Section B: Information Matching
Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.
How Does the Teenage Brain Work?
[A] The teenage brain has long been a source of frustration and confusion for parents, teachers, and scientists alike. Adolescents display puzzling behaviors: impulsive decisions, heightened emotional reactions, and an intense focus on peer relationships. Modern neuroscience is finally providing clear answers to why the teenage brain works the way it does.
[B] Far from being a defective or unfinished version of the adult brain, the adolescent brain is undergoing a period of remarkable transformation and adaptation. The changes occurring during the teenage years are not signs of immaturity but rather evidence of an optimized developmental process.
[C] One of the most important processes in the adolescent brain is synaptic pruning. During childhood, the brain forms an abundance of neural connections. In adolescence, unused connections are eliminated while frequently used pathways are strengthened. This makes the brain more efficient, similar to how pruning a tree encourages healthier growth.
[D] The prefrontal cortex — the region responsible for decision-making, planning, and impulse control — is the last area of the brain to fully mature. It continues developing well into a person's mid-twenties. This delayed development helps explain why teenagers sometimes act without fully considering the consequences of their actions.
[E] While the prefrontal cortex matures slowly, the limbic system — which governs emotions and responses to rewards — is highly active during adolescence. Teenagers experience a surge in dopamine activity, making them particularly sensitive to rewards, novelty, and excitement. This biological drive pushes them to explore and take risks.
[F] Peer influence has a profound effect on the teenage brain. Brain imaging studies show that regions associated with social evaluation and reward processing are more strongly activated when adolescents are in the presence of their peers. This heightened sensitivity explains why teenagers are more susceptible to peer pressure than adults.
[G] Circadian rhythms shift during adolescence, causing teenagers to naturally feel awake later at night and struggle to rise early in the morning. Despite this biological reality, most high schools start classes early in the morning, forcing teenagers to function against their natural sleep cycles.
[H] The combination of late nights and early school starts results in chronic sleep deprivation among adolescents. Research has linked insufficient sleep to reduced academic performance, impaired emotional regulation, and increased risk of mental health issues. Experts advocate for later school start times to address this problem.
[I] Neuroplasticity — the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections — is at its peak during the teenage years. This remarkable capacity for learning and adaptation makes adolescence an optimal time for acquiring new skills, languages, and abilities.
[J] The experiences teenagers have during this critical period literally shape the architecture of their brains. Positive environments, supportive relationships, and quality education contribute to healthy brain development. Conversely, chronic stress, trauma, or neglect can have lasting negative effects on brain structure and function.
[K] Understanding the teenage brain has practical implications for education, parenting, and public policy. Schools that provide later start times, hands-on learning experiences, and supportive social environments are working with adolescent biology rather than against it, leading to better outcomes for students.
[L] Parents who understand that risk-taking and emotional intensity are biologically driven, not signs of defiance, can respond with empathy and guidance rather than punishment. Creating open lines of communication and providing appropriate boundaries helps teenagers navigate this challenging developmental period safely.
[M] Recognizing that the teenage brain is not broken but brilliantly adapted for its developmental purpose represents a profound shift in our understanding of adolescence. The very traits that frustrate adults — risk-taking, emotional intensity, peer focus — are the same traits that drive innovation, learning, and growth.
[N] The adolescent brain's heightened sensitivity to social and emotional experiences is not a weakness but a feature of a learning system optimized for the challenges of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. This transition requires acquiring independence, forming new social bonds, and developing a personal identity.
