CET-6 Listening Practice: Can Older Brains Still Change?

Good morning, and welcome back to our weekly programme about health and everyday science.

早安，歡迎回到我們每週一集的健康與生活科學節目。

My guest today is Frank, a retired engineer who learned to juggle at the age of sixty-six.

今天的來賓是 Frank，一位退休工程師，他在66歲時學會了拋球雜耍。

Thanks for having me, and I'm delighted to be here this morning.

謝謝邀請，今天早上能來這裡我很高興。

Frank, I'll be honest with you before we start.

Frank，開始之前，我先跟您說句實話。

I doubt that an older brain can really change very much.

我懷疑老年人的大腦真的還能有多大改變。

Oh, my grandchildren said exactly the same thing when I bought my first set of balls!

哦，我買第一套雜耍球的時候，我的孫子孫女們也是這麼說的！

For years, I assumed that memory loss and slower thinking were simply an inevitable part of ageing.

多年來，我一直以為記憶力衰退、思考變慢只是老化中無法避免的一部分。

Then a friend sent me a study that completely changed my mind.

後來一位朋友傳給我一項研究，徹底改變了我的看法。

What kind of study are we talking about?

您說的是什麼樣的研究？

In two thousand and eight, researchers in Germany taught a group of adults around sixty to juggle.

2008年，德國的研究人員教一群60歲左右的成年人學拋球雜耍。

The participants practised for three months, and their brains were scanned before and after the training.

參與者練習了3個月，訓練前後都做了腦部掃描。

The scans revealed an increase in grey matter in an area that processes movement!

掃描結果顯示，大腦中負責處理動作的區域灰質增加了！

Really? That sounds remarkable, but I'm not convinced the effect lasts.

真的嗎？聽起來很了不起，不過我不太相信這種效果能持續。

To be fair, you've raised an important point.

說句公道話，您提出了一個很重要的問題。

The change was smaller than in younger people who did the same training.

這種變化比做同樣訓練的年輕人要小。

And when the participants stopped practising, the extra grey matter decreased again.

而且參與者一停止練習，多出來的灰質又減少了。

So the benefits are real, but only if you keep practising?

所以好處是真的，但前提是要一直練下去？

Exactly, the brain seems to follow a simple rule of use it or lose it.

沒錯，大腦似乎遵循一個簡單的規律：用進廢退。

Okay, that's a good point, and I have to admit you've changed my mind.

好吧，您說得有道理，我得承認您改變了我的看法。

But surely a crossword every morning does the same job?

不過，每天早上玩一個填字遊戲，效果應該也一樣吧？

I'd rather people try something genuinely difficult than stay inside their comfort zone.

我寧願大家去嘗試真正有難度的事，也不要一直待在舒適圈裡。

Puzzles you already know how to solve don't really challenge the brain anymore.

那些你早就會解的謎題，對大腦已經稱不上真正的挑戰了。

So what would you recommend to listeners who want to keep their minds sharp?

那麼，對於想保持頭腦敏銳的聽眾，您有什麼建議？

Pick up a new skill this month, whether it's a language, an instrument or juggling!

這個月就學一項新技能吧，不管是外語、樂器還是拋球雜耍！

Expect to feel clumsy at first, and practise a little every single day.

剛開始難免會覺得笨手笨腳，每天都練一點就好。

Struggling at first simply means that your brain is busy adapting.

一開始覺得吃力，只表示你的大腦正在努力適應。

Frank, thank you so much for this encouraging conversation.

Frank，非常感謝這次鼓舞人心的談話。

My pleasure, and I expect to see you juggling next week!

不客氣，下週我可等著看您玩拋球雜耍喔！