain function, the flow-on effect of which is a better memory.

F. The improved memory observed after mnemonic training persists for as long as 4 months after training concludes.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】E

【3】C

【4】B

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了一些改善记忆力的方法与技巧。

【1】根据上文But don’t be discouraged: thanks to neuroplasticity, anyone can transcend their fallible memory.（但不要气馁：由于神经可塑性，任何人都可以超越他们容易出错的记忆）可知，人们的神经有可塑性，所以人们的记忆力可以改变。A项What you're born with isn't what you're stuck with.（你与生俱来的并不是无法摆脱的）符合文意。故选A。

【2】根据上文There are a few relatively simple things a person can do to help improve their memory function.（一个人可以做一些相对简单的事情来帮助改善他们的记忆功能）可知，此处在介绍一些可以改善记忆功能的一些相对简单的事情。E项Eating and sleeping right will lead to optimal brain function, the flow-on effect of which is a better memory.（正确的饮食和睡眠会使大脑功能达到最佳状态，从而带来更好的记忆力）符合文意。故选E。

【3】根据上文This is the acrostic method.（这就是离合法）可知，第三段介绍了一种记忆技巧。C项Another more complicated mnemonic technique is called a mind palace.（另一种更复杂的记忆技巧叫做思维宫殿）符合文意。C项中的another与上文中的this相互照应。故选C。

【4】根据上文Anatomically, the scans showed there was no difference in brain structure or region size between the groups.（从解剖学上看，扫描结果显示两组人的大脑结构和区域大小没有差异）及下文And what’s more, after they gave the ‘naive’ control group training in the method of loci, their neural connectivity began to look more like that of the pros.（更重要的是，在他们用基因座的方法进行了“幼稚”的对照组训练之后，他们的神经连接性开始变得更像专家的神经连接性）可知，此处要介绍从另一个角度发现的差异。B项Where the difference was observed was in connectivity.（我们观察到的差异是在连通性方面）符合文意。故选B。

七选五题型主要考查上下文的理解与推断，虽然文章整体难度一般低于阅读理解，但是却给很多同学造成了很大的心理障碍。七个选项中选五个，比四个选项中选一个，感觉干扰性更大，很大同学在做这个题目时，总有一种眼花缭乱、心烦气躁的感觉，致使往往正确率不高。在这里提醒同学们，首先要克服心理障碍，同时要注意方式方法。其次，注意设空前后的句子，因为这些句子之间是顺承和联系的，所有一定要联系和理解上下文的语境。例如第2小题，根据上文There are a few relatively simple things a person can do to help improve their memory function.（一个人可以做一些相对简单的事情来帮助改善他们的记忆功能）可知，此处在介绍一些可以改善记忆功能的一些相对简单的事情。E项Eating and sleeping right will lead to optimal brain function, the flow-on effect of which is a better memory.（正确的饮食和睡眠会使大脑功能达到最佳状态，从而带来更好的记忆力）可知，Eating and sleeping就是简单的事情，因此可知E项符合文意。故选E。