A brief course of brain exercises helped older adults hold on to improvements in reasoning skills and processing speed that could be detected as long as 10 years after the course ended, according to results from the largest study ever done on cognitive training(认知训练).
The findings, published on Monday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, offer welcome news in the search for ways to keep the mind sharp as 76 million baby boomers(婴儿潮出生的一代人) in the United States advance into old age.
The federally-sponsored trial of almost 3,000 older adults, called the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly Study(ACTIVE), looked at how three brain training programs—focusing on processing speed, memory and reasoning ability—affected cognitively-normal adults as they aged.
People in the study had an average age of 74 when they started the training, which involved 10 to 12 sessions lasting 60 to 75 minutes each. The training course was designed to improve specific cognitive abilities that begin to decline as people age. It did not aim to prevent dementia(痴呆) caused by underlying disease such as Alzheimer’s(阿尔茨海默症). After five years, researchers found that those with the training performed better than their untrained counterparts(相对应的人) in all three measures.
Although gains in memory seen at the study’s five-year mark appeared to drop off over the next five years, gains in reasoning ability and processing speed lasted 10 years after the training.
“What we found was pretty astonishing. Ten years after the training, there was evidence the effects were durable for the reasoning and the speed training,” said George Rebok, an expert on aging and a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who led the study.
The participants in all three training groups also reported that the training made it easier for them to do daily activities such as managing their medications, cooking meals or handling their finances than those who did not get the training. But standard tests of these activities showed no differences between the groups.
“The speed-of-processing results are very encouraging,” said study co-author Jonathan King, program director for cognitive aging in the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, which helped fund the research.
King said the self-reported improvements in daily function were interesting, but added, “We do not yet know whether they would truly allow older people to be independent for a longer time.” However, the researchers said even a small gain would be likely to ease the burden on caregivers and health care providers.
“If we delay the attack of difficulties in daily activities even by a small amount, that can have major public health implications in terms of helping to control healthcare costs, delaying entry into institutions and hospitals,” Rebok said.
Brain Training Courses Keep Seniors (71)___▲___ | |
Basic information about the study | ●The study was (72)___▲___ by the federal government. ●There were about 3,000 participants who were 74 years old on (73)___ ▲____. ●They were given cognitive training, whose (74)___▲___ were processing speed, memory and reasoning ability. |
Findings of the study | ●The training made the participants better at processing, (75)__ ▲__ and reasoning. ●With the brain exercises, older adults saw (76)___▲___ in reasoning skills and processing speed for 10 years after the training. ●According to the participants’ own report, they had an (77)___▲__ time with daily activities. |
(78)___▲____of the study | The findings help in looking for ways to keep the mind sharp with the baby boomers (79)___▲___. |
Opinions of the researchers | ●It is unknown whether the effects of brain training would enable older adults to live independently longer. ●However, even a small gain could reduce the burden of (80)__ ▲__ the elders. |
71. Sharp / Sharp-minded 72. sponsored 73. average 74. focuses
75. memorizing 76. improvements/gains 77. easier 78. Significance/Importance/Benefit
79. aging 80. attending
In a society, such as the United States or Canada, which has many national, religious and cultural differences, people highly value individualism--the difference among people. Teachers place a lot of importance on the qualities that make each student special. The educational systems in these countries show these values. Students don't memorize information. Instead, they work individually and find answers themselves. There is often discussion in the classroom. At an early age, students learn to form their own ideas and opinions.
In most Asian societies, by contrast, people have the same language, history, and culture. Perhaps for this reason, the educational system in much of Asia reflects society’s belief in group goals and purposes rather than individualism. Children in China, Japan, and Korea often work together and help one another in assignments. In the classroom, the teaching methods are often very formal. The teacher lectures, and the students listen. There is not much discussion. Instead, the students recite rules of information that they have memorized.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these systems of education. For example, one advantage to the system in Japan is that there much more math and science than American students learn by the end of high school. They also study more hours each day and more days each year than North Americans do. The system is difficult, but it prepares students for a society that values discipline and self-control. There is, however, a disadvantage. Memorization is an important learning method in Japanese schools, yet many students say that after an exam, they forget much of the information that they have memorized.
The advantage of the educational system in North American, on the other hand, is that students learn to think for themselves. The system prepares them for a society that values creative ideas. There is, however, a disadvantage. When students graduate from high school, they haven’t memorized as many basic rules and facts as students in other countries have.
Title: 76 of Educational System between North America and Asia
Students in the US and 77 | Students in China, Japan and Korea | |
What do they 78 | Individualism | 79 goals and purposes |
Different 80 of study | Working individually | Listening to the teachers |
Forming their own ideas and opinions | Reciting rules and memorizing information | |
A lot of discussion in the classroom | Not much discussion | |
81 | Learning to think for themselves | Learning much more math and science |
Studying more hours each day and more days each year | ||
Good for a society that values 82 | Good for a society valuing 83 and self-control | |
Disadvantages | Students haven’t memorized many basic rules and facts before 84___ | Information is 85 easily. |
Directions: Read the following passage. Complete the diagram by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each answer.
American public education has changed in recent years. One change is that increasing numbers of American parents and teachers are starting independent public schools called charter schools.
In 1991, there were no charter schools in the Unite States. Today, more than 2300 charter schools operate in 34 states and the District of Columbia. 575. 000 students attend these schools. The students are from 5 years of age through 18 or older.
A charter school is created by groups of parents, teachers and community members. It is similar in some ways to a traditional public school. It receives tax money to operate a number of students. The charter school must prove to local or state governments that its students are learning. These governments provide the school with the agreement, or charter that permits it to operate.
Unlike a traditional public school, however, the charter school does not have to obey most laws governing public schools. Local, state or federal governments cannot tell it what to teach.
Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach those goals. Class sizes are usually smaller than in many traditional public schools. Many students and parents say teachers in charter schools can be more creative.
However, state education agencies, local education-governing committees and unions often oppose charter schools. They say these schools may receive money badly needed by traditional public schools. Experts say some charter schools are doing well while others are struggling.
Congress provided 200 million dollars for establishing charter schools in the 2006 federal budget. But, often the schools say they lack enough money for programs. Many also lack needed space, District officials say they have provided 14 former school buildings for charter education. Yet charter school supporters say officials should try harder to find more space.
Title: 71.
72 ________ | Independent public school | ||
Similarities between charter schools and traditional schools | ●73 ________ to operate U number of students ●Having to prove the students are learning ●Getting 74 ________ to operate from government | ||
75 __________ between charter schools and traditional schools | ●Not having to obey most laws for public schools ●Being free to decide the 76 ________ ●Being free to choose the goals and decide 77 ________ them ●There usually being 78 ________ students in charter schools’classes ●Having teachers who are more creative | ||
Charter school's problems | Opinions from education departments | These schools receiving money badly needed by 79 ________ Not all doing well | |
Opinions from charter schools | Lacking enough money Lacking 80._________ |