Challenging work that requires lots of analytical thinking, planning and other managerial skills might help your brain stay sharp as you age, a study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology suggests.
Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany gathered more than 1, 000 retired workers who were over age 75 and assessed the volunteers’ memory and thinking skills through a battery of tests. Then, for eight years, the scientists asked the same group to come back to the lab every 18 months to take the same sorts of tests.
Those who had held mentally stimulating(刺激), demanding jobs before retirement tended to do the best on the tests. And they tended to lose cognitive(认知) function at a much slower rate than those with the least mentally challenging jobs. The results held true even after the scientists accounted for the participants’ overall health status.
“This works just like physical exercise, ” says Francisca Then, who led the study. “After a long run, you may feel like you’re in pain, you may feel tired. But it makes you fit. After a long day at work-sure, you will feel tired, but it can help your brain stay healthy. ”
It's not just corporate jobs, or even paid work that can help keep your brain fit, Then points out. A waiter’s job, for example, that requires multitasking, teamwork and decision-making could be just as stimulating as any high-level office work. And “running a family household requires high-level planning and coordinating(协调), ” she says. “You have to organize the activities of the children and take care of the bills and groceries. ”
Of course, our brains can decline as we grow older for lots of reasons-including other environmental influences or genetic factors. Still, continuing to challenge yourself mentally and keeping your mind busy can only help.
28. Why did the scientists ask the volunteers to take the tests?
A. To assess their health status. B. To evaluate their work habits.
C. To analyze their personality. D. To measure their mental ability.
29. How does Francisca Then explain her findings in paragraph 4?
A. By using an expert’s words. B. By making a comparison.
C. By referring to another study. D. By introducing a concept.
30. Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A. Retired Workers Can Pick Up New Skills
B. Old People Should Take Challenging Jobs
C. Your Tough Job Might Help Keep You Sharp
D. Cognitive Function May Decline As You Age
28. D 29. B 30. C
【解析】
这是一篇说明文。《神经病学》杂志发布的一则研究显示,需要大量的分析思考、细致规划和其他管理技能有挑战性的工作,有可能会帮助你的大脑随着年龄的增长而保持敏锐。
【28题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段第一句“Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany gathered more than 1,000 retired workers who were over age 75 and assessed the volunteers’ memory and thinking skills through a battery of tests.(来自德国莱比锡大学的研究人员召集了1000多名75岁以上的退休老人,并通过一系列的测试对他们的记忆力和思维能力进行了评估。)”可知,科学家让志愿者做测试是为了测试他们的心智能力。故选D项。
【29题详解】
推理判断题。根据第四段中Francisca Then说的话“This works just like physical exercise,( 这就像体育锻炼一样有效。)”及接下来进一步的解释“长跑后人就会感到痛苦和疲惫,但它确实能强身健体。工作一天下来会感到劳累,但这也使你的大脑处于健康状态”可知,Francisca Then是通过与“身体锻炼”作比较来解释他的发现的。故选B项。
【30题详解】
主旨大意题。第一段“Challenging work that requires lots of analytical thinking, planning and other managerial skills might help your brain stay sharp as you age(需要大量的分析思考、细致规划和其他管理技能有挑战性的工作,有可能会帮助你的大脑随着年龄的增长而保持敏锐。)”是本文的主题句,结合全文内容可知,文章主要讲述了有挑战性的工作可能会使大脑保持敏捷,所以C项“困难的工作可能有助于大脑保持敏捷”适合作本文标题。故选C项。
人生感悟类阅读的概念:
生活感悟类的文章就是指能给人心灵以启迪,使人从中受到教育的文章。这类文章的体裁可以是记叙文,如生活中一些感人故事或情感故事,有点类似心灵鸡汤一样的短文。
生活感悟类阅读解题指导:
一、文章特点:
生活感悟类的文章就是指能给人心灵以启迪,使人从中受到教育的文章。这类文章的体裁可以是记叙文,如生活中一些感人故事或情感故事,有点类似心灵鸡汤一样的短文。有时故事的结尾会有一句“点睛之笔”,点出全文的中心思想,就像《伊索寓言》里的寓言一样。还可能是夹叙夹议的哲理散文或生活随笔。散文随笔通常会阐述一种朴素易懂,耳熟能详的人生道理或宝贵品质。文章的结构和议论文类似,一般是总分总或总分结构。每段首句或尾句为主题句(论点),其它句子围绕主题展开论述(论据),论证方法多种多样,或举例,或引用名言,或正反对照等。
二、解题技巧:
针对生活感悟类文章的特点,做这类文章的完形填空时,要特别注意以下几点:
1、重点理解全文的首句。如果是记叙文,找出when,where,who,what等基本要素。如果是散文随笔,充分理解文章的中心句—全文的主题。
2、阅读全文的结尾段或结尾句,有助于理解文章所阐述或蕴含的哲理、感悟或忠告等。
3、调动自己的背景知识和情感。这类文章不会讲大道理也不会涉及到一些很专业的知识技术领域,而是谈一些小事和简单的道理,所以如果读者能和作者产生感情上的共鸣,读者会更好地把握作者的意图态度,从而提高做题的准确度。因此,考生在平时要做一个有心人,即用心去感悟生活中发生的小事,思考人生的一些基本道理,多阅读一些短小精悍的美文,多写写自己的心情故事和对生活学习的感悟。只有平时多用心,做题时才能调动自己的背景知识和情感。
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A. Take full responsibility B. Slow down your pace C. Find an advisor D. Cherish people around you E. Find your deepest values F. Be willing to change |
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You need to change in order to grow. Changing your life is a continuous process. It never ends. The moment you stop changing, you stop growing. Here are some tips that may help to change your life:
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To change your life, you need time to think and reflect. If you are always busy, you won’t have the time to think about your life, let alone taking action to change it. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast ― you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
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It’s your life; nobody can change it but you. If you aren’t willing to change, then nothing in this world can make you do so. To build the willingness to change, first you should realize that your life can be better than it is now. No matter how good your life is, it can always be improved. On the other hand, don’t feel hopeless if your life doesn’t seem good right now. You can always change your life for the better.
Don’t blame other people for the bad things that happen in your life. Don’t blame your family, friends, boss, or the economy. Whether your life goes up or down depends on you and you alone. Stephen Covey once said, “We immediately become more effective when we decide to change ourselves rather than asking things to change for us.”
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Deep down in your heart, there are some principles that you know is true. Take the time to find them. What do you think is the most valuable thing in life? What principles do you think you must follow to live a fulfilling life? These are the values that you need to align yourself with. Find them and remind yourself constantly about them.
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Not only can this person give you advice on what to do in certain situations, he can also warn you about possible pitfalls in your path. Without a mentor, most likely you will have to learn many lessons the hard way. Having a mentor will save you serious amount of time.