Question

    Scientists have found an unexpected use for virtual reality headsets (耳机). The devices (装置), widely used by computer gamers, show pictures that can be used to test the navigational (导航的) skills of people, who were thought to be at risk of dementia (痴呆). Those who do worse in the tests will be the ones more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life, scientists now believe.

The discovery that the loss of navigational skills was associated with Alzheimer’s was made several years ago by Dennis Chan and his colleagues based at several centers in the UK. These studies used computers to test navigational tasks. But now scientists plan to take their tests to a new level with the use of the virtual reality headsets in which wearers are placed in man-made environments through which they must navigate.

Around 300 people, aged between 40 and 60, will be arranged to participate in the study. Some will have a gene that puts them at risk of the condition or will come from a family with a history of Alzheimer’s. Not all will certainly be affected by the disease, however. Chan’s project aims to find out who will. Wearing the headsets, participants will be asked to navigate their way through a series of different environments and then remember the details.

Researchers recently pointed out the significance of a tiny area of the brain known as the entorhinal cortex (an important memory center in the brain ). It acts as a center in a widespread brain network that controls navigation. This now appears to be the first part of the brain that seems to be easily harmed by Alzheimer’s.

The goal of the work is to help people as they develop the disease. “So far, drug trials for Alzheimer’s have been applied when people have already got dementia, by which time considerable damage to the brain has already occurred,” Chan told the Obsenver. “If we can entorhinal cortex, then this would have the potential to prevent the dementia.”

1.What does the unexpected use of VR headsets mentioned in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A. Making games mor interesting for computer gamers.

B. Testing ones potential to develop dementia.

C. Helping people suffering Alzheimer’s recover.

D. Reducing the risk of having dementia.

2.What are the participants required to do in the study?

A. Know unfamiliar environments by using tablet computers.

B. Identify directions in some man-made environments.

C. Play computer games by using navigational skills.

D. Create special environments by using navigational skills.

3.What’s implied (暗示) about the entorhinal cortex in the brain?

A. Its functions have becn known for years.

B. It can be expanded by using VR headsets.

C. It can directly affect one’s navigational skills.

D. Its size depends on that of ones memory center.

4.From Chan’s words, we can know ________.

A. he will spread the new drug

B. he will try out the drug

C. the study helps to prevent dementia

D. the study still needs to be improved

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.C

4.C

【解析】

这是一项说明文。有研究意外发现VR耳机设备能够用来测试那些被认为有患痴呆症风险的人的导航技能。研究人员最近指出了大脑中一个控制着人们的方向的重要小区域，很容易受到阿尔茨海默氏症的伤害。这一发现将有助于未来对痴呆症的预防工作。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段第二句The devices (装置), widely used by computer gamers, show pictures that can be used to test the navigational (导航的) skills of people, who were thought to be at risk of dementia (痴呆).可知VR耳机设备意外的用途是能够用来测试那些被认为有患痴呆症风险的人的导航技能，故选B。

2.细节理解题。第三段最后一句Wearing the headsets, participants will be asked to navigate their way through a series of different environments and then remember the details.可知在这次研究中，参与者将被要求在一系列不同的环境中导航，然后记住细节。即参与者需要在一些人造环境中辨别方向，故选B。

3.推理判断题。第四段倒数第二句It acts as a center in a widespread brain network that controls navigation.可知大脑中的内嗅皮层是一个控制导航的大脑网络的中心，即它会直接影响一个人的导航技能，故选C。

4.细节理解题。文章最后一句If we can entorhinal cortex, then this would have the potential to prevent the dementia.可知从Chan的话中，我们可以知道这项研究将有助于预防痴呆症，故选C。