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Scientists have long sought to prevent sharp memories from dulling
with age, but the problem remains unsettled. Now research published in Scientific
Reports suggests virtual reality might help older people recall facts and events
based on specific details.
The study involved 42 healthy older adults from the San Francisco Bay
Area. Half spent a dozen hours over four weeks playing a virtual-reality game called
Labyrinth; they wore headsets and walked in place, walking virtual neighborhoods
while completing small tasks. The other half, in the control group, used electronic
tablets to play games that did not require recalling details. After 15 sessions
(期), the latter performed roughly
the same as before on a long-term memory test. But the Labyrinth players gain an
improvement in memory through the VR game. A scientist Peter Wais of the University
of California said the improvements brought them up to the level of another group
of younger adults taking the same memory tests.
Meredith Thompson, an education researcher, studies learning through
VR games but was not involved in the new study. It would be great to actually follow
people over time and see what this type of game does for long-term memory. She says,
adding VR can provide greater involvement than other games. Wais's team is now investigating
how long the observed effects last and which elements of the training have the most
impact.
A cognitive (认知)psychologist, Daniel Simons, who was also not involved in the study,
notes experiments with other games that claim to train the brain have often failed
to evaluate this. And it remains unclear how test performance in a laboratory setting
might translate to real-world situations. The outcome, Simons notes, "needs
to be repeated, ideally with a much larger group, before it's treated as a strong
finding. "
For now, Wais says, the team hopes its studies with similar-sized groups
will help draw funding to test the game in a larger pool of participants.
(1)
What is the passage mainly about?
A . People's memory gradually fails as they age.
B . People of different ages should play VR games.
C . Virtual reality changes people's memory.
D . Virtual reality improves older adults' memory.
(2)
What is Meredith Thompson's attitude toward the research?
A . satisfied.
B . enthusiastic.
C . cautious.
D . concerned.
(3)
According to the scientists, the research needs to be improved due to ________.
A . the lack of financial support.
B . the limited pool of participants.
C . the unsatisfying test performance.
D . the impractical application in real world.
(4)
Where may the passage come from?
A . A novel.
B . A review.
C . A magazine.
D . A guidebook.
答案: D
C
B
C