Putting more green space around an elementary school may help students develop some mental abilities, a study su
ggests.
Researchers tested students repeatedly over the course of a year on attentiveness and working memory, which is the ability to keep something in mind temporarily for performing a task. The study tracked more than 2,000 students in 36 primary schools in Barcelona, Spain. The pupils were in the second to fourth grade when the study began. Overall, students whose schools are surrounded by more green space improve more pupils from schools with less green space.
“Policy makers should know that more green space around the school is better for cognitive (认知的) development and that they should make sure that kids can see and play in green areas,” one author, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen of the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, said in an email. “Existing urban schools should think about replacing concrete or other hard surfaces with green space, and even a few trees may help,” he suggested.
The researchers used satellite images to group schools according to how much green space appeared on the school ground and within about 55 yards of the school’s surrounding property. Their analysis indicated that differences in socioeconomic factors between schools did not account for the study outcome.
Sally Augustin, a psychologist in La Grange Park, Illinois, who used research on how people react to their surroundings to consult on design of buildings, products and services, said the results make sense to her. Augustin, who did not participate in the new study, said the results fit with previous findings that views of nature help children and adults lower stress and perform mental tasks better.
1. What do we know about the findings of the study?| A．Attentiveness (专注) is the most important quality for students. |
| B．A good memory enables students to perform a task better. |
| C．More green space may help the mental development of students. |
| D．Schools surrounded by more green space are favored by parents. |
| A．reduce the noise near the school |
| B．reduce air pollution from vehicles |
| C．provide more green space for kids |
| D．encourage kids to play more sports |
| A．By green space. | B．By test scores. |
| C．By size. | D．By position. |
| A．To introduce another interesting study. |
| B．To make the findings of the study more convincing. |
| C．To present new evidence for the study. |
| D．To show a different viewpoint. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Many people imagine that shade in a garden is a problem. But I believe with the right attitude, inspiration, and ideas, even the shadiest garden can become a beautiful and abundant space. Here are my tips:
Growing food in shade
Not all shade areas are the same. And it is important to understand the level and type of shade that you are dealing with to make the right choices in your garden.
A shade garden can have a range of advantages. It may be much cooler. And it may feel more private and peaceful than a very open space.
Making shade garden beautiful
As well as growing food in a shade garden, you can also make it a beautiful space, which can attract a wide range of beneficial wildlife throughout the year.
| A．Understanding shade |
| B．Choosing different shades |
| C．Food grown in the shade tastes equally delicious |
| D．Designing a shade garden does require some careful thought |
| E．You just have to select plants of various colors, shapes and forms |
| F．In light shade, you are still able to grow a range of common vegetable crops |
| G．Trees or other structures which cast shade can offer some privacy in your garden |
【推荐2】Seattle’s Pike Place Market stretches for four city blocks. It includes a collection of old buildings, bunches of stalls and street musicians and afters that draw both locals and visitors. The themed market wakes up each day at 5:00 a.m. Among the first to arrive are flower vendors and fish mongers (小贩) like Jason Scott.
My stand is known for its tradition of throwing fish before wrapping it up for a customer. I came back out of high school and I’ve been here ever since. I’m 46 now.
Many Pike Place Market stores are family-run and have been around for generations. Russian-speaking immigrants opened Piroshky bakery 25 years ago. Not a lot of people understand what Piroshky is. People think sometimes it’s a last name, so we do have to educate people a lot. If you go to Russia and you go to a market like this, you could hear the latest scream out - Piroshky, Piroshky and that’s why we call it Piroshky.
Next to Piroshky is a Chinese bakery called Mee Sum pastry. It’s owned by the third generation of the Fong family. They call their signature pastry, the best and biggest combos (套餐) in towns. Like Chinese hamburger, you can put chicken or puppy kibble or crispy even vegetable in it.
But in this sprawling (无序扩展的) market, one of the most unusual places isn’t a food or craft stall. It’s the gum wall where people can stick their tiny chewed up clump on a roll. Apparently, they don’t give it much thought, trying to be original. This gum wall started about 20 years ago when the theater asked people not to bring gum inside because they didn’t want it under the seats, so people would put gum up on the outside.
Market officials initially tried to clear the sticky stuff off the wall, but new gum always reappeared so they finally gave up. The gum wall quickly became a tourist attraction. And just like that, the gum wall turned into an attraction, highlighting a more unusual side of Seattle that locals and visitors love.
1. What do we know about Seattle’s Pike Place Market?| A．It’s small and delicate. | B．It’s tidy and in order. |
| C．It’s special and attractive. | D．It’s modern and new. |
| A．A Russian-speaking immigrant. | B．A kind of baked pies. |
| C．People’s last name. | D．A Chinese bakery. |
| A．It should be cleared away. |
| B．It shows the special side of Seattle. |
| C．It is made on purpose. |
| D．It resulted from the market officials’ wrong decision. |
【推荐3】A New Chapter
The day I heard that Rainbow Bookstore was closing after 50 years of business, I was heartbroken. The bookstore, which was a legendary fixture in the neighbourhood, was a place where anyone could drop in and connect through their love of books.
When I hurried to the store, I saw that the books were already being packed into boxes. I had a long chat with Casey, the store’s elderly owner. Sighing deeply, he told me how it was becoming difficult to run an independent bookstore. Most young people preferred reading e-books on tablets. More and more customers were being attracted by chain stores and online discounts. I tried to think of some words of sympathy, but I had to admit that the Rainbow Bookstore couldn’t stay in business much longer.
A few months later, I was back in the neighbourhood during my spring break and was surprised to see that the bookstore was still there and opened for business. Its old brick walls hadn’t been decorated, but inside it was like a different world. In one area, a book reading was being delivered. Nearby, customers were poring over shelves selling stationery, posters and other best-seller-themed gifts. The large board in the corner where customers’ comments on the books were being displayed had been replaced by a big screen. Clearly, the Rainbow Bookstore was in good, creative hands.
I was told that the community had decided to work together on a program to save Rainbow Bookstore. The campaign had been led by Jennifer Oakley, a saleswoman who had grown up in the neighbourhood and who had now taken over the bookstore from Casey.
Under Jennifer’s leadership, the bookstore was being turned into a place for literature-loving members of the community to get together. It had a cafe selling organic food, and there were now more community events such as book readings, poetry recitals and even jazz concerts and movie nights, where people could gather to share an experience that couldn’t be downloaded.
I joined old Casey, who was looking up at the screen on which readers’ comments kept popping up. “Well, as you can see, corporate knowledge combined with creativity has brought my humble bookstore into the 21st century! I’m so pleased to see that everything I wanted to offer to the community is still here.”
1. Why did Rainbow Bookstore face close down?| A．Because it had a long history. |
| B．Because people no longer loved reading. |
| C．Because it was affected by e-books and online stores. |
| D．Because there were fewer residents in the neighbourhood. |
| A．New books | B．Lower price |
| C．Inside decorations | D．Creative management |
| A．Flashing up | B．Looking up | C．Putting down | D．Handing in |
| A．People are not allowed to eat anything in the bookstore. |
| B．The bookstore creates a literary bond between readers. |
| C．Casey couldn’t accept the new style of the bookstore. |
| D．Customers can write their comments on the books on a large board. |
| A．People could buy many things that can’t be bought online. |
| B．People could share their feeling and thoughts about reading together. |
| C．People could read what they like there. |
| D．People could get away from computers and phones in the bookstore. |
