Make Your Brain Smarter

 Tips for developing an exercise plan for your brain
讓大腦更聰明 - 擬定鍛鍊大腦計畫的訣竅.

You know that eating a sensible diet and getting plenty of exercise help make your body healthy and strong. But did you know that there are ways to make your brain healthier and smarter?

Studies show that when the brain is compelled to do something new, it creates new neural pathways. The more pathways you have, the faster you can think and the better memory you will have. 

Ten steps toward a smarter brain Limit your TV viewing.
Watching an average TV show requires very little brain power and brings the same result as neglecting physical exercise. Your brain will become weak just as your muscles do. If you watch TV, choose something educational and informative.

Travel
Traveling to a new country forces you to see and do things in a new way, providing stimulation to the brain.

Learn a new language 
Acquiring a new language involves different learning methods. Learning a language sharpens your brain and helps prevent memory problems in later years.

Master a new subject
Each week, select an animal, a bird or a fish, and read everything you can about it. Stretch your brain as you become an expert on the subject.

Use your non-dominant hand 
If you are right-handed, use your left hand for everyday activities, or use your right hand if you are left-handed. Doing familiar things in a new way will cause your brain to create new neural networks.

Read often 
As you read, take the time to look up people or places that aren't familiar. Reading expands your vocabulary if you search for words and definitions that you don't know.

Do puzzles
According to the Mayo Clinic, doing sudoku and crossword puzzles keeps the brain sharp into your senior years.

Calculate while you shop
As you put things in your grocery cart, total everything in your head. See how close you get to the actual total.

Play video games
Studies have found that certain video games force you to use critical decision-making skills and can even improve students' math scores.

Tweet!
Read messages from people who represent a wide range of interests. And some say that learning to express yourself in just 140 characters is a great brain challenge!

So get in the habit of challenging your brain, and make yourself smarter!

Grammar Gym:
"Watching an average TV show requires very little brain power and brings the same result as neglecting physical exercise."
[doing something] requires [something ] and brings the same result as [doing something else].
The new kind of artificial lawn requires very little care and brings the same result as having real grass.
Taking care of a cactus requires very little effort and brings the same result as having other kinds of plants.

Vocabulary Tips:
compel - forced you must to do it or have to do it. 迫使，使不得不。
compelled / compelling - 迫使，强迫。
*The company compelled all their employees to work overtime on weekends.
*The government was compelled to lower the tax rate during the recession.
informative - provide information or education that you can learn from it. 提供信息，增长见闻的。
inform (v)-notify you.通知
*The film is not only informative, but also very entertaining.
*The tour book is quite informative and practical.
involve -be a part of something.牵涉，包容，参与。 'in' -使如何。。。 'volve' -卷入。旋转。
*The project involves several departments and hundreds of workers.
*Many politicians were involved in this scandal.丑闻。
sharpen -make it sharper. 使锐利。使尖锐，使敏锐。
sharp -锐利。
*Scott's presentation skill were sharpened at the conference.
*The girl's voice sharpened when her sister argued with her.
sharpen your brain - sharpen your mind, make your brain think faster and quicker to response.
step toward something - is positive thing, that you get better or close to your goal near.
dominant - control, the hand you usually you use it.支配，统治。或是贯用的，占优势的。 'domin' - in charge. -有‘支配，统治’之意。
*My right hand is my dominant hand.贯用的，占优势的
*Teresa was a dominant figure in the fashion business back in the 90's.
dominate - in charge.控制，支配。
*Brenda tends to dominate her children and won't let them make any decisions.
look up - look it up to get more knowledge. 这儿不是‘往上看’之意，此为‘查阅，查询，翻看，查看。
*Sean looked up the meaning of this word on his online dictionary website.
*The boss looked up the employee's address in his file.
in the habit of something - something usually you like to do or you will do it.
critical - important, in a danger situation. 严重的，有危险的，危急的。关键性的
*Getting this loan is critical to the survival of our company.关键性的
*The troops are in a critical state and need help.危险的，危急的
*The patient is in critical condition.危险的，危急的
tweet -express yourself in just a few words.在网上推文。
*The singer tweeted that he is preparing for his second album.
tweet -小鸟的吱吱鸣叫。
*I heard the baby birds tweeting in my backyard.
total (v) ,(n) - total (v) up, the total (n) is...
get out of the something / get in the something.. - get out of the bad habit and get in the good habit of something.

Language Tips:
brain -头脑。大脑。
brain -聪明有头脑的。很聪明，很会用头脑的。
John is the brain of the family. 。。。他家的智囊（星）
brains -智慧。
brawn - strong in muscles.肌肉发达的，
brains vs. brawn -智慧对上了肌肉四肢发达的。 有时事情只靠肌肉的发达行不通时，就要靠智慧去解决了。
a no-brainer - 不是指“没头脑，不用头脑的人”，而是指“有些问题简单的不得了，根本不用去经过脑子就可以回答的了。”
That's a no-brainer - 根本不用想，我就可以告诉你答案了或是我就可以回答你了。
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every day / everyday :
every day: 每一天，
I get up at seven every day.
everyday (adv.) -平常，一般，通常，日常的。
everyday people - 一般的人们。
everyday activities -日常的活动。



Notes taking of Studioclassroom