Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. dementia
    • ex. My grandfather has dementia, so he sometimes forgets names and places.
  2. cognitive
    • ex. Reading and puzzles can help improve cognitive skills like memory and attention.
  3. diagnose
    • ex. The doctor will diagnose the illness after checking the patient’s symptoms.
  4. middle age
    • ex. He started exercising more in his middle age to stay healthy after turning 50.
  5. passionate
    • ex. She is passionate about teaching and spends extra time helping her students.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Experts say people who want to avoid dementia should keep their brains active throughout life. New research shows that doing many different activities can help the brain stay healthy. These activities may include reading, writing, learning a new language, playing chess, solving puzzles, or visiting museums. Scientists say these activities help develop cognitive skills.

In a study at Rush University Medical Center, researchers followed nearly 2,000 adults aged 53 to 100 for eight years. Some people were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, but those who had more active brains developed the disease about five years later than others. Researchers also found that staying mentally active during middle age and later years slowed the rate of memory decline.

Experts say it is never too late to start new activities. People can try music, birdwatching, or joining a book club. The key is to choose something they feel passionate about and continue doing it regularly. Doctors also say physical exercise, good sleep, and healthy habits help protect the brain. While there is no sure way to prevent dementia, an active lifestyle may help delay problems related to Alzheimer’s.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Middle Age and Dementia

  • What do you think about dementia (ex. it's scary, it's something we can prevent)? Discuss.
  • What do you think life would be like for you in your middle and older age? Discuss.
  • In a study at Rush University Medical Center, researchers followed nearly 2,000 adults aged 53 to 100. If you were to conduct a study on people in middle and old age, what would you want to focus on? Discuss.

Cognitive Health and Brain Exercises

  • Doctors say physical exercise, good sleep, and healthy habits help protect the brain. How would you describe your cognitive health? Discuss.
  • Scientists say activities such as reading, writing, learning a new language, playing chess, solving puzzles, and visiting museums help develop cognitive skills. Which of these activities would you be interested in trying? Discuss.
  • The article says that the key is to choose an activity that you feel passionate about and continue doing it regularly. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? Discuss.