Smart Exercise

Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels, including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says: "While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can literally cause physical changes in the brain."

The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician （儿科医师）, believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. "Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning," says Margaret.

Older people can beef up their brains as well. Cornell University studied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants, exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.

For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as two to three hours of exercise a week.

56. Research by Dr. Cameron seems to suggest that exercise can

A. generate new blood vessels.

B. change the way a person thinks.

C. promote brain development.

D. divert one's attention.

57. Margaret Barnes thinks that a lack of movement in infancy can

A. lead to learning troubles later.

B. cause physical disabilities later.

C. stimulate the five senses.

D. bring about changes in the brain.

58. The expression "beef up" in paragraph 3 means

A. "control".

B. "strengthen".

C. "operate".

D. "encourage".

59. To be beneficial, exercise for older people should

A. be done in a group.

B. be done on a daily basis.

C. involve great difficulty.

D. increase the heart rate.

60. The title of the passage implies that

A. only smart people do exercise.

B. exercise can be smart or stupid.

C. exercise keeps the brain strong.

D. it is fashionable to do exercise.

—Daddy, which of those smart hats do you like in the hat shop?

— _______. They are both expensive and less warm-keeping.

A. Either           B. Nothing                C. Niether                    D. None

Most of us seem to reach our peak of alertness (警觉) around noon. Soon after that, alertness declines, and sleepiness may set in by mid-afternoon.
Your short-term memory is best during the morning—in fact, about 15 percent more efficient than at any other time of day. So, students, take notice: when you are faced with a morning exam, it really does pay to review your notes right before the test is given.
However, long-term memory is different. Afternoon is the best time for learning materials that you want to recall days, weeks or months later. Politicians, business executives or others who must learn speeches would be smart to do their memorizing during that time of day. You should try to do most of your studying in the afternoon, rather than late at night. Many students believe they memorize better while burning the midnight oil because their short-term recall is better during the early hours of the morning than in the afternoon. But short-term memory won’t help them much several days later, when they face the exam.
By contrast, we tend to do best on tasks related to the process of knowing, understanding, and learning numbers during the morning hours.
What about sports? During afternoon and early evening, you’re able to react the quickest to an outside stimulus—like a baseball speeding toward you. Studies have also shown that late in the day, when your body temperature is peaking, you will consider PE easier and less tiring—whether it actually is or not. That means you are more likely to work harder during a late afternoon or early evening workout, and therefore benefit more from it.  
In fact, all of your senses—taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell—may be at their keenest during late afternoon and early evening. That could be why dinner usually tastes better to us than breakfast.
While all of us follow the same general pattern of ups and downs, the exact timing varies from person to person. It all depends on how your “biological” day is structured. Each of us can increase our knowledge about our individual rhythms. Learn how to listen to the inner beats of your body; let them set the pace of your day. You will live a healthier and happier life.
【小题1】What does the underlined “it really does pay” mean?

. (2004年广州市普通高中毕业班综合测试)—Daddy, which of these smart hats do you like best in the hat shop?

—_______. They are both expensive and less warm-keeping.

       A．Either                 B．Nothing              C．Neither               D．None

—Daddy, which of these smart hats do you like best in the hat shop?

—_______. They are both expensive and less warm-keeping.

       A．Either      B．Nothing    C．Neither     D．None