psychologists study memory and learning with both animal and

In contrast , information in short-term memory is kept for only a few seconds , usually by repeating the information over and over . For example , you look up a number in the telephone book , and before you dial , you repeat the number over and over . If someone interrupts you , you will probably forget the number . In laboratory studies , subjects are unable to remember three letters after eighteen seconds (if they are not allowed to repeat the letters to themselves) .     psychologists study memory and learning with both animal and human subjects. The two experiments here show (how short-term memory has been studied .)     Dr. Hunter studied short-term memory in rats . He used a special apparatus1 (which had a cage for the rat and three doors) . There was a light in each door . First the rat was placed in the closed cage . Next , one of the lights was turned on and then off . There was food for the rat only at this door . After the light was turned off , the rat had to wait a short time (before it was released from its cage)h . Then , if it went to the correct door , it was rewarded with the food (that was there ). Hunter did this experiment many times . He always turned on the lights in a random2 order . The rat had to wait different intervals3 before it was released from the cage . Hunter found (that if the rat had to wait more than ten seconds , it could not remember then correct door ). Hunter’s results show (that rats have a short-term memory of about ten seconds).     Later , Dr. Henning studied (how students who are learning English as a second language remember vocabulary ). The subjects in bhis experiment were 75 students at the University of California in Los Angeles . They represented all levels of ability in English : beginning , intermediate , advanced , and native-speaking students.     To begin , the subjects listened to a recording4 of a native speaker reading a paragraph in English . Following the recording , the subjects took a 15-question )Each question had four choices . The subjects had to circle the word (they had heard in the recording .) Some of the questions had four choices (that sound alike .) For example , weather , whether , wither5 , and wetter are four words (that sound alike .) Some of the questions had four choices (that have the same meaning .) Method , way , manner , and system would be four words with the same meaning . Some of them had four unrelated choices . For instance , weather , method , love , and result could be used as four unrelated words . Finally the subjects took a language proficiency6 test .       He was rewarded with 5000 yuan for his bravery.   I hate the eight-year old boy, for he is too naughty.

1 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

2 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

3 intervals   

n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息

参考例句：

• The forecast said there would be sunny intervals and showers. 预报间晴，有阵雨。
• Meetings take place at fortnightly intervals. 每两周开一次会。

4 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

5 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

6 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？