在人衰老的过程中，不仅体力会下降，脑力也会下降。科学研究表明，只要经常做一些轻度活动，比如做家务，就能减缓大脑的老化。
Housework could keep brain young
by Nicola Davis
Even light activity such as household chores might help to keep the brain young, researchers say, adding to a growing body of evidence that, when it comes to exercise, every little helps.
activity /ækˈtɪvəti/ n. 活动
household /ˈhaʊshəʊld/ n. 家庭
chore /tʃɔː(r)/ n. 杂事、家务活
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
body /ˈbɒdi/ n. 大量、大批
evidence /ˈevɪd(ə)ns/ n. 证据
"Our study results don't discount moderate or vigorous physical activity as being important for healthy ageing. We are just adding to the science, suggesting that light-intensity physical activity might be important too, especially for the brain," said Dr Nicole Spartarno, first author of the study from Boston University, adding that light activity might include a gentle walk or household chores.
discount /dɪˈskaʊnt/ v. 低估、认为…不重要
moderate /ˈmɒd(ə)rət/ adj. 中度的
vigorous /ˈvɪɡ(ə)rəs/ adj. 用力的、高强度的
physical /ˈfɪzɪk(ə)l/ adj. 身体的
age /eɪdʒ/ v. 变老（它加-ing的形式，在英式英语里是ageing，在美式英语里是aging）
suggest /səˈdʒest/ v. 提出
intensity /ɪnˈtensəti/ n. 强度
Boston /ˈbɒst(ə)n/ n. 波士顿（美国城市）
Writing in the journal Jama Network Open, the international team of researchers report how they came to their findings by studying at least three days of activity-tracker data from 2,354 middle-aged adults from the US, together with the participants' brain scans.
journal /ˈdʒɜːn(ə)l/ n. 期刊
tracker /ˈtrækə(r)/ n. 追踪器（能连续记录数据）
data /ˈdeɪtə/ n. 数据
together with 加上、连同
participant /pɑːˈtɪsɪp(ə)nt/ n. 参与者
scan /skæn/ n. 扫描
From the latter, the researchers worked out individuals' brain volume, a measure linked to ageing: about 0.2% of the volume of the brain is lost every year after the age of 60. Loss or shrinkage of brain tissue is linked to dementia, Spartano noted.
latter /ˈlætə(r)/ n. （两者中的）后者
work out 算出
individual /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/ n. 个人、个体
volume /ˈvɒljuːm/ n. 体积、容量
measure /ˈmeʒə(r)/ n. 指标、尺度
link /lɪŋk/ v. 连接、联系
shrinkage /ˈʃrɪŋkɪdʒ/ n. 收缩、缩小（由shrink加后缀-age变成名词）
tissue /ˈtɪʃuː/ n. 细胞组织
dementia /dɪˈmenʃə/ n. 痴呆
After taking into account factors including sex, smoking status and age, the team found that every extra hour of light physical activity per day was linked to 0.22% greater brain volume, equal to just over a year's less brain ageing. What's more, those who took at least 10,000 steps a day had a 0.35% greater brain volume than those who took, on average, fewer than 5,000 steps a day – equivalent to 1.75 years' less brain ageing.
take into account 计入、考虑进来
factor /ˈfæktə(r)/ n. 因素
status /ˈsteɪtəs/ n. 状态
what's more 更重要的是
step /step/ n. （走路的）一步
equivalent /ɪˈkwɪv(ə)l(ə)nt/ adj. 相等的、等价的
While the results also suggested that greater levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity were linked to higher brain volumes, the team say further analysis suggests this could just be because these people were also doing more light activity.
suggest /səˈdʒest/ v. 表明
level /ˈlev(ə)l/ n. 水平、数量
analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/ n. 分析
But Spartano said, even if true, that did not mean people should stop trying to break a sweat. "Higher levels of fitness are linked to longevity and a better quality of life in older age, not to mention being associated with lower rates of dementia," she said.
sweat /swet/ n. 汗（break a sweat就是出汗）
fitness /ˈfɪtnəs/ n. 健康强壮（由fit加后缀-ness变成名词）
longevity /lɒnˈdʒevəti/ n. 长寿
quality /ˈkwɒləti/ n. 质量（quality of life就是生活质量）
not to mention 更不用说
associate /əˈsəʊʃieɪt/ v. 联系、关联
rate /reɪt/ n. 率、比率
However, the study has limitations. It is based on a snapshot in time, used mainly white participants, and cannot prove cause and effect. The authors add that not all time spent sedentary is necessarily "bad" for the brain – particularly if people are engaged in a task that takes a lot of thinking.
limitations /ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃ(ə)nz/ n. 局限性
based on 基于
snapshot /ˈsnæpʃɒt/ n. 快照（指某个瞬间的情况）
prove /pruːv/ v. 证明
cause /kɔːz/ n. 原因（cause and effect指因果关系）
sedentary /ˈsed(ə)nt(ə)ri/ adj. 久坐不动的
necessarily /ˈnesəserɪli/ adv. 必然、必定（用于否定句；由necessary加后缀-ly变成副词）
engage in 从事
task /tɑːsk/ n. 任务、工作任务
Dr James Pickett, head of research at Alzheimer's Society, stressed that the research did not look at the impact of different levels of activity on dementia risk, although it is known that, in general, exercise reduces the risk of such conditions. "Don't worry if you're not hill-running, but find something you enjoy and do it regularly, because we know that what's good for the heart is good for the head," he said.
Alzheimer's /ˈæltshaɪməz/ n. 阿尔兹海默症（俗称老年痴呆）
society /səˈsaɪəti/ n. 社团、协会
stress /stres/ v. 强调
impact /ˈɪmpækt/ n. 显著影响
risk /rɪsk/ n. 风险
condition /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 疾病
regularly /ˈreɡjuləli/ adv. 经常
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