Recent studies in cognitive neuroscience have revealed that the human brain's capacity for multitasking is largely illusory. When individuals attempt to perform two complex tasks simultaneously, the prefrontal cortex rapidly switches between them rather than processing them in parallel. This switching incurs a 'cognitive cost,' manifesting as reduced accuracy and increased reaction time. Furthermore, research indicates that habitual multitaskers perform worse on tests of sustained attention and memory retrieval compared to those who focus on single tasks sequentially. These findings challenge the popular assumption that multitasking enhances productivity, suggesting instead that it impairs higher-order cognitive functions. Consequently, experts advocate for 'monotasking' in educational and professional settings to optimize performance and neural efficiency.
❓ Theo đoạn văn, tác động chính của việc cố gắng thực hiện hai nhiệm vụ phức tạp cùng một lúc là gì?
A. Nó cho phép não bộ xử lý thông tin hiệu quả hơn.
B. Nó dẫn đến sự suy giảm độ chính xác và thời gian phản hồi chậm hơn.
C. Nó tăng cường sự chú ý bền vững và khả năng truy hồi trí nhớ.
D. Nó kích hoạt quá trình xử lý song song ở vỏ não trước trán.
✅ 正确答案
It leads to a decline in accuracy and slower response times.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first