With a fragrance (芳香) through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. Participants in this study by University of California, Irvine (UCI)neuroscientists gained a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group. The researchers say the finding transforms the long-known tie between smell and memory into an easy, non-invasive technique for strengthening memory and potentially preventing dementia (痴呆).
The project was conducted through the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. It involved men and women aged 60 to 85 without memory impairment. All were given seven small containers, each containing a single and different natural oil. People in the enriched group received full-strength oils. Control group participants were given the oils in tiny amounts. Participants put a different container into their room each evening prior to going to bed, and it activated for two hours as they slept.
People in the enriched group showed a 226% increase in cognitive performance compared to the control group, as measured by a word list test commonly used to evaluate memory. Participants also reported sleeping more soundly. The researchers say the results from their study bear out what scientists learned about the connection between smell and memory.
Scientists have long known that the loss of ability to smell, can predict development of nearly 70 neurological and psychiatric diseases. These include Alzheimer’s and other dementias, Parkinson’s and alcoholism. Researchers have previously found that exposing people with moderate dementia to up to 40 different smells twice a day over a period of time improved their memories and language skills, eased depression and improved their sense of smell.
The team would next like to study the technique’s impact on people with diagnosed cognitive loss. A product based on their study and designed for people to use at home is expected to come onto the market this fall.
1. What field may the findings be applied to?| A．Controlling sleep. | B．Exploring smells. |
| C．Developing skills. | D．Promoting memory. |
| A．Research results. | B．Research process. |
| C．Research methods. | D．Research purpose. |
| A．By giving the participants a test. |
| B．By scanning the participants’ brain. |
| C．By observing the participants’ actions. |
| D．By asking about the participants’ feeling. |
| A．Developing a smell product. |
| B．The impact of cognitive loss. |
| C．Application of research results. |
| D．Doing market research for their product. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow, orange, red?
Do you prefer greys and blues?Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be pessimist. At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colour preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings.
| A．Colours do influence our moods-there is no doubt about it. |
| B．On the other hand, black is depressing. |
| C．The rooms are painted in different colours as you like. |
| D．If you do, you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. |
| E．Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colours. |
| F．Light and bright colours make people not only happier but more active. |
| G．They tell us, among other facts, that we do not choose our favourite colour as grow up-we are born with our preference. |
【推荐2】In our youth-obsessed culture, one would assume that your self-esteem peaks in your 20s—but that’s not the case. Researchers from the University of Bern set out to determine when the average person’s self-esteem is the highest, and the good news is that your peak comes decades later.
Researchers found that self-esteem increases throughout one’s lifetime, with a slight plateau during those awkward teen years. Our self-esteem levels then start rising again and don’t peak until well into midlife. The highest point for self-esteem level happened at age 60 when they can retire and stayed there until a slight decline in one’s 70s and 80s.
This news that our self-esteem will continue to rise or stay steady during the majority of our lives is exciting. We often hear of increased stress in the decades of midlife, but there are upsides too. “Midlife is, for many adults, a time of high stability in relationships and work. Moreover, most people further invest in their roles, which might promote their self-esteem,” researcher Dr. Orth told the journalist. “For example, people take on managerial roles at work, maintain a satisfying relationship with their spouse or partner, and help their children become responsible and independent.”
As we age and our roles tend to change, it’s natural for self-esteem to take a small hit. “Old age frequently involves loss of social roles as a result of retirement, the empty nest, and, possibly, widowhood. In addition, aging often leads to negative changes in other possible sources of self-esteem, such as socioeconomic status and health.” Dr. Orth said. However, it’s important to remember that it’s only a slight decrease. Dr. Orth believes that most people maintain a high self-esteem level even into their 90s and beyond.
1. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to “peak”?| A．Minimum. | B．Maximum. | C．Average. | D．Height. |
| A．A newly-retired person. | B．A teenage boy. |
| C．A person in his/her 80s. | D．A middle-aged person. |
| A．It is destructive. | B．It is unnatural. |
| C．It is important. | D．It is acceptable. |
| A．A travel guide. | B．A science report. |
| C．A novel. | D．A business magazine. |
【推荐3】At Sho Farm in northern Vermont, farmers Melissa Hoffman and Shawn Smith work hand in hand with the land and its inhabitants, and among them are hundreds of ducks. The ducks at Sho Farm are not being raised to be killed for food. Rather, they are naturally involved in farming operations, helping to manage pests and add fertilizer (肥料) to the soil.
In the beginning, Hoffman, who has a background in organic farming and ecology action, worked with ecologists and biologists to survey the plants and wildlife all around the area. This was “to understand who was living here, so that everything we did was in relationship to the life already here,” he says.
So, at Sho Farm, focus is placed on living harmoniously alongside other life and working with traditional ecological knowledge. Food is seen not as a commodity (商品) but as a relationship with land and life.
The methods of food production at Sho Farm, as well as the farmers’ philosophy of working with rather than against nature, are in sharp contrast to most modern agricultural systems. And that’s the point. “We’ve been talking a lot about the broken food system and the consequences of it to the environment, to wildlife, to the animals in animal agriculture and to human health,” says Hoffman, adding that it’s not just the food system that’s broken. “It’s the relationship between humans, non-human animals, land and nature.”
The ducks play a vital, integrated role on the farm, explains Hoffman, by naturally providing pest control, fertilizer and (fuel-free) land maintenance (维护), just as by-products of their existence. “We noticed where we summered groups of ducks and parts of the food system that were not doing very well. The following year, the food system was efficiently improved,” he says.
It’s a symbiotic relationship that works well. “Animals don’t have to be part of a farm in a commodity sense. They can be part of the farm as a partner,” Hoffman says. “They are wonderful partners.”
1. Why did Hoffman do a survey in the beginning?| A．To get familiar with the surroundings. |
| B．To have a good relationship with other people. |
| C．To live in harmony with other life on the farm. |
| D．To have a good understanding of organic farming. |
| A．The causes of the broken food system. |
| B．The reasons for Hoffman’s farming methods. |
| C．The changes in modern agricultural systems. |
| D．The process of food production at Sho Farm. |
| A．Animals are treated well at Sho Farm. |
| B．Animals are not to be sold for money. |
| C．People and animals play the same role in organic farming. |
| D．People and animals work together and benefit each other. |
| A．Efficient. | B．Modern. | C．Natural. | D．Economical. |
【推荐1】“What kind of rubbish are you?”This question might normally cause anger，but in Shanghai it bas brought about weary complaints over the past few months. On July 1st，the city introduced strict rubbish-sorting regulations that are expected to be used as a model for our country. Citizens must divide their waste into four separate categories and put it into specific public bins. They must do so at scheduled times, when monitors are present to ensure that rules are obeyed and to examine the nature of one's rubbish.
Violators could be hit with fines of up to 200 yuan ($29). For repeat violators, the city can add black marks to their credit records, making it harder for them to obtain hank loans or even buy train tickets.
Shanghai authorities are responding to obvious environmental problem. It produces 9 million tons of garbage a year. But like other cities in china, it lacks a recycling system. Instead, it has relied on rubbish pickers to pick out whatever can be reused. This has limits. As people get wealthier, fewer of them want to do such dirty work. The waste, meanwhile, just keeps piling up. China produces 80 billion pairs of one-off chopsticks a year.
Many citizens appear to support the idea of recycling in general but are frustrated by the details. Rubbish must be divided according to whether it is food, recyclable, dry or hazardous（有害的），the distinctions among which can be confusing, though there are apps to help work it out. Some have complained about the rules surrounding food waste. They must put it straight in the required public bin, forcing them to tear open plastic bags and toss（投掷）it by hand, Most annoying are the short periods for throwing trash, typically a couple of hours, morning and evening. Along with the monitors at the bins, this means that people go at around the same time and can keep an eye on what is being thrown out; no one wants to look bad.
