The two economists call their paper “Mental Retirement,” and their findings have aroused the interest of behavioral researchers. Data from the United States and 12 European countries suggest that the earlier people retire, the more quickly their memories decline.

　　The implication, the economists and others say, is that there really seems to be something to the “use it or lose it” notion—if people want to preserve their memories and reasoning abilities, they may have to keep active.

　　“It’s incredibly interesting and exciting,” said Laura Carstensen, director of the Center on Longevity at Stanford University in California. “It suggests that work actually provides an important component of the environment that keeps people functioning optimally.”

　　Researchers repeatedly find that retired people tend to do less well on cognitive tests than people who are still working. But, they note, that could be because people whose memories and thinking skills are declining may be more likely to retire than people whose cognitive skills remain sharp.

　　and research has failed to support the premise that mastering activities like memory exercises, crossword puzzles and Sudoku improve overall functioning.

　　“If you do crossword puzzles, you get better at crossword puzzles,” said Lisa Berkman, director of the Center for Population and Development Studies at Harvard University. “If you do Sudoku, you get better at Sudoku. You get better at one narrow task. But you don’t get better at cognitive behavior in life.”

　　The study was possible, explains one of its authors, Robert Willis, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan, because the National Institute on Aging began a large study in the United States nearly 20 years ago. Called the Health and Retirement Study, it surveys more than 22,000 Americans over age 50 every two years, and administers memory tests.

　　问题：

　　1.According to the paper of the two economists, retired people _____.

　　A.have aroused the interest of behavior researchers

　　B.grow more forgetful than working people

　　C.no longer have a functioning mind

　　D.can have as good cognitive skills as people at work

　　2. In Laura Carstensen’s opinion, what is the relationship between work and mental function?

　　A.Work has nothing to do with people’s mental function.B.Work can provide an environment to keep the mental function well.C.Work can make people tired and decrease the mental function.D.People’s mental function has no influence on people’s work.

　　3. Lisa Berkman claimed that crossword puzzles and some games could _____.

　　A.not improve man’s overall functioning

　　B.make people good at one narrow task

　　C.help improve man’s cognitive skills

　　D.help people live longer and slow down aging

　　4. What can we learn about the Health and Retirement Study?

　　A.It has been carried out by the National Institute on Aging for about 20 years.

　　B.The study surveys the Americans of all ages.

　　C.The two economists have done enough research in this field.

　　D.The two economists administer memory tests to many old people every two years.

　　5. According to the passage, what does “Mental Retirement” mean?

　　A.People want to retire at an early age.B.People have to retire earlier than they’ve expected. C.People’s mental functions decline while they are still working.D.People’s memories and reasoning abilities decline if they are not working.

　　参考答案

　　1.【参考答案】B[考点]推理判断题【精析】B 根据第一段最后一句“…the earlier people retire, the more quickly their memories decline.”可知，人们退休得越早，记忆力衰退得越快。由此可推断，选项B正确。

　　2.【参考答案】B[考点]事实细节题【精析】B 根据第三段最后一句“It suggests that work actually provides an important component of the environment that keeps people functioning optimally.”可知，工作实际上提供了一个重要的环境因素，使人们保持最佳的机能状态。故选B。

　　3.【参考答案】A[考点]事实细节题【精析】A 短文第五段指出，研究者未能找出证据证明记忆练习、纵横字谜游戏等可以提高人的全面功能。另外， 第六段最后指出“You get better at one narrow task. But you don’ t get better at cognitive behavior in life.”即你仅在一项有限的任务上做得很好，但你不会在生活中的认识行为上表现得更好。故选A。

　　4.【参考答案】A

　　[考点]事实细节题

　　【精析】A 根据文章最后一段“…the National Institute on Aging began a large study in the United States nearly 20 years ago. Called the Health and Retirement Study…”可知，选项A符合文中表述。故选A。

　　5.【参考答案】D

　　[考点]词语理解题

　　【精析】D 文章一开始就提出Mental Retirement(脑力退休)这一概念，接着就具体说明研究发现，由文内表述可知“脑力退休”就是指退休后，人的大脑处于不活跃状态，记忆力、推理能力都会随之衰退。故选D。