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Can learning another language keep your brain healthier?

A new study shows that being bilingual may delay dementia by five or more years. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland discovered that people who spoke two languages did not show any signs of three types of dementia for more than four years longer than those who were monolingual. A co-author of the report, r. !homas "ak, said# $"ilingualism can be seen as a successful brain training, contributing to cognitive reserve, which can help delay dementia.$ !his means that speaking two languages keeps the brain in better health and helps to keep diseases like Al%heimer&s at bay for longer than if someone spoke 'ust one language. r "ak&s research found that bilingualism and the delaying of dementia had little to do with social status, gender, occupation or educational background. "ak&s team evaluated the medical records of ()* people from +ndia who had been diagnosed with dementia. ,f these patients, -./ were bilingual or trilingual and many were illiterate. r "ak wrote# $!he fact that bilingual advantage is not caused by any differences in education is confirmed by the fact that it was also found in illiterates, who have never attended any school.$ 0e suggested that learning a language later in life could keep the brain healthier. 0e said language learning was $socially more en'oyable, and it forces your brain to train permanently$. Sources: http#11www.webmd.com1al%heimers1news123/-//3(1speaking-two-languages-maydelay-dementia-symptoms

In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.
a new study / being bilingual / dementia / brain training / cognitive / better health / research / social status / occupation / illiterate / education / enjoyable / permanently

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. HEALTHY BRAIN:How do/can these things keep the brain healthy? How important are they? !"#! $ very% !"! $ not at all&. Complete this table with your partner s&. Change partners often and share what you wrote.
Importance (110) 'anguage learning 'aughter 'ove (iet )*ercise +leep Why Yo!r "#$e

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%. TRAININ&:+tudents ,'tron("ybelieve training your brain is more important than e*ercising your body% +tudents -'tron("ybelieve e*ercise is more important. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. ). BRAIN:.ank these and share your rankings with your partner. /ut the things that are best for the brain at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.
0 reading 0 crossword pu11les 0 using a computer 0 sleep 0 studying )nglish 0 e*ercise 0 good food 0 meditation

*. LAN&+A&E,:+pend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word 2languages2. +hare your words with your partner s& and talk about them. 3ogether, put the words into different categories.

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.ead more4http4//www.breakingnewsenglish.com/"5""/"5"""67 bilingualism.html8i*116k9hCyorn

Read more#http#11www.breakingnewsenglish.com1/-//1/-///2bilingualism.html4i5%%2k,g3!.f*