Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 23 to 30. Many peo...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 23 to 30.

        Many people say the brain is ‘like a muscle,’ but this comparison is only partly useful. You can feel your arm muscles strengthen after exercise, yet you cannot ‘work out’ your brain in the same direct way. Still, studies show that training the body also benefits the brain, and different forms of physical activity can shape brain structure in different ways. As researchers learn more, people may be able to choose exercises that support particular goals, such as improving memory performance. Scientists are also investigating why exercise helps the brain. Increased blood flow is one explanation, and another is the possible growth of new brain cells—something once believed impossible in adults but now seen as a realistic prospect.

        It is widely known that exercise can lift your mood. Runners often describe a ‘runner’s high,’ which many believe comes from endorphins in the bloodstream. However, researchers are unsure how many of them actually reach the brain. What is clear is that exercise strongly influences the hippocampus, a region vital for learning and memory. Experiments with children, adults, and older people show that the hippocampus grows as fitness improves, which helps explain why physical activity can boost memory.

        Exercise can also support the learning process in more immediate ways. Light activity—such as walking or cycling while studying—can make it easier to learn new information, including foreign vocabulary. Very intense workouts, however, may raise stress levels and harm memory. Short exercise breaks help students stay focused; in one study, a 20-minute session between lessons improved attention, and another study found that regular after-school sports increased children’s ability to ignore distractions and use new knowledge effectively.

        You don’t always need strenuous exercise to see benefits. Just ten minutes of coordination-based play, like bouncing two balls at once, can improve concentration. Walking has also been shown to enhance creative thinking. However, if you need to solve a single, precise problem, a relaxing walk might not help. Overall, physical activity clearly influences how well we think, learn, and remember—so staying active matters more than we often realise.

(Adapted from First for School B2)

Question 23. The word “prospect” in paragraph 1 can be best replaced by ____________.

        A. solution                B. desire                        C. pleasure                        D. possibility

Question 24. The word “them” in paragraph 2 refers to ____________.

        A. experiments        B. researchers                        C. endorphins                        D. runners

Question 25. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

“Very intense workouts, however, may raise stress levels and harm memory.”

        A. Strong workout routines can lower stress but improve someone’s memory skills greatly.

        B. Highly demanding exercise can increase stress and damage a person’s ability to remember.

        C. Extremely intense physical training can bring down stress levels and strengthen memory.

        D. Highly demanding exercise can ease tension but make memory function less effectively.

Question 26. As stated in paragraph 1, different types of exercise ____________.

        A. can lead to increased blood flow                        B. have a similar effect on the brain

        C. affect the brain in different ways                        D. help improve memory performance

Question 27. The word “strenuous” in paragraph 4 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.

        A. challenging                B. adequate                        C. irregular                        D. gentle

Question 28. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

        A. Taking part in daily sports activities can help strengthen children’s attention.

        B. Exercise physically changes the brain in a way that supports stronger memory.

        C. Coordination-based play is useful for tasks that require precise problem-solving.

        D. Though useful, a relaxing walk does not always support every type of thinking.

Question 29. Which paragraph mentions a limitation of walking?

        A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                        C. Paragraph 4                        D. Paragraph 3

Question 30. Which paragraph mentions an important part of the brain?

        A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                        C. Paragraph 4                        D. Paragraph 3