Question

【题目】Ever walked to the shops only to find, once there, you've completely forgotten what you went for? Or struggled to remember the name of an old friend? For years we've accepted that a forgetful brain is as much a part of ageing as wrinkles and grey hair. But now a new book suggests that we've got it all wrong.

According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age. In fact, she argues that some studies have found that our brain hits its peak between our 40s and 60s— much later than previously thought.

Furthermore, rather than losing many brain cells as we age, we retain （保留）them, and even produce new ones well into middle age. For years it’s been assumed that brain, much like the body, declines with age. But the longest, largest study into what happens to people as they age suggests otherwise.

This continuing research has followed 6,000 people since 1956, testing them every seven years. It has found that on average, participants performed better on cognitive （认知的）tests in their 40s and 50s than they had done in their 20s. Specifically, older people did better on tests of vocabulary, verbal memory (how many words you can remember) and problem solving.

Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed－how fast you can push a button when ordered. However, with more complex tasks such as problem-solving and language, we are at our best at middle age and beyond. In short, researchers are now coming up with scientific proof that we do get wiser with age.

Neuroscientists are also finding that we are happier with ageing. A recent US study found older people were much better at controlling and balancing their emotions. It is thought that when we’re younger we need to focus more on the negative aspects of life in order to learn about the possible dangers in the world, but as we get older we’ve learned our lessons and are sub-consciously aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy.

【1】Barbara Strauch probably agrees that ______.

A. people’s brains work best between their 40s and 60s

B. the young are better at handling important things

C. ageing leads to the decline of the function of the brain

D. wrinkles and grey hair are the only symbols of ageing

【2】The continuing research has found older people perform better on _____ .

A. number ability B. vocabulary tests

C. perceptual speed D. body balance

【3】People are happier with age because ______.

A. they know how to share feelings

B. they learn to value the time left

C. they cannot focus on negative aspects

D. they do not realize the possible dangers

【4】What is the main idea of the passage?

A. People get more forgetful with age. B. People get wiser with age.

C. People get happier with age. D. People get more self-aware with age.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】A

【2】C

【3】B

【4】C

【解析】

本文是一篇科普说明文。以前人们认为随着年龄的变大，人们会更容易健忘，这和我们的身体变化一致。然而最新的研究告诉我们，人类最好的时间是40-60岁，这段时间人们更加幸福。

【1】推理判断题。根据第二段第一句According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age.可知Barbara Strauch认为人类的头脑随着年龄变大会变得更好。故A项正确。

【2】细节理解题。根据第五段第一句Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed－how fast you can push a button when ordered.可知深入研究发现老年人在感知速度方面表现得更好。故C项正确。

【3】推理判断题。根据最后一句but as we get older we’ve learned our lessons and are sub-consciously aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy.可知当人们变老以后，会更加珍惜剩余的人生时光，很少考虑生活中消极的事物，故B项正确。

【4】主旨大意题。人们以前认为随着年龄的变大，人们会更容易健忘，这和我们的身体变化一致。然而最新的研究告诉我们，人类最好的时间是40-60岁，这段时间人们更加幸福。A项内容错误，B项只是部分内容，D项与文章无关。