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Declining mental function is often seen as a problem of old age, but certain aspects of brain function actually begin their decline in young adulthood, a new study suggests.
The study, which followed more than 2,000 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 60, found that certain mental functions—including measures of abstract reasoning, mental speed and puzzle-solving—started to dull as early as age 27.
Dips in memory, meanwhile, generally became apparent around age 37.
On the other hand, indicators of a person's accumulated knowledge—like performance on tests of vocabulary and general knowledge—kept improving with age, according to findings published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
The results do not mean that young adults need to start worrying about their memories. Most people's minds function at a high level even in their later years, according to researcher Timothy Salthouse.
"These patterns suggest that some types of mental flexibility decrease relatively early in adulthood, but that the amount of knowledge one has, and the effectiveness of integrating it with one's abilities, may increase throughout all of adulthood if there are no diseases," Salthouse said in a news release.
The study included healthy, educated adults who took standard tests of memory, reasoning and perception at the outset and at some point over the next seven years.
The tests are designed to detect subtle (细微的) changes in mental function, and involve solving puzzles, recalling words and details from stories, and identifying patterns in collections of letters and symbols.
In general, Salthouse and his colleagues found, certain aspects of cognition (认知能力) generally started to decline in the late 20s to 30s.
The findings shed light on normal age-related changes in mental function, which could aid in understanding the process of dementia (痴呆), according to the researchers.
"By following individuals over time," Salthouse said, "we gain insight in cognition changes, and may possibly discover ways to slow the rate of decline."
The researchers are currently analyzing the study participants' health and lifestyle to see which factors might influence age-related cognitive changes.
1
What is the common view of mental function?
A.
It varies from person to person.
B.
It weakens in one's later years.
C.
It gradually expands with age.
D.
It indicates one's health condition.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
B
系统解析：
本题询问人们对心智功能的普遍看法。第 1 段开头提到，心智功能衰退常常被认为是衰老所带来的问题。原文中的 often seen 实际上与题干问的 common view 一致，故本句就是答案所在。B 项“心智功能在晚年会衰退”正确，weakens“减弱”是原文 declining“衰退”的同义替换。
2
What does the new study find about mental functions?
A.
Some diseases inevitably lead to their decline.
B.
They reach a peak at the age of 20 for most people.
C.
They are closely related to physical and mental exercise.
D.
Some of them begin to decline when people are still young.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
本题询问对心智功能的研究有什么新发现。第 1 段 but 后面明确说明，一项新的研究表明，大脑的某些功能在人们年轻的时候就开始衰退(begin their decline in young adulthood)。D 项“在人们还年轻的时候有些心智功能就会衰退”正确。
3
What does Timothy Salthouse say about peopled minds in most cases?
A.
They tend to decline in people's later years.
B.
Their flexibility determines one's abilities.
C.
They function quite well even in old age.
D.
Their functioning is still a puzzle to be solved.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
本题询问 Timothy Salthouse 对大多数情况下人们的思维说了些什么。第 5 段最后一句说大多数人的心智功能在他们晚年依然保持高水平(function at a high level)。C 项“大脑在人的晚年仍然可以良好运转”正确，其中 function quite well 与原文 function at a high level 是同义替换。
4
Although people's minds may function less flexibly as they age, they _____.
A.
may be better at solving puzzles
B.
can memorize things with more ease
C.
may have greater facility in abstract reasoning
D.
can put what they have learnt into more effective use
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
题干的 although 从句“人们年老时，大脑灵活性会降低”与第 6 段首句的前半句对应，故该句 but 后的内容就是本题的答案。该句提到，只要一个人没有疾病，那么他的知识储备，以及把知识和能力结合在一起的效率，在整个成年期都会不断增长，该部分突出强调知识与能力在增长，D 项“能将他们所学的知识更有效地运用起来”正确，其中的 put what they have learnt into more effective use 与原文的 integrating it (指代 knowledge) with one's abilities 意思相近。
5
According to Salthouse, their study may help us _____.
A.
find ways to slow down our mental decline
B.
find ways to boost our memories
C.
understand the complex process of mental functioning
D.
understand the relation between physical and mental health
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
A
系统解析：
本题询问研究可能带来什么帮助。倒数第 2 段引用了 Salthouse 的话指出，通过研究，我们深入了解到认知的改变，而且可能会发现减缓衰退的方法（discover ways to slow the rate of decline），故 A 项“找到减缓大脑衰退的方法”正确。
The most important thing in the news last week was the rising discussion in Nashville about the educational needs of children. The shorthand (科写) educators use for this is "pre-K"—meaning instruction before kindergarten—and the big idea is to prepare 4-year-olds and even younger kids to be ready to succeed on their K-12 journey.
