Question

Reading is good for you. There is increasing evidence to show that reading isn’t merely a way of improving literacy and knowledge, but that it might actually be good for one’s mental and physical health, too.

In the age of Twitter and short attention spans, reading novels, which requires intense concentration over a long period of time, could be the antidote(矯正方法).

Neuroscientists Baroness Susan Greenfield says that reading helps to lengthen attention spans in children and improve their ability to think clearly. “Stories have a structure that encourages our brain to think in sequence, to link cause, effect and significance,” she says “It is essential to learn this skill as a small child.”

“In a computer game, you might rescue a princess, but you don’t care about her, you just want to win,” she explains, “But a princess in a book has a past, present and future. You can relate to her. You see the world through her eyes”

According to professor John Stein, Oxford university, reading is far from a passive activity. “Reading exercises the whole brain,” he explains. “ When we get lost in a good book, we are doing more than following a story, Imaging what is happening is as good as activating the brain as doing it. In other words, our brains simulate(模仿) real experiences, and it is just as if we were experiencing them ourselves. This doesn’t happen when we are watching a TV or playing computer games.”

Getting stuck in a good novel appears to be good for one’s mental health. Reading helps one not only fights loneliness, but also forget one’s own problems for a while.

Researchers found that just six minutes of reading could reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds, more than listening to music or going out for a walk. The concentration required to read distracts the mind, easing muscle’s tension and slowing the heart rate. Reading may be good for physical health, too, by preventing brain aging and disease.

1.Which of the following statement is true about playing computer games?

A. It encourages our brains to think clearly

B. It makes people feel lonely

C. It makes the player concentrate on the result instead of the role in it

D. It can help lengthen one’s attention span.

2.According to John Stein, reading _______

A. is simply following a story

B. is a passive activity

C. can active the brain

D. has the same results as watching TV

3.What is the main purpose of this passage?

A. To show how to improve children’s attention spans

B. To encourage people to read

C. To show that Twitter has a negative influence

D. To compare the results of reading and watching TV

4.The last two paragraphs are mainly about

A. the mental and physical benefits of reading

B. ways of getting rid of stress

C. the problems we face in daily life

D. the factors that cause people to feel lonely

5.What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Reading Books Helps Keep Your Healthy

B. The Structure of a Book

C. The Brain Activities While Reading

D. How to Teach Children to Read

Answer 1