万花筒 2008ks1021&23 多用搜索引擎提高记忆力

Did you know that the Internet could be a good exercise for the brain? A new study from UCLA finds it when middle age and senior age adults perform Internet searches, it activates¹ many different areas of the brain including those involved with memory, decision making and reasoning. Joining us today is the lead author of a study looking at this-- Dr. Gary Smalls  and he’s also the author of the book iBrain, Surviving the technological² alternation of the modern mind. Welcome Dr. Smalls.

 

Thank you! It’s great to be here.

 

So, in my parents’ house, I have to tell you how it works. My mom and dad might sit up and at some point there is a discussion, hey you are on the Internet, quit surfing Internet. Can I, now tell my parents, it’s ok for dad to surf the Internet, it’s good for his brain?

 

Well, we don’t see any harm in it, and this first study to see what the brain looks like when it searches on the Internet showed very dramatic results compared to just reading a book text page, there was much greater activation³ and particularly in the front part of the brain that controls complex reasoning and decision making.

 

That’s interesting, so it’s kind of, it can be crossword⁴ puzzle sounds like.

 

Well, it’s… it’s probably different from crossword puzzles but similar. One thing about when we are searching on the web is we are constantly deciding should you go for this site or that other site, whereas if we're just reading a book page, the decision is should I turn the page when I finish the last sentence. And there's something about that decision making process, something about the interaction that is activating⁵ a much greater extent of brain neural⁶ circuits.

 

That’s interesting. Now what about ages where you’re looking at this kind of, I saw your study was relatively⁷ small, it seemed to be 24  people on the stuff that I've read. Uh, what ages are we looking at and when does this become potentially neuro-preventive for people?

 

We don’t know whether it’s neuro-preventive and we don’t know about the age effects, but one thing I focus on in iBrain, in my new book, is the digital divide between young people, digital natives who are getting this technology 24-7 born into it, and the older generation the digital immigrants who come to it more reluctantly later in life, and how do we bridge that so called brain gap by upgrading the text skills of older people and helping⁸ younger people with their face-to-face human contact skills.

 

It’s fascinating, we just have time for one last question, kind of common, but I’ve been fascinated how able people in their 60s and 70s are really incorporating this new technology into their daily lives in Internet searching etc. It's really been amazing to me to see how quickly that’s happened.

 

Well I encourage boomers and seniors to get involved in the technology to have fun with it and enjoy it, and it’s a great way to reach out to people who are not nearby, the communication ability is…(Absolutely) really spectacular.

 

Absolutely, sorry we are out of time, but thanks so much for coming to see us Dr. Smalls, love to hear what you had to say. 

 

Thank you!

 

1 activates   

使活动，起动，触发( activate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. 激活窗口，保持当前的大小及位置不变。
• Pulling out the alarm switch activates alarm and pushing it deactivates it. 闹钟的开和关是通过拔出和按入闹铃开关实现的。

2 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

3 activation   

n. 激活，催化作用

参考例句：

• A computer controls the activation of an air bag.电脑控制着气囊的启动。

4 crossword   

n.纵横字谜，纵横填字游戏

参考例句：

• He shows a great interest in crossword puzzles.他对填字游戏表现出很大兴趣。
• Don't chuck yesterday's paper out.I still haven't done the crossword.别扔了昨天的报纸，我还没做字谜游戏呢。

5 activating   

活动的，活性的

参考例句：

• "I didn't say we'd got to stop activating the masses! “我并没说就此不发动！ 来自子夜部分
• Presumably both the very small size and activating influence of fluorine atoms contribute to this exception. 这大概是由于氟原子半径小和活性高这两个原因的影响，氟原子对这种例外做出了贡献。

6 neural   

adj.神经的，神经系统的

参考例句：

• The neural network can preferably solve the non- linear problem.利用神经网络建模可以较好地解决非线性问题。
• The information transmission in neural system depends on neurotransmitters.信息传递的神经途径有赖于神经递质。

7 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。