36. Teenagers naturally feel awake later at night because their circadian rhythms shift during adolescence.
37. Neuroplasticity reaches its peak during the teenage years, making it an ideal time for learning new skills.
38. The prefrontal cortex, which controls decision-making, is not fully mature until the mid-twenties.
39. Peer presence strongly activates the brain regions associated with social evaluation and reward.
40. The traits that frustrate adults are actually the same traits that drive innovation and growth.
41. Chronic sleep deprivation from early school starts harms academic performance and emotional health.
42. The adolescent brain is not defective but a learning system optimized for transitioning to adulthood.
43. The teenage brain is undergoing transformation and adaptation, not simply immature development.
44. Positive environments and supportive relationships during adolescence shape healthy brain architecture.
45. Schools should adopt later start times and hands-on learning to work with adolescent biology.
全文翻译
[A] 长期以来，青少年大脑一直是父母、教师和科学家沮丧和困惑的来源。青少年表现出令人困惑的行为：冲动的决定、增强的情绪反应，以及对同伴关系的强烈关注。现代神经科学终于为青少年大脑为什么这样运作提供了明确的答案。
[B] 青少年大脑远非成人大脑的一个有缺陷或未完成的版本，它正在经历一个显著的转变和适应期。青少年时期发生的变化不是不成熟的标志，而是一个优化的发展过程的证据。
[C] 青少年大脑中最重要的过程之一是突触修剪。在儿童期，大脑形成大量的神经连接。在青春期，未使用的连接被消除，而频繁使用的通路被加强。这使大脑更有效率，类似于修剪树木鼓励更健康的生长。
[D] 前额叶皮质——负责决策、规划和冲动控制的区域——是大脑中最后完全成熟的区域。它持续发育到一个人二十多岁。这种延迟的发育有助于解释为什么青少年有时会在没有充分考虑其行为后果的情况下行动。
[E] 当前额叶皮质缓慢成熟时，边缘系统——它管理情绪和对奖励的反应——在青春期高度活跃。青少年经历多巴胺活动的激增，使他们对奖励、新奇和兴奋特别敏感。这种生物驱动力推动他们探索和冒险。
[F] 同伴影响对青少年大脑有深远的影响。脑成像研究表明，当青少年在同伴面前时，与社会评估和奖励处理相关的区域被更强烈地激活。这种增强的敏感性解释了为什么青少年比成年人更容易受到同伴压力的影响。
[G] 昼夜节律在青春期发生变化，导致青少年自然地晚上感觉清醒，早上难以起床。尽管存在这种生物现实，大多数高中早上很早就开始上课，迫使青少年违背他们的自然睡眠周期运作。
[H] 晚睡和早上早上课的结合导致青少年长期睡眠不足。研究已将睡眠不足与学业成绩下降、情绪调节受损以及心理健康问题风险增加联系起来。专家提倡推迟上课时间来解决这个问题。
[I] 神经可塑性——大脑通过形成新的神经连接来重组自身的能力——在青少年时期达到顶峰。这种卓越的学习和适应能力使青春期成为习得新技能、语言和能力的最佳时期。
[J] 青少年在这个关键时期的经历实际上塑造了他们大脑的结构。积极的环境、支持性关系和优质教育有助于健康的大脑发育。相反，慢性压力、创伤或忽视可能对大脑结构和功能产生持久的负面影响。
[K] 理解青少年大脑对教育、养育和公共政策具有实际意义。提供推迟上课时间、实践学习体验和支持性社会环境的学校是在顺应青少年生物学而不是逆其道而行，从而为学生带来更好的结果。
[L] 理解冒险行为和情绪强度是生物学驱动的，而不是反抗的标志的父母，可以用同理心和指导而不是惩罚来回应。建立开放的沟通渠道并提供适当的界限有助于青少年安全地度过这个具有挑战性的发展期。
[M] 认识到青少年大脑不是有缺陷的，而是为其发展目的进行了精彩的适应，代表了我们理解青春期的一个深刻转变。那些让成年人沮丧的特征——冒险、情绪强度、同伴关注——正是推动创新、学习和成长的同样特征。
[N] 青少年大脑对社会和情绪体验的增强敏感性不是一个弱点，而是一个为应对从童年过渡到成年的挑战而优化的学习系统的特征。这种过渡需要获得独立性、形成新的社会纽带，以及发展个人身份。
Answers & Explanations
36. G。解析：题干中 circadian rhythms shift... awake later at night 对应 [G] 段关于昼夜节律的描述。
37. I。解析：题干中 Neuroplasticity reaches its peak... ideal time for learning 对应 [I] 段关于神经可塑性的论述。
38. D。解析：题干中 prefrontal cortex... not fully mature until mid-twenties 对应 [D] 段关于前额叶皮层发育的描述。
39. F。解析：题干中 Peer presence strongly activates... social evaluation 对应 [F] 段关于同伴影响的脑科学研究。
40. M。解析：题干中 traits that frustrate adults... drive innovation and growth 对应 [M] 段结语。
41. H。解析：题干中 sleep deprivation... harms academic performance and emotional health 对应 [H] 段。
42. N。解析：题干中 learning system optimized for transitioning to adulthood 对应 [N] 段。
43. B。解析：题干中 undergoing transformation and adaptation, not simply immature 对应 [B] 段。
44. J。解析：题干中 Positive environments... shape healthy brain architecture 对应 [J] 段。
45. L。解析：题干中 later start times and hands-on learning 对应 [L] 段以及上下文对教育的实际建议。