良好的情緒利于增強認知功能

藍利霞

An algorithm is called MINDWATCH that analyzes a persons brain activity from data collected through any wearable device that can monitor electrodermal（皮膚電的） activity. This activity reflects changes in electrical conductance caused by emotional stress， linked to sweat responses.

In this recent MINDWATCH study， published in Nature Scientific Reports， subjects wearing skin-monitoring wristbands and brain monitoring headbands completed cognitive tests while listening to music， drinking coffee and smelling perfumes reflecting their individual preferences. They also completed those tests without any of those stimulants.

The MINDWATCH algorithm revealed that music and coffee measurably changed subjects brain excitement， essentially putting them in a physiological “state of mind” that could adjust their performance in the working memory tasks they were performing. Right now MINDWATCH is still under development， but researchers eventual goal is that it will contribute to technology that could allow any person to monitor his or her own brain cognitive excitement in real time， detecting moments of acute stress or cognitive disengagement. At those times， MINDWATCH could push a person towards simple and safe interventions — perhaps listening to music — so they could get themselves into a brain state in which they feel better and perform job or school tasks more successfully.

The researchers tested three types of music — energetic and relaxing music familiar to the subject， as well as novel AI-generated music that reflected the subjects tastes. Consistent with prior MINDWATCH research， familiar energetic music delivered bigger performance gains — as measured by reaction times and correct answers — than relaxing music. AI-generated music produced the biggest gains among all three.

Drinking coffee led to notable but less-pronounced performance gains than music， and perfume had the paltriest gains.

Ongoing experimentation by the MINDWATCH team will confirm the effectiveness of the technologys ability to monitor brain activity consistently， and the general success of various interventions in adjusting that brain activity. But determining a category of generally successful interventions does not mean that any individual person will find it works for them.

（材料出自Science Daily網站，有刪改）

1. What did subjects do during the experiment？

A. They needed to buy wristbands.

B. They published MINDWATCH study.

C. They finished tests with wearable device.

D. They showed their individual preferences.

2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3？

A. Researchers need to continue their research.

B. Subjects enjoy listening to music and drinking coffee.

C. Researchers can monitor subjects brain cognitive excitement.

D. Subjects perform their job better with the help of MINDWATCH.

3. What benefits subjects most？

A. Light music. ? B. Relaxing music.

C. Energetic music.D. AI-generated music.

4. What does the underlined word “paltriest” mean？

A. Smallest. B. Wisest. C. Fattest. D. Bravest.

1. C。解析：細節理解題。根據材料第二段第一句中的“subjects wearing skin-monitoring wristbands and brain monitoring headbands completed cognitive tests while listening to music， drinking coffee and smelling perfumes reflecting their individual preferences”，我們可知，他們需要戴上設備來完成測試。故選C。

2. A。解析：推理判斷題。根據材料第三段第二句“Right now MINDWATCH is still under development， but researchers eventual goal is that it will contribute to technology that could allow any person to monitor his or her own brain cognitive excitement in real time， detecting moments of acute stress or cognitive disengagement.”，我們可知，MINDWATCH還在開發中。故選A。

3. D。解析：細節理解題。根據材料第四段的最后一句“AI-generated music produced the biggest gains among all three.”，我們可知，人工智能合成的音樂效果是最好的。故選D。

4. A。解析：詞義猜測題。根據材料第五段中的“Drinking coffee led to notable but less-pronounced performance gains than music”，我們可知，喝咖啡所帶來的效果不如聽音樂，而緊跟著的內容中沒有任何具有轉折性質的詞匯，從而大膽推測聽音樂的效果是最好的，其次是喝咖啡，最后是聞香水。這說明聞香水的效果是最小的，畫線詞應有“微小的”之意。故選A。