Question

If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you  noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?

According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.

The study also found the effect is greater, the younger people learn a second language.

A team led by Dr Andrea Michelle, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.

Scans showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.

“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists.

It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.

Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible (灵活的).” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”

The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.

1.The main subject talked about in this passage is ______.

A．science on learning a second language

B．man’s ability of learning a second language

C．language can help brain power

D．language learning and maths study

2.In the second paragraph, the writer mentions “exercise” in order to ______.

A．say language is also a kind of physical labor

B．prove that one needs more practice when he (she) is learning a language

C．to show the importance of using the language when you learn the language

D．make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well

3.We may know from the scientific findings that ______.

A．the earlier you start to learn a second language, the higher the grey matter density is

B．there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn’t know a second language

C．the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people’s brain

D．the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time

4.The underlined word “bilingual” probably means ______.

A．a researcher on language learning

B．a person who is good at learning foreign languages

C．a person who can speak two languages

D．an active language learner

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】文章讲述的正是学习另外一门语言可以让人更加聪明，可帮助提升脑力。

1.C 主旨大意题。文章讲述的正是学习另外一门语言可以让人更加聪明，可帮助提升脑力。

2.D 推理题。锻炼可以增强肌肉，而学习外语可以提高智力，故D正确。

3.A 推理题。根据文章第五段But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.可知A正确。

4.C 猜测词义题。根据下文可知这里的bilingual是指who had learnt a second language before the age of five可知他是能讲两种语言的人，故C正确。