人類的大腦像肌肉一樣，需要不斷地使用，才能變得更靈活，從而降低患智力退化類疾病的幾率。現在，互聯網上有各種宣稱能幫助促進大腦功能的游戲。但一項新的報告表明，智力開發類游戲的效果實際不如我們預期的那樣高。本集《隨身英語》探討哪些日常活動能幫助人們鍛煉腦力。

課文內容

Vocabulary: brain training 詞匯: 頭腦訓練

If you don’t use it, you lose it. At least, that’s how the old aphorism goes. It refers to the idea that something which does not get utilised regularly quickly falls into a state of decline. For example, a hobby that you haven’t done for a few years, like playing the trumpet. You might find yourself a bit rusty the next time you pick one up – or maybe you’ve forgotten altogether!  Muscles are another example. They will waste away without use. In order to counteract this, people take regular exercise to keep their skills sharp.

Well, what about the brain? As we age, our brains can naturally begin to decline. In some cases this can lead to certain mental conditions such as dementia, which I’m sure you will agree, no one wants. However, all is not lost because these days it’s relatively easy to train your brain. Smartphones and apps have put programmes into our hands that can test, maintain and even augment our memories, mathematical skills, logic skills and a raft of other mental abilities. With a little practice every day, we can keep our brains nice and sharp, right?

Well, no, actually. According to a report from the Global Council on Brain Health, even though many people thought it was important to play online games, such as puzzles and mind games, which are designed to improve brain health, the evidence of the benefits was “weak to non-existent”. Playing a ‘brain game’ may lead to improvements in game performance, but this has yet to show a convincing result in people’s daily cognitive abilities. In other words, doing hundreds of sudoku puzzles might make you a sudoku wizard, but it doesn’t necessarily improve your ability to do your accounting.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. There are other ways to stimulate the old grey matter. It recommends seeking out new activities that challenge the way you think and are socially engaging, while leading to a healthy lifestyle. Among their suggestions are practising tai chi, taking photography classes, learning new technologies, gardening, art projects or volunteering.

There’s more good news, too. James Goodwin, chief scientist at Age UK has said that brain decline is not inevitable. As long as the activities are “new to you and require your concentrated attention”, they can provide benefits for brain health. So, make haste, get out there and try something new. Maybe it’s time to try that hobby you’ve always wanted to do. And as for me? I’m off to learn the piano.

詞匯表

aphorism 格言
utilise 利用，使用
a state of decline 退化、衰退的狀態
rusty （因長期不去做而）生疏的
altogether 徹底地，全部地
waste away 逐漸衰退
counteract 對抗，抵消
keep sharp 保持（技術）熟練；保持（頭腦）敏銳
augment 增強、加強
a raft of 許多，大量
non-existent 不存在的
cognitive 認知的
wizard 能手，“達人”
doom and gloom 前景悲觀，一片黯淡
stimulate 促進（身體某部位的）功能
grey matter “灰質”，頭腦
inevitable 不可避免的
make haste （舊式說法）快點

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What does ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’ mean?   

2. Why is it relatively easy to train your brain?

3. True or False: Doing lots of Sudoku puzzles makes you better at mathematics in general.

4.What types of activities are suggested by the Global Council on Brain Health to maintain brain health?

5. Which word in the article means ‘able to make you believe it is true or right’

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處 。

1. Before the children do any story writing, I always show them a few pictures to ______ their imaginations.

augment       waste away       stimulate       aphorism

2. Once bitten, you have 20 minutes to use an anti-venom to ______ the snake bite.

counteract       inevitable       aphorism       utilised              

3. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken any French, so I might be a little ______.

wizard       make haste       non-existent       rusty

4. It’s not just this romantic comedy I don’t like. I don’t like romantic comedies ______.

waste away       altogether       a raft of       cognitive

5. Have you ever seen James solve a Rubiks cube puzzle? He’s not just good, he’s a ______!

aphorism       wizard       grey matter       stimulate

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What does ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’ mean?
Something which isn't used regularly quickly falls into a state of decline.

2. Why is it relatively easy to train your brain?
Smartphones and apps have put programs into our hands that can test, maintain and even augment our memories, mathematical skills, logic skills and a raft of other mental abilities.

3. True or False: Doing lots of Sudoku puzzles makes you better at mathematics in general.
False. Doing hundreds of sudoku puzzles might make you a sudoku wizard, but it doesn’t necessarily improve your ability to do your accounting.

4. What types of activities are suggested by the Global Council on Brain Health to maintain brain health?
Among their suggestions are practising tai chi, taking photography classes, learning new technologies, gardening, art projects or volunteering.

5. Which word in the article means ‘able to make you believe it is true or right’
Convincing

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處 。

1. Before the children do any story writing, I always show them a few pictures to stimulate their imaginations.

2. Once bitten, you have 20 minutes to use an anti-venom to counteract the snake bite.

3. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken any French, so I might be a little rusty.

4. It’s not just this romantic comedy I don’t like. I don’t like romantic comedies altogether.

5. Have you ever seen James solve a Rubik’s cube puzzle? He’s not just good, he’s a wizard!