Question

Until just a few years ago, we doctors believed that the brain stopped making new neural(神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)的) connections (meaning that your memory began to get worse) when the body stopped developing, usually in your early 20s. And we knew that, like any other body part, neurons weaken as we age. Loss of brain function due to neural breakdown was assumed to be a normal, unavoidable part of aging.

It turns out that we were wrong. In the past few years, it has been discovered that you can, in fact, make new neurons starting in your 20s and continuing well into old age. You can literally rewire the brain with new parts as the older parts wear out. How? Simple: Keep learning. Just as your body can pack on and condition new muscle, your brain can rebuild used-up neurons.

How strong is the evidence for this? Strong enough that a $200 million industry devoted to brain boosting software (products like Brain Age, MindFit, and Lumosity that supposedly improve your memory function) has sprung up out of nowhere. All “mental fitness” means are keeping your memory intact(everything from phone numbers to how to throw a football). So what can you do to stay smart?

Keep blood pressure down. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop cognitive impairment later in life.

Eat more vitamins. Like E(in nuts and sunflower seeds), B6 and B12(beef, tuna), and folic acid(leafy greens, citrus, berries), which help keep your brain’s chemistry in balance.

Exercise your brain. This is the best way to rebuild and strengthen those precious neurons. Learn to play chess or the guitar. When you’re at a stoplight, try to recall the starting lineup of the 1983 Celtics. See a movie that doesn’t feature Ben Stiller. Or read, like, a book.

Title: How to keep the 1.________smart?

Previous 2._________	The brain no longer makes new neural connections once the 3.________ of one’s body has stopped.
New 4. ________	●New neurons continue to occur even in one’s old age. ●5.________contributes to the development of the new parts of your brain. ●Many products which claim to improve your brain function appear in the 6._________.
7._________	●Keep yourself away from 8._________blood pressure. ●9._________in more vitamins for the needs of your brain. ●10._______your brain as much as you can.

 

Answer 1

1.brain

2.belief

3.growth/development

4.discoveries

5.Learning

6.market

7.Suggestions/Advice/Tips

8.high

9.Take

10.Exercise/Use

【解析】

試題分析：題目主要考查學(xué)生從文中提取有效信息的能力。做題時需要注意轉(zhuǎn)換單詞的詞性，還要加強短語的積累。

1.You can literally rewire the brain with new parts as the older parts wear out.”和第三段“So what can you do to stay smart?”可知，文章主要講的是如何讓大腦變得更聰明，故填brain。

2.we doctors believed that the brain stopped making new neural(神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)的) connections”可知，以前的觀點是當(dāng)身體停止生長時，人的大腦也會停止產(chǎn)生新的神經(jīng)聯(lián)結(jié)，這里需要填believe的名詞形式，故填belief。

3.when the body stopped developing”可知，科學(xué)家以前認(rèn)為當(dāng)身體停止生長時，大腦也將停止產(chǎn)生新的神經(jīng)聯(lián)結(jié)，由此可知，這里指的是身體的生長，故填growth/development。

4.In the past few years, it has been discovered that you can...”可知，科學(xué)家有了新的發(fā)現(xiàn)，discovery是可數(shù)名詞，故填discoveries。

5.How? Simple: Keep learning.”可知，保持學(xué)習(xí)能夠促進(jìn)大腦的發(fā)展，故填Learning。

6.a $200 million industry devoted to brain boosting software (products like Brain Age,...has sprung up out of nowhere.”可知，許多聲稱能夠增強大腦能力的產(chǎn)品已經(jīng)如雨后春筍般不斷涌現(xiàn)出來，這里指相關(guān)產(chǎn)品已經(jīng)在市面上開始銷售，故填market。

7.So what can you do to stay smart?”可知，“Keep blood pressure down. ...Eat more vitamins. ...Exercise your brain.”是作者給出的建議，故填Suggestions/Advice/Tips。

8.Keep blood pressure down. People with high blood pressure are...”可知，應(yīng)該把血壓保持在一個較低的水平，故填high。

9.Eat more vitamins.”可知，應(yīng)該多攝入一些維生素，take in吸收，故填Take。

10.Exercise your brain.”可知，應(yīng)該盡可能多地使用大腦，讓大腦得到鍛煉，故填Exercise/Use。

考點：考查提取有效信息；詞性轉(zhuǎn)換