But it gets complicated. The concept has multiple forms, and scholars and policymakers argue about the shape, scope and cost of the ideal program.
The federal Head Start program, launched 50 years ago, has served more than 30 million children. It was based on concepts developed at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College by Susan Gray, the legendary pioneer in early childhood education research.
A new Peabody study of the Tennessee Voluntary Pre-K program reports that pre-K works, but the gains are not sustained through the third grade. It seems to me this highlights quality issues in elementary schools more than pre-K, and indicates longer-term success must connect pre-K with all the other issues related to educating a child.
Pre-K is controversial. Some critics say it is a luxury and shouldn't be free to families able to pay. Pre-K advocates insist it is proven and will succeed if integrated with the rest of the child's schooling. I lean toward the latter view.
This is, in any case, the right conversation to be having now as Mayor Megan Barry takes office. She was the first candidate to speak out for strong pre-K programming. The important thing is for all of us to keep in mind the real goal and the longer, bigger picture.
The weight of the evidence is on the side of pre-K that early intervention (干预) works. What government has not yet found is the political will to put that understanding into full practice with a sequence of smart schooling that provides the early foundation.
For this purpose, our schools need both the talent and the organization to educate each child who arrives at the schoolhouse door. Some show up ready, but many do not at this critical time when young brains are developing rapidly.
6
What does the author say about pre-kindergarten education?
A.
It should cater to the needs of individual children.
B.
It is essential to a person's future academic success.
C.
Scholars and policymakers have different opinions about it.
D.
Parents regard it as the first phase of children's development.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
题干中的 pre-kindergarten education 实际上就是原文的 pre-K。第 2 段第 2 句提到学者、政策制定者在其形式、范围、开销上都存在分歧，C 项“学者和政策制定者对 pre-K 持不同的意见”是对此句的同义概括,have different opinions 是对原文 argue about 的同义改写，为本题答案。
7
What does the new Peabody study find?
A.
Pre-K achievements usually do not last long.
B.
The third grade marks a new phase of learning.
C.
The third grade is critical to children's development.
D.
Quality has not been the top concern of pre-K programs.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
A
系统解析：
题目询问 Peabody 学院的新研究有何发现。该研究表明，pre-K 能起作用（works），但从中所受的教益没能持续到三年级（not sustained through the third grade）。言外之意是说，从 pre-K 中所获成果可持续性不佳，A 项“pre-K 的成效持续不长”为本题答案，achievements 对应文中的 gains，选项中的 do not last long 与文中 are not sustained through 对应。
8
When does the author think pre-K works the best?
A.
When it is accessible to kids of all families.
B.
When it is made part of kids' education.
C.
When it is no longer considered a luxury.
D.
When it is made fun and enjoyable to kids.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
B
系统解析：
题目询问作者认为在什么情况下 pre-K 能起最大的作用。第 4 段最后一句作者针对 Peabody 学院的新研究发表了个人意见，他认为必须将 pre-K 与教育孩子相关的所有其他问题联系起来才能取得长远的成功，即 pre-K 得成为整个教育系统的一部分，因此选 B 项。
9
What do we learn about Mayor Megan Barry?
A.
She knows the real goal of education.
B.
She is a mayor of insight and vision.
C.
She has once run a pre-K program.
D.
She is a firm supporter of pre-K.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
D
系统解析：
题目询问市长 Megan Barry 的情况。文中提到，她是为 pre-K 项目大声疾呼（speak out），可见她是 pre-K 的铁杆支持者，因此选 D 项。
10
What does the author think is critical to kids' education?
A.
Teaching method.
B.
Kids' interest.
C.
Early intervention.
D.
Parents' involvement.
本题答案：
A
B
C
D
参考答案：
C
系统解析：
题目询问在作者看来什么才是儿童教育的关键。文中倒数第二段表明早期干预（early intervention）的确能起作用，但遗憾的是还没有政客愿意将其付诸实践。最后一段说入学时期是关键的时期（critical time），这时孩子头脑迅速发展，可见，在作者看来儿童教育的关键是早期干预，因此选 C 项。
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