Can learning another language keep your brain healthier?
A new study shows that being bilingual may delay dementia by five or more years. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland discovered that people who spoke two languages did not show any signs of three types of dementia for more than four years longer than those who were monolingual. A co-author of the report, Dr. Thomas Bak, said: "Bilingualism can be seen as a successful brain training, contributing to cognitive reserve, which can help delay dementia." This means that speaking two languages keeps the brain in better health and helps to keep diseases like Alzheimer's at bay for longer than if someone spoke just one language.
Dr Bak's research found that bilingualism and the delaying of dementia had little to do with social status, gender, occupation or educational background. Bak's team evaluated the medical records of 648 people from India who had been diagnosed with dementia. Of these patients, 391 were bilingual or trilingual and many were illiterate. Dr Bak wrote: "The fact that bilingual advantage is not caused by any differences in education is confirmed by the fact that it was also found in illiterates, who have never attended any school." He suggested that learning a language later in life could keep the brain healthier. He said language learning was "socially more enjoyable, and it forces your brain to train permanently".
Now answer the following activities.
1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).
a.
Learning a language may slow down dementia by five years or more.
T / F
b.
Tests showed bilingual people had no signs of any type of dementia.
T / F
c.
A doctor said language learning was good training for the brain.
T / F
d.
Language learning cannot delay Alzheimer's disease.
T / F
e.
The research found dementia depended on social status and jobs.
T / F
f.
All of the people researched were bilingual or trilingual.
T / F
g.
The research included those who couldn't read and didn't go to school.
T / F
h.
The doctor suggested that language learning was enjoyable socially.
T / F
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
1.
study
a.
leading to
2
delay
b.
proved / proven
3.
types
c.
away
4.
contributing to
d.
analysed
5.
at bay
e.
benefit
6.
gender
f.
postpone
7.
evaluated
g.
for good
8.
advantage
h.
sex
9.
confirmed
i.
report
10.
permanently
j.
kinds
3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
1.
being bilingual may delay dementia
a.
successful brain training
2
did not show any signs of
b.
many were illiterate
3.
Bilingualism can be seen as a
c.
at bay for longer
4.
speaking two languages keeps
d.
the medical records
5.
helps to keep diseases like Alzheimer's
e.
by five or more years
6.
the delaying of dementia had little
f.
keep the brain healthier
7.
Bak's team evaluated
g.
to do with social status
8.
391 were bilingual or trilingual and
h.
the brain in better health
9.
learning a language later in life could
i.
socially more enjoyable
10.
language learning was
j.
three types of dementia
GAP FILL
A new study shows that being bilingual may (1) ____________ dementia by five or more years. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (2) ____________ that people who spoke two languages did not show any (3) ____________ of three types of dementia for more than four years longer than those who were (4) ____________. A co-(5) ____________ of the report, Dr. Thomas Bak, said: "Bilingualism can be seen as a successful brain training, (6) ____________ to cognitive reserve, which can help delay dementia." This means that speaking two languages keeps the brain in better (7) ____________ and helps to keep diseases like Alzheimer's at (8) ____________ for longer than if someone spoke just one language.
monolingual health signs bay delay contributing discovered author
Dr Bak's research found that bilingualism and the delaying of dementia had (9) ____________ to do with social status, gender, occupation or educational (10) ____________. Bak's team evaluated the medical (11) ____________ of 648 people from India who had been diagnosed with dementia. Of these patients, 391 were bilingual or (12) ____________ and many were illiterate. Dr Bak wrote: "The fact that bilingual advantage is not (13) ____________ by any differences in education is confirmed by the fact that it was also found in illiterates, who have never (14) ____________ any school." He suggested that learning a language (15) ____________ in life could keep the brain healthier. He said language learning was "socially more enjoyable, and it (16) ____________ your brain to train permanently".
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1.
Which university conducted this research?
2.
How many types of dementia did not show up in bilinguals?
3.
What did Dr Bak say bilingualism can be seen as?
4.
What can keep the brain in better health?
5.
What can speaking two languages do to Alzheimer's disease?
6.
How many things mentioned did not affect the delaying of dementia?
7.
How many medical records did Dr Bak look at?
8.
How many of Dr Bak's case studies spoke two or more languages?
9.
What had many of the illiterate people never done?
10.
What did Dr Bak say language learning forces your brain to do?
Get your favorite old sandals and bermudas and prepare to enjoy the warm and hot days of spring!
Video Activity. Click on the next video and find the 5 tag questions they use in the conversation. Please send your answers or post your comments here.
This time you can have lots of practice using tag questions. Complete the questions and practice reading them aloud. Have fun and try to remember at least five of them.
TAG QUESTIONS EXERCISE
Complete the sentences below with the correct tag question:
1. Paul is a good singer, ____________________ ?
2. Beto and Susan are in New York, ____________________ ?
3. You love this picture, ____________________ ?
4. We know your parents, ____________________ ?
5. Jimmy doesn’t speak Italian, ____________________ ?
6. Beth wasn’t happy yesterday, ____________________ ?
7. The boys are playing football, ____________________ ?
8. Karin isn’t ready to move, ____________________ ?
9. There is enough food here, ____________________ ?
10. Let’s start our homework, ____________________ ?
11. Your brother has been away for a long time, ____________________ ?
12. The scientists left for Rome yesterday, ____________________ ?
13. I’m afraid Paul is a little confused, ____________________ ?
14. This work could be done in ten minutes, ____________________ ?
15. One should never harm any kind of people, ____________________ ?
16. Nobody called for me while I was out, ____________________ ?
17. Let’s not give them a second chance, ____________________ ?
18. Beth might not come tomorrow, ____________________ ?
19. Patricia, don’t close all the windows, ____________________ ?
20. There is some good news for the Gaviollis, ____________________ ?
21. She’s left for Saint Paul, ____________________ ?
22. Charles can’t speak Russian, ____________________ ?
23. Ingrid’s gone to the movies, ____________________ ?
24. One must work to ear one’s living, ____________________ ?
25. Come here, ____________________ ?
26. I am late, ____________________ ?
27. Don’t close your book, ____________________ ?
28. She won’t arrive late, ____________________ ?
29. Let’s take a walk, ____________________ ?
30. The girls hasn’t called yet, ____________________ ?
31. He wasn’t working here, ____________________ ?
32. Don’t go away, ____________________ ?
33. We couldn’t go there, ____________________ ?
34. Bob arrived late, ____________________ ?
35. Betty loves coffee, ____________________ ?
36. They have seen her, ____________________ ?
37. The boys had gone there by bus, ____________________ ?
38. They used to read a lot, ____________________ ?
Here is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Morelia this coming spring. Don't miss it!
