A．passesB．adds tipC．appearsD．continuesThe underlined wo……
TEXT A
Most people can remember a
phone number for up to thirty seconds. When this short amount of time
elapses, however, the numbers are erased from the memory. How did the
information get there in the first place Information that makes its way to the
short term memory (STM) does so via the sensory storage area. The brain has a
filter which only allows stimuli that is of immediate interest to pass on to the
STM, also known as the working memory.
There is much debate
about the capacity and duration of the short term memory. The most accepted
theory comes from George A. Miller, a cognitive psychologist who suggested that
humans can remember approximately seven chunks of information. A chunk is
defined as a meaningful unit of information, such as a word or name rather than
just a letter or number. Modem theorists suggest that one can increase the
capacity of the short term memory by chunking, or classifying similar
information together. By organizing information, one can optimize the STM, and
improve the chances of a memory being passed on to long term storage.
When making a conscious effort to memorize something, such as information
for an exam, many people engage in "rote rehearsal". By repeating something over
and over again, we are able to keep a memory alive. Unfortunately, this type of
memory maintenance only succeeds if there are no interruptions. As soon as a
person stops rehearsing the information, it has the tendency to disappear. When
a pen and paper are not handy, you might attempt to remember a phone number by
repeating it aloud. If the doorbell rings or the dog barks to come in before you
get the opportunity to make your phone call, you will forget the number
instantly. Therefore, rote rehearsal is not an efficient way to pass information
from the short term to long term memory. A better way is to practice
"elaborate rehearsal". This involves assigning semantic meaning to a piece of
information so that it can be filed along with other pre-existing long term
memories.
Encoding information semantically also makes it more
retrievable. Retrieving information can be done by recognition or recall.
Humans can recall memories that are stored in the long term memory and
used often. However, if a memory seems to be forgotten, it may eventually be
retrieved by prompting. The more clues a person is given (such as pictures), the
more likely a memory can be retrieved. This is why multiple choice tests are
often used for subjects that require a lot of memorization. (426)
The underlined word "elapses" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to "______."
A．passes
B．adds tip
C．appears
D．continues
