14．Can Training Your Working Memory Make You Smarter？
We would all like to increase our cognitive（认知的） ability beyond the limits set by Mother Nature．So it's no wonder that brain-training programmes-which typically focus on training our working memory-are a multibillion-dollar industry．But can this kind of training really make us smarter？
Cognitive training sees the brain as a kind of muscle that can be made stronger with the right kind of practice．It consists of tasks or games carried out on computers or smart phones．Despite much research，there has so far been no agreement about its effectiveness．Some think that cognitive training increases a broad range of cognitive abilities，while others less optimistic．
Yet we do know that some cognitive skills，such as working memory and intelligence，tend to go together and are predictors of real-life skills such as work performance．Thus，training one cognitive skill might lead to an improvement in many other cognitive and non-cognitive skills．That is exactly the underlying hypothesis（假设） on which working-memory training is based．
To test this hypothesis，we examined all the studies about working-memory training we could find with normally developing children：26 experiments and 1，601 total participants．Children represent an ideal test group：during childhood，skills are still at the beginning of their development．Thus，cognitive training is more likely to succeed with children than adults．
The results were very clear．Working-memory training did not show any effect on children's fluid intelligence，a person's ability to solve new problems and adapt to new situations．It didn't influence their academic achievement or other cognitive abilities，either．The only reliable effect was that children got better at what they trained to do．No more，no less．So performing working-memory tasks does seem to make you better at doing them．Nonetheless，the fact that participants got better at such tasks does not necessarily mean that their working-memory ability increased．They may just have learnt how to perform that particular type of task．
The results do indicate that the use of working-memory training programs as an educational tool is fruitless．More generally，together with other research，the results contribute to disproving cognitive training companies'promises of a better brain．
The results have even more important implications theoretically．They question the hypothesis that training general cognitive mechanisms can affect other cognitive or real-life skills．Beyond working-memory training，other recent studies have shown the limitations of different types of cognitive training．For example，music training fails at improving cognitive skills outside music-including academic skills．
However，these negative results must not discourage us from training our cognitive and non-cognitive skills．We just have to be aware of the actual limitations of such practice in areas outside what we are actually training．But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it-the most efficient way to develop a skill is，after all，to train that skill．
67．According to the passage，cognitive training is likely toC．
A．uncover the secrets of human minds
B．make one's brain stronger through practice
C．bring much profit to the training companies
D．earn a good reputation for the training company
68．To find out the effect of working memory training，the authorC．
A．made some scientific studies
B．compared different test groups
C．reviewed the previous research
D．got some children involved in the experiment
69．Children taking part in the experiments were able toC．
A．adapt to new situations quickly
B．gain greater academic achievements
C．do better in the field that they are trained in
D．succeed when they deal with real life problems
70．What is the author's attitude toward the cognitive training？B
A．Uninterested．B．Objective．C．Disapproving．D．Optimistic．
分析 短文主要讲了通过培训你的工作记忆能否使你变聪明这个问题，通过一些研究报告展示了这样的训练会让你训练的那一方面有所提高，但不会使你变聪明．
解答 67．C，推理判断题，由短文最后一句的总结性句子But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it-the most efficient way to develop a skill is，after all，to train that skill．可以推测出认知训练有可能会给培训公司带来很大的利益，故答案为C．
68．C，细节理解题，根据句子To test this hypothesis，we examined all the studies about working-memory training we could find with normally developing children：26 experiments and 1，601 total participants可知，为了检测这个假设，作者研究了之前的所有研究报告，故答案为C．
69．C，推理判断题，根据句子Beyond working-memory training，other recent studies have shown the limitations of different types of cognitive training．For example，music training fails at improving cognitive skills outside music可知，这种工作记忆的训练，只能增强他们训练的那一方面，故答案为C．
70．B，态度观点题，短文主要讲了通过培训你的工作记忆能否使你变聪明这个问题，通过一些研究报告展示了这样的训练会让你训练的那一方面有所提高，但不会使你变聪明，作者正反方都有提及，可见其是客观的，故答案为B．
点评 解答任务型阅读理解题，首先对原文材料迅速浏览，掌握全文的主旨大意．因为阅读理解题一般没有标题，所以，速读全文，抓住中心主旨很有必要，在速读的过程中，应尽可能多地捕获信息材料．其次，细读题材，各个击破．掌握全文的大意之后，细细阅读每篇材料后的问题，弄清每题要求后，带着问题，再回到原文中去寻找、捕获有关信息．最后，要善于抓住每段的主题句，阅读时，要有较强的针对性．对于捕获到的信息，要做认真分析，仔细推敲，理解透彻，只有这样，针对题目要求，才能做到稳、准．
