1 . If you don't use it, you lose it. At least, that's how the old saying goes. It refers to the idea that something which does not get used regularly quickly falls into a state of decline. Muscles, for example, will waste away without use. In order to resist 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(痴呆)，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. Smart phones and apps have put programmes into our hands that can test, maintain and even improve our memories, mathematical skills and a lot 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”.

There are other ways to promote 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 (不可避免的）. As long as the activities are “new to you and require your concentrated attention”, they can provide benefits for brain health. So, hurry up, 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.

1. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A biology textbook.	B．A healthy magazine.
C．A travel brochure.	D．A research paper.

2. Which has the closest meaning of the underlined words “socially engaging”？

A．Making more shopping.	B．Avoid brain decline.
C．Doing exercises alone.	D．Going out with friends.

3. Which of the following can better keep your brain healthy according to the author?

A．Trying something new.	B．Using smart phone regularly.
C．Playing games online.	D．Doing what you are good at.

4. What does the passage mainly tell us?

A．Advantages of trying something new.

B．Disadvantages of using smart phones.

C．Ways to keep our brain as sharp as possible.

D．How to spend time meaningfully at an old age.