VOA标准英语2010年-Electric Brain Stimulation Helps Numer

An estimated 20 percent of the population has trouble working with numbers. That's as many as one person in five with some sort of numerical disability. The British researchers are exploring ways to stimulate¹ the brain to improve the ability to understand and work with numbers. If you look at two numbers - say, seven and two - most of us know at a glance, almost instinctively², which one is bigger. Scientists at the University of Oxford³ led by Roi Cohen Kadosh have been trying to understand what goes on in the brain when we work with numbers. In the latest in a series of research papers, Cohen Kadosh describes how electrical brain stimulation⁴ can affect the process.
"We wanted to see if, when we give [numerical information for people to learn] - so, to learn a new numerical system - if stimulating⁵ their brain will improve their ability to learn and to act on this learned material," he said in a telephone interview.
To try to answer the question, the scientists recruited 15 people and divided them into groups. Some of the subjects got a small electric current directed at the part of the brain that handles mathematical tasks. Not enough for a shock, just a brief tingle⁶. Others got a fake, placebo⁷ treatment.
Then, they were given tests to evaluate their skill with numbers, using a set of made-up symbols instead of actual numbers.
Some people who got the electric stimulation showed significantly better performance in the tests.
Others were significantly worse, depending on how the current was applied⁸. Cohen Kadosh says the electric current apparently⁹ affects brain chemistry in a way that makes the brain cells more adaptable¹⁰, a feature called plasticity. "And this is what we want eventually to do in these cases, where people have some problems [learning] correctly," he said.
This kind of stimulation may affect more than just numerical skill. Cohen Kadosh says other researchers are studying how it might be used to alleviate¹¹ pain, or help restore speech after a stroke, to name just two.
This is still just a laboratory finding but the effect of six, 20-minute stimulation sessions is long-lasting and persists for at least six months. The results of electrical stimulation are promising¹² enough that Cohen Kadosh and his team are patenting the process.

1 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

2 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 stimulation   

n.刺激，激励，鼓舞

参考例句：

• The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
• You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。

5 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

6 tingle   

vi.感到刺痛，感到激动；n.刺痛，激动

参考例句：

• The music made my blood tingle.那音乐使我热血沸腾。
• The cold caused a tingle in my fingers.严寒使我的手指有刺痛感。

7 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

8 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

9 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

10 adaptable   

adj.能适应的，适应性强的，可改编的

参考例句：

• He is an adaptable man and will soon learn the new work.他是个适应性很强的人，很快就将学会这种工作。
• The soil is adaptable to the growth of peanuts.这土壤适宜于花生的生长。

11 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

12 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。