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Many countries have made it illegal to talk into a hand-held mobile phone while driving. But the latest research provides further confirmation that the danger lies less in what a motorist’s hands do when he takes a call than in what the conversation does to his brain. Even using a "hands-free" device can impair a driver’s attention to an alarming extent.Melina Kunar of the University of Warwick and Todd Horowitz of the Harvard Medical School ran a series of experiments in which two groups of volunteers had to pay attention and respond to a series of moving tasks on a computer screen that were reckoned equivalent in difficulty to driving. One group was left undistracted while the other had to engage in a conversation about their hobbies using a speakerphone. As Dr. Kunar and Dr. Horowitz report in Psycbonomic Bulletin & Review, those who were making the equivalent of a hands-free call had an average reaction time 212 milliseconds slower than those who were not. That, they calculate, would add 5.7 meters to the braking distance of a car traveling at 100 kph. They found that the group using the hands-free kit made 83 percent more errors in their tasks than those who were not talking.They also explored the effect of simply listening to something—such as a radio programme. For this they played a recording of the first chapter of Bram Stoker’s "Dracula." Even though the test subjects were told to pay attention because they would be asked questions about the story afterwards, it had little effect on their reaction time. The research led by Frank Drews of the University of Utah suggests the same thing is true of the idle chatter of a passenger. Dr. Kunar reckons that having to think about responses during a phone conversation competes for the brain’s resources in a way that listening to a monologue does not.Punishing people for using hand-held gadgets while driving is difficult enough, even though they can be seen from outside the car. Stopping people making hands-free calls would probably be impossible—especially because more and more vehicles are now being fitted with the necessary equipment as standard. Persuading people to switch their phones off altogether when they get behind the wheel might be the only answer. Who knows, they might even come to enjoy not having to take calls. And they’ll be more likely to arrive in one piece. Which body part is most affected by talking into a cell phone when driving（）
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As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be. We suddenly can’t remember where we put the keys just a moment ago or an old acquaintance’s name. As the brain fades, we refer to these occurrences as "senior moments." While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being.Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there’s actually a lot that can be done. It turns out that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions. Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain. Because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.A new company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program," called Lumosity, to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness. Lumosity is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills. That’s because they have integrated these exercises into a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills. The program keeps track of your progress and provides detailed feedback on your performance and improvement. Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to build on the strengths you are developing—much like an effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.Apparently it works. In randomized, controlled clinical trials Lumosity was shown to significantly improve basic cognitive functions. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks. The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory, increased alertness and awareness, elevated mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.While many of the games at Lumosity are free, a modest subscription fee is required to use the full program over the long term. However, Lumosity is currently offering a free trial of their program to new users so that you can see how well it works before you decide to subscribe. The company believes the results will speak for themselves. Which of the following statements is true about Lumosity（）
In these times of fast media and ever-growing Internet, we are under so many external influences that it is anything but easy to think for ourselves. Unless you are a cunning, very aware person, you most likely don’t even know when your thinking is not your own.Not that all outside influence is bad to form your own views, but being unable to think for yourself can make you miserable at best, or a puppet of someone else’s programming, at worst.Admittedly, we are all born into societies or cultures where the norms and customs are already established. We have little choice but to conform to what is already in place. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, it can be confining and controlling if we accept everything blindly and never question the status quo.Does this mean all of your ideas can be original and unlike everyone else’s Not at all!Nor does it require being contrary and argumentative just to be defiant or stand out. To think for yourself means that whatever opinions you hold will be well thought out and arise from thorough investigation and thoughtful analysis. It means choosing not to compromise the facts for the sake of consensus or fitting in. It is not unlike critical thinking—it just brings about a broader scope of choices and decision-making in your life.For example, how many of us feel the need to keep up with "the latest" We wear clothes, listen to music and follow trends that the media tells us we should in order to be cool. Marketing companies create ads that tempt us into a herd mentality as we fall into debt, wear fashions that are unbecoming, and get caught up in a cycle of over-spending and then stressing out over it. We are living lives designed for us by the powers without our conscious participation.Another trap we fall into when we don’t think for ourselves is groupthink. