Page 150 - closeup student

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) Read the Exam Close-up. Then read the Exam
Task below and underline the key words.
____________ Exam Task Choosing the best option
• Remember, if you see the same word in an
_ Read the text and questions below. For each question,
answer option and in the text, it may not be the
loose the correct letter a, b, с or d.
correct answer.
f I Why does the writer mention computers? • Read the section in the text with the same word
a to compare them to the human brain carefully and check it is the best option.
b to show how fast they have become • Remember to read all the answer options before
you choose the best one.
с to say that computers have no abilities
d to say that computers need eyes and ears
I We know that neurons 1 What does the writer tell us about exercise?
a send messages very slowly, a It can make you less intelligent,
b are only found in your skin, b It needs a special chemical,
с deliver messages to your brain, с Its effects are not well known,
d need electricity to work. d It can make you feel better.
3 When you have a new thought, What is the article generally about?
a your heart beats faster, a All the steps that are involved when your brain learns things,
b the structure of your brain changes, b What an incredible organ the human brain is.
с you learn something new. с How the brain makes people smarter than computers,
d you remember something. d The things you can do to speed up your brain.

E Find these words in the text and use them to complete F W ork with a partner to solve the
I the definitions below. brain teaser below. You have two
minutes!
structure mood organs sense signals
A man went for a walk. After about an
Electrical messages in the body are known as___________.
hour, he came to a deep, wide river.
Your___________ is the way you are feeling at a certain time. There was no bridge. He didn't have a
The way something is built is known as its___________. boat or raft, or any materials to make
one. He couldn't swim. How did he get
If the meaning of something is not clear, it doesn't make
across the river?
5 The eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin are all___________.

signals are racing between these neurons. or learn something. For example, riding a
Believe it or not, the activity in your brain bike seems impossible at first, but soon you
never stops. Your neurons create and send are able to do it. How? As you practise,
I more messages than all the phones in the your brain sends 'bike riding' messages
world. And although one neuron creates again and again. Soon, the actions are
only a very small amount of electricity, learnt and you are able to ride a bike easily
all your neurons together can produce from then on.
enough electricity to power a light bulb.
How quickly we learn things varies from
So exactly how fast does your brain person to person, but there are some
work? Well, imagine this: a bee lands on things which can help us to learn faster
your foot. Neurons in your skin send this and, surprisingly, exercise is one of them.
information to your brain at a speed of We know that any exercise that makes
more than 240 kilometres per hour. Your your heart beat faster is great for your
brain then uses other neurons to send body and can even help improve your
the message back to your foot to shake mood, but we know less about the
the bee off quickly. These neurons can effects of exercise on learning. However,
send this information at more than 320 scientists have recently discovered
kilometres per hour. No computer has that for a period of time after you've
your brain's incredible ability to cope with exercised, your body produces a
the amount of information coming from chemical that makes it easier for your
your eyes, ears and other sensory organs. brain to learn. So, if you're stuck on a
homework problem that is too difficult
But how does your brain allow you to to solve, go out and play a game of
learn things that you will use in the future? football, then try the problem again.
The structure of your brain changes every You just might discover that you're
time you have a new thought, remember
able to solve it.