1. What's the purpose of Paragraph l?| A．To complain about rubbish dividing. |
| B．To explain the four categories of the waste. |
| C．To introduce the rules on waste sorting. |
| D．To show the goal of rubbish, sorting regulations. |
| A．People who don't pay for train tickets. | B．People who argue with the monitors. |
| C．People who obtain bank loans. | D．People who are against the regulations. |
| A．Complex distinction among the four categories of rubbish. |
| B．Short scheduled time for tossing rubbish. |
| C．Being observed by monitors when throwing the garbage. |
| D．Being fined when blamed due to improper behavior. |
| A．A Restart of Waste-sorting | B．A New Age of Garbage Classification |
| C．Learning to Classify Rubbish | D．Rubbish-sorting Benefits the World |
【推荐2】Parents whose children show a special interest in a sport feel very difficult to make a decision about their children’s careers. Should they allow their children to train to become top sports men or women? For many children it means starting schoolwork very young, and going out with friends and other interests have to take a second place. It’s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train five hours a day, even at the weekend, when most of his or her friends are playing.
Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is available from government for the best young sportsmen and women. If this help can not be given, it means that it is the parents who have to find the time and the money to support their child’s development and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment, etc.
Many parents are worried that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young muscles may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional(专业的) trainers however, believe that it is only by training young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. It is clear that very few people do reach the top, and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training.
1. This article is probably taken from ________.| A．a letter | B．an advertisement |
| C．a personal diary | D．a newspaper article |
| A．feel uncertain if they should let their children train to be sportsmen or women |
| B．try to get financial support from the government for their children’s training |
| C．have to get medical advice from doctors about training methods |
| D．prefer their children to be trained as young as possible |
| A．It’s hard for a young child to understand why he or she has to spend so much time training. |
| B．Early training may damage their muscles. |
| C．Most children may become professional sports men or women after a long period of training. |
| D．It’s very expensive for parents to support their child’s development in sports. |
| A．to repeat the activities some other day | B．to become less important |
| C．to be of no importance | D．to happen again |
【推荐3】When a friend, partner or family member is upset, you’ve probably wondered how best to make them feel better. Offer a chocolate bar? Give them space so they can have a good cry? A research suggests that one of the most powerful ways to comfort others is to start a conversation.
Words play a powerful role in moulding people’s emotions (情感). People’s brains are finely aware of the information they get from others, and they’re “constantly using it as feedback (反馈) to change their behaviors,” said Razia Sahi, leader of the research.
But the words we use to comfort others matter. The research shows that telling people they shouldn’t feel so bad makes them feel worse. Researchers listened in on 228 phone calls between customers and customer service representatives who dealt with medical-related complaints (投诉). When the representatives told the upset customers to “calm down” or “relax”, the customers typically became angrier. “These words backfire because they suggest the person’s feelings are improper, or that their emotions are stronger than the situation calls for,” Ms. Sahi explained.
Some forms of verbal support have been found to be helpful. Ms. Sahi stated that friends consider phrases like, “I understand why you feel that way” or “That sounds very hard”—to be especially comforting. Other forms of support, such as helping someone believe things will improve or encouraging a person to see the situation from a new view, also help. And sometimes, those kinds of responses may even be more useful in the long run.
Although it can be hard to know how best to comfort someone, Dr. Zaki emphasized that we should be confident that our attempts will be appreciated. In other words, what is most important is not that you say the right thing, but you are there and try to help. “We can make a difference to other people with relatively little effort,” Dr. Zaki said. “Sometimes just being there is all that you need to do.”
1. What does the underlined word “moulding” mean in paragraph 2?| A．Exchanging. | B．Improving. | C．Shaping. | D．Illustrating. |
| A．They were impolitely dealt with. | B．They tended to be emotional easily. |
| C．They failed to better their situation. | D．They were thought to be overacting. |
| A．Promises to help. | B．Comforts from friends. |
| C．Words of encouragement. | D．Responses to the complaints. |
| A．It is hard for most people. | B．Confidence is necessary. |
| C．Your presence matters a lot. | D．Little effort is needed. |