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that takes place within a group of people who try to avoid conflict and reach agreement without critically evaluating options or alternative ideas. The problem with groupthink is that it hinders finding the best solutions, impedes creative ideas and frustrates independent thinking. Wanting to be part of the crowd can certainly have its drawbacks! Trying to conform to established ideas（）
According to psychology professor Carol Dweck of Stanford University, "Praising children for being smart can backfire." If this doesn’t get the attention of Millennium parents, I’m not sure what will.It is my observation that so many parents today believe that if their child appears to be the least bit "advanced" for his age, he’s destined to be the next Albert Einstein, Tiger Woods, or Bill Gates. It’s human nature for room and dad to show much admiration for their child and dish out praise for accomplishments achieved. The problem is, according to this study, parents may not be doing the best thing by praising their child for his intelligence.Dweck’s research involved junior high students in New York and concluded that "classroom performance improved when her study subjects believed the brain is like a muscle that can grow." Students who "focused on the learning process (effort, concentration or strategies used) asked for feedback and did better in all subjects." Feedback such as, "You did well because you worked so hard" or "You used so many descriptive words to make this story interesting" can encourage children to try new things, as they are being rewarded for their effort. When the "time and effort" strategy is being positively reinforced, the child will probably use the same strategy next time they are learning something. Over time new strategies can be introduced, so the child’s repertoire of strategies is broadened.Dweck goes on to say that "they (students who improved) performed better because their success was being measured by effort, not by test scores or grades." Parents should praise effort, not just results. Children who received praise about their innate abilities (talents or strengths) had less chance of trying new things and became anxious and under-performed as things became more difficult. That is one of the greatest dangers to continually praising children for whatever they do in order to falsely raise a child’s self-esteem.What are mom and dad to do Offer genuine praise and encouragement for efforts and successes, but balance this with setting appropriate expectations and following up with consequences when the child falls short due to laziness. Don’t make excuses. Your child will better face the challenges life has to offer in the future when you as a parent recognize the efforts he is making today. The author’s advice to parents is（）
In these times of fast media and ever-growing Internet, we are under so many external influences that it is anything but easy to think for ourselves. Unless you are a cunning, very aware person, you most likely don’t even know when your thinking is not your own.Not that all outside influence is bad to form your own views, but being unable to think for yourself can make you miserable at best, or a puppet of someone else’s programming, at worst.Admittedly, we are all born into societies or cultures where the norms and customs are already established. We have little choice but to conform to what is already in place. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, it can be confining and controlling if we accept everything blindly and never question the status quo.Does this mean all of your ideas can be original and unlike everyone else’s Not at all!Nor does it require being contrary and argumentative just to be defiant or stand out. To think for yourself means that whatever opinions you hold will be well thought out and arise from thorough investigation and thoughtful analysis. It means choosing not to compromise the facts for the sake of consensus or fitting in. It is not unlike critical thinking—it just brings about a broader scope of choices and decision-making in your life.For example, how many of us feel the need to keep up with "the latest" We wear clothes, listen to music and follow trends that the media tells us we should in order to be cool. Marketing companies create ads that tempt us into a herd mentality as we fall into debt, wear fashions that are unbecoming, and get caught up in a cycle of over-spending and then stressing out over it. We are living lives designed for us by the powers without our conscious participation.Another trap we fall into when we don’t think for ourselves is groupthink. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that takes place within a group of people who try to avoid conflict and reach agreement without critically evaluating options or alternative ideas. The problem with groupthink is that it hinders finding the best solutions, impedes creative ideas and frustrates independent thinking. Wanting to be part of the crowd can certainly have its drawbacks! It can be learned from the first paragraph that（）
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