The Reading / Listening - Memory - Level 1

Can you remember lists of vocabulary easily? If the answer is 'no,' help may be near. A study says anyone can upgrade their memory if they train their brain. We can train our brain to be a "memory athlete," like athletes train their body. Scientist Martin Dresler said six weeks of training can help people remember many things. Dr Dresler said people could train their brain to enter the World Memory Championships.

Dr Dresler looked at MRI scans of the brains of 23 memory champions and the brains of "normal" people. He was surprised to find no differences. This made him think we can all become memory athletes. Dresler studied people who did 40 days of training using a memory technique called mnemonics. They more than doubled their memory. Mnemonics is an old method that helps people remember things, especially in lists. It could help you with your vocabulary.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Memory - Level 0 Memory - Level 2   or  Memory - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/08/518815297/maybe-you-too-could-become-a-super-memorizer
  • https://www.sciencenews.org/article/brain-training-turns-recall-rookies-memory-masters
  • http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/03/09/anyone-can-become-memory-athlete-study


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. remember lists
  2. help may be
  3. anyone can upgrade
  4. if they train
  5. athletes train
  6. six weeks of
  7. help people remember
  8. the World Memory
  1. training
  2. their memory
  3. their body
  4. Championships
  5. of vocabulary
  6. many things
  7. near
  8. their brain

Paragraph 2

  1. Dr Dresler looked at MRI
  2. the brains of 23 memory
  3. He was surprised to find
  4. people who did 40 days
  5. a memory technique called
  6. They more than
  7. Mnemonics is an old
  8. It could help you with
  1. method
  2. no differences
  3. your vocabulary
  4. scans
  5. champions
  6. mnemonics
  7. doubled their memory
  8. of training

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Can (1) ___________________ of vocabulary easily? If the answer is 'no,' (2) ___________________. A study says anyone can (3) ___________________ memory if they train their brain. We can (4) ___________________ to be a "memory athlete," like athletes train their body. Scientist Martin Dresler said (5) ___________________ training can help people remember many things. Dr Dresler said people could train (6) ___________________ the World Memory Championships.

Dr Dresler (7) ___________________ scans of the brains of 23 memory champions and (8) ___________________ "normal" people. He was surprised to find no differences. This made him think (9) ___________________ memory athletes. Dresler studied people who did (10) ___________________ using a memory technique called mnemonics. They more than (11) ___________________. Mnemonics is an old method that helps people remember things, (12) ___________________. It could help you with your vocabulary.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Canyourememberlistsofvocabularyeasily?Iftheansweris'no,'helpma
ybenear.Astudysaysanyonecanupgradetheirmemoryiftheytrainthei
rbrain.Wecantrainourbraintobea"memoryathlete,"likeathletestrain
theirbody.ScientistMartinDreslersaidsixweeksoftrainingcanhelppeo
pleremembermanythings.DrDreslersaidpeoplecouldtraintheirbraint
oentertheWorldMemoryChampionships.DrDreslerlookedatMRIscan
softhebrainsof23memorychampionsandthebrainsof"normal"people
.Hewassurprisedtofindnodifferences.Thismadehimthinkwecanallbe
comememoryathletes.Dreslerstudiedpeoplewhodid40daysoftrainin
gusingamemorytechniquecalledmnemonics.Theymorethandoubled
theirmemory.Mnemonicsisanoldmethodthathelpspeopleremembert
hings,especiallyinlists.Itcouldhelpyouwithyourvocabulary.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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