一、原文逐句翻译

1.Challenging work that requires lots of analytical thinking, planning and other managerial skills might help your brain stay sharp as you age, a study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology suggests.

周三发表在《神经学》(Neurology)杂志上的一项研究表明，一项需要大量分析思维、计划和其他管理技能的挑战性工作可能会帮助你的大脑随着年龄的增长保持敏锐。

2.Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany gathered more than 1, 000 retired workers who were over age 75 and assessed the volunteers’ memory and thinking skills through a battery of tests.

德国莱比锡大学的研究人员召集了1000多名75岁以上的退休人员，并通过一系列测试对志愿者的记忆力和思维能力进行了评估。

3.Then, for eight years, the scientists asked the same group to come back to the lab every 18 months to take the same sorts of tests.

在接下来的8年里，科学家们让这组人每18个月回到实验室做同样的测试。

4.Those who had held mentally stimulating(刺激), demanding jobs before retirement tended to do the best on the tests.

那些持有精神刺激(刺激),要求退休前工作往往做最好的测试。

5.And they tended to lose cognitive(认知) function at a much slower rate than those with the least mentally challenging jobs.

他们倾向于失去认知(认知)函数至少慢得多的速度比人的精神具有挑战性的工作。

6.The results held true even after the scientists accounted for the participants’ overall health status.

即使在科学家统计了参与者的整体健康状况后，这一结果仍然成立。

7.“This works just like physical exercise,” says Francisca Then, who led the study.

“这就像体育锻炼一样，”领导这项研究的Francisca Then说。

8.“After a long run, you may feel like you’re in pain, you may feel tired.

长跑后，你可能会觉得很痛苦，你可能会觉得很累。

9.But it makes you fit.

但它使你健康。

10.After a long day at work—sure, you will feel tired, but it can help your brain stay healthy.”

在工作了一整天之后，当然，你会觉得很累，但它可以帮助你的大脑保持健康。”

11.It’s not just corporate jobs, or even paid work that can help keep your brain fit, Then points out.

并不是只有公司工作，甚至是带薪工作才能帮助你保持大脑健康，然后指出。

12.A waiter’s job, for example, that requires multitasking, teamwork and decision-making could be just as stimulating as any high-level office work.

例如，服务员的工作需要多任务、团队合作和决策，它可能和任何高级办公室工作一样令人兴奋。

13.And“running a family household requires high-level planning and coordinating（协调）,” she says.

和“运行一个家庭家庭需要高层次的规划和协调(协调),”她说。

14.“You have to organize the activities of the children and take care of the bills and groceries.”

“你必须组织孩子们的活动，还要照顾好账单和食品杂货。”

15.Of course, our brains can decline as we grow older for lots of reasons—including other environmental influences or genetic factors.

当然，随着年龄的增长，我们的大脑会因为很多原因而衰退——包括其他环境影响或遗传因素。

16.Still,continuing to challenge yourself mentally and keeping your mind busy can only help.

尽管如此，继续在精神上挑战自己，让自己的大脑处于忙碌状态只会有所帮助。

17. Why did the scientists ask the volunteers to take the tests?

A. To assess their health status. B. To evaluate their work habits.

C. To analyze their personality. D. To measure their mental ability.

18. How does Francisca Then explain her findings in paragraph 4?

A. By using an expert’s words. B. By making a comparison.

C. By referring to another study. D. By introducing a concept.

19. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A. Retired Workers Can Pick Up New Skills

B. Old People Should Take Challenging Jobs

C. Your Tough Job Might Help Keep You Sharp

D. Cognitive Function May Decline As You Age

二、答案解析

语篇类型：说明文

主题语境：人与社会

[语篇导读]《神经病学》杂志发布的一则研究显示，人们可能需要大量的分析思考、细致规划和其他管理技能的挑战性工作，来帮助你的大脑随着年龄的增长还能保持敏锐。

17. D。直接信息题。根据第二段第一句Researchers from the University of Leipzig in Germany gathered more than 1,000 retired workers who were over age 75 and assessed the volunteers’ memory and thinking skills through a battery of tests（来自德国莱比锡大学的研究人员召集了1000多名75岁以上的退休老人，并通过一系列的测试对他们的记忆力和思维能力进行了评估）可知，科学家让志愿者做测试是为了测试他们的心智能力。故选D项。

18. B。写作手法题。根据第四段中Francisca Then说的话This works just like physical exercise（这就像体育锻炼一样有效）及接下来进一步的解释“长跑后人就会感到痛苦和疲惫，但它确实能强身健体。工作一天下来会感到劳累，但这也使你的大脑处于健康状态”可知，Francisca Then是通过与“身体锻炼”作比较来解释他的发现的。故选B项。

19. C。标题判断题。根据本文的主题句第一段中的Challenging work... might help your brain stay sharp as you age（需要大量的分析思考、细致规划和其他管理技能有挑战性的工作，有可能会帮助你的大脑随着年龄的增长而保持敏锐），结合全文内容可知，文章主要讲述了有挑战性的工作可能会使大脑保持敏捷，所以C项“困难的工作可能有助于大脑保持敏捷”适合作本文标题。故选C项。