BBC Take Away English (Do brain

人类的大脑像肌肉一样，需要不断地使用，才能变得更灵活，从而降低患智力退化类疾病的几率。现在，互联网上有各种宣称能帮助促进大脑功能的游戏。但一项新的报告表明，智力开发类游戏的效果实际不如我们预期的那样高。本集Take Away English探讨哪些日常活动能帮助人们锻炼脑力。

Sudoku---from BBC
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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.

vocabulary

aphorism [ˈæfərɪzəm] =adage= proverb 格言
utilise 利用，使用
a state of decline 退化、衰退的状态
trumpet 小号，喇叭
rusty （因长期不去做而）生疏的
altogether 彻底地，全部地
waste away 逐渐衰退
counteract 对抗，抵消
keep sharp 保持（技术）熟练；保持（头脑）敏锐
dementia 痴呆
test 测试
maintain 维持，维护
augment [ɔ:gˈment] 增强、加强
a raft of =reams of 许多，大量
non-existent 不存在的
cognitive 认知的
wizard 能手，“达人”
doom and gloom 前景悲观，一片黯淡
stimulate 促进（身体某部位的）功能
grey matter “灰质”，头脑
inevitable 不可避免的
make haste （旧式说法）快点

make sentences

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!

question

Why is it relatively easy to train your brain?

answer

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.

@BBC Learning English