TASK TYPE 10 Summary Completion (2)

IELTS PRACTICE TASK

The amazing brains of babies

In the past three decades remarkable discoveries have been made about the way babies think and
the development of their brains. It was previously thought in the scientific community that babies and
young children were amoral and therefore unable to understand the perspective of other people, and
that they were also quite irrational; unable to make sense of the world around them. However, new
scientific techniques have proved otherwise. From an evolutionary point of view, one of the most
fascinating things about humans is that they take a very long time to develop all the skills and
knowledge required to survive independently of their parent. In other words, humans experience a
far longer childhood than any other species. Nevertheless, this does, in fact, benefit them in the long
run.

Of course, the young of some animal species can fend for themselves within hours or days of being
born. Known as ‘precocial’ species, these animals enter the world with specific innate capabilities
that allow them to survive in a particular set of environmental circumstances. They can move with
agility, search for food, and avoid predators intuitively – without conscious thought. In other words,
they just know what to do. ‘Altricial’ species behave rather differently. They must learn how to co-
ordinate their limbs, need feeding by their parents, and must be protected from enemies. But while
all this is happening, learning is still occurring in their very flexible brains. Neurons, or nerve cells as
they are also known, are the cells in the brain that process and transmit information through
electrical and chemical signals. These signals between neurons happen via synapses, specialized
connections with other cells. It is now known that the brains of babies have many more connections
between neurons than adults. The area of the brain called the prefrontal cortex takes a particularly
long time to develop, however. In an adult, this region allows a person to focus on achieving internal
goals, and to work out which actions are most likely to achieve them quickly and effectively. It is also
the area which allows a person to control their feelings and moderate their social behaviour. On the
surface, therefore, it may seem that the slow development of the prefrontal cortex is a disadvantage,
but actually it may aid the process of learning. The prefrontal cortex also restricts irrelevant thoughts
or behaviours, and in a baby, because they are uninhibited in this way, it may encourage them to
explore freely and learn flexibly, giving them an eventual advantage over other species.

What are the implications of this for the way we raise our young children? Science has certainly
demonstrated how vitally important a child’s early years are, and some policy makers have
responded to this by insisting on the establishment of early education programmes and continual
testing. Many parents are also anxious to give their children a head start by enrolling them in extra
classes and paying for out-of-school tuition. Yet science suggests that children learn best from
normal daily interaction with other people and things, and from playful exploration of their
environment within a safe setting. This is when all those neurons get excited the most.

The Complete Guide To IELTS (ACADEMIC READING)

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 TASK TYPE 10 Summary Completion (2)

Questions 1–6

Complete the summary using the list of words, A–I, below.

Write the correct letter, A–I, below.

How babies think

Thirty years ago, scientists believed that human babies lacked 1 ............. and had no sense
of right and wrong. Today the common belief is quite different. Scientists have realised that
human babies’ period of 2 ............. has an evolutionary advantage. Unlike precocial
species which are born with 3 ............. , humans belong to altricial species which rely on
gradual learning to function well as adults. In humans, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for
efficient action and 4 ............. , takes a particularly long time to develop. This slow development
of the prefrontal cortex, however, allows 5 ............. in babies instead. What some scientists have
concluded, is that the most effective learning in young children occurs when they take
part in as many 6 ............. as possible.

A emotional balance B academic situations C instinctive abilities

D communication strategies E basic logic F everyday experiences

G extended immaturity H creative thinking I intellectual development

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