If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
The study also found the effect is greater when the younger people learn a second language. A team led by Dr. Andrea Mechelli, from London University, took a group of Britain people who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference was.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists. It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales has researched the link between bilingualism and math skill. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible,” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of 2 and 34. Reading, writing and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.
1 ． The main subject talked about in this passage is .
A ． science on learning a second language
B ． man’s ability of learning a second language
C ． language can help brain power
D ． language learning and math study
2 ． In the second paragraph, the writer mentions “exercise” in order to .
A ． say language is also a kind of physical labor
B ． prove that one needs more practice when he/she is learning a language
C ． show the importance of using the language when you learn the language
D ． make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well
3 ． In the last two paragraphs, the author wants to tell us that .
A ． learning a second language is the same as studying math
B ． early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in study other subjects
C ． Italian is the best choice for you as a second language
D ． we’d better choose the ages between 2 and 34 to learn a second language
1 ． C
2 ． D
3 ． B
【分析】
这是一篇说明文。研究显示，学习一门外语能够增强脑力，增强人的学习能力，这是因为学习外语改变了大脑的灰质，大脑灰质负责对信息的处理。研究还发现，越早地学习一门外语，学习能力越强。
1 ．
主旨大意题。由第二段 “According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power.” 根据英国一所大学的一项新研究，学习第二语言可以提高你的脑力。可知，英国一所大学的一项新研究表明，学习另一种语言有助于增强脑力。结合下文，通过一些科学研究和科学家的实验都用来证明了这个观点。所以本文主要讨论的主题是语言有助于增强脑力。故选 C 。
2 ．
推理判断题。由第二段 “Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles. 研究人员发现，学习其他语言会改变大脑的灰质。这是大脑中处理信息的区域，这与锻炼锻炼肌肉的方式类似。 ” 可知，作者把语言学习对大脑的促进作用比作体育锻炼对塑造肌肉的促进作用，目的是为了说明语言学习对大脑的促进作用和锻炼对肌肉的促进作用一样，即只要学习一门语言就会促进大脑灰质发挥作用。由此推知，在第二段中作者提到 “exercise” 是为了让人们相信，语言学习促进大脑灰质很好地发挥它的作用。故选 D 。
3 ．
推理判断题。由最后一段 “The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and thirty-four. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better” 可知，研究人员对以意大利语为母语、在 2 岁至 34 岁之间将英语作为第二语言的人进行了调查。对阅读、写作和理解都进行了测试。结果表明，他们越早地学习一门语言，对学习其它科目的效果就越好。所以通过研究结果可以判断出，作者想告诉我们，早些学习一门语言对学习其他科目有很大帮助。故选 B 。