不是吧！？【高级听力】（文末附视频）Video Games Are Good for Your Brain and Body

Why Video Games Are Good for Your Brain and Body

《文 末 附 视 频》

This may not be a word-for-word transcript.

They say, whoever they are, that video games aren’t good for you. They say they’re bad for your eyes, your spine, and your social life. But hey, just show those head shakers this video and prove to them that there are a lot of reasons why they’d be better off playing video games.

#1 Multitasking 

There are dozens of different game genres, like races, strategies, and role-playing games, to name a few. A player is switching missions constantly; they get used to switching from one assignment to another. Their brain is always under stress, but it’s not the bad kind of stress. They learn to grasp new information quickly; the speed of their reaction grows, and they can do several tasks at the same time. Scientists from Rochester University proved that gamers who spend at least one hour a day playing video games are more advanced than their peers. Their strategic thinking is more developed; they concentrate better; and they can find a solution quicker.

#2 Seeing in Darkness 

Your parents must have told you that if you play too much, you’ll ruin your eyes, or at least have problems with your sight. Well, you can tell them that this myth is out of date. If it was ever true before, modern monitors and TVs made it obsolete. And now it’s quite the opposite: Games like “Call of Duty” or “Quake” can improve night vision. How come? In these games, one has to notice the slightest changes in the game field – moving shadows, dark shapes, and silhouettes. It gives you a better perception of shades of grey, which makes it easier to see in the dark.

#3 Healing Problems with Sight 

Video games could even help improve the sight of people who have serious eye conditions. There are a lot of bright spots on the screen, which train their sight to react to bright colors, and their visual acuity gets stronger. People with eye conditions used to wear special glasses in which their stronger eye is covered, and the weaker one has to work for the two of them. Now they’ve got a more efficient and interesting alternative – to play special video games which train the eye.

#4 A Higher Threshold for Discomfort 

Think you can only be a superhero in the virtual world? What about being immune to physical discomfort in reality? Researchers have proved that people who have to go through a painful treatment feel much better if they play video games during the process. Even people with bad burns are 30-50% less sensitive to it when they play. It’s not difficult to see where the effect comes from. When the brain is involved in the game, it’s too busy to send discomfort signals in full force. That’s why video games might become an anesthetic of the 21st century.

#5 Healing 

Video games can not only distract from the discomfort, but also make for quicker healing. They’re widely used for people with hand injuries. Scientists from Tel Aviv University have discovered that patients who play games on a computer or a video game console recover their hands’ mobility much quicker than people who get a traditional treatment. Plus, it has no side effects like medicine does.

#6 Slower Aging 

Hey, what about playing video games to stay young forever? Well, forever is a bit of an exaggeration, but who knows. 681 people over the age of 50 took part in a study at Iowa University. During the experiment, they played video games that were designed especially for them for at least 2 hours daily. As a result, they slowed the process of aging by 7 years. Impressive, right? Psychologists say that any game would be useful. Its only task is to keep you thinking all the time. Video games have the same effect on your brain as physical exercise on your body, scientists say.

#7 Better Memory 

The latest studies prove that the hippocamp – the part of the brain responsible for memory – changes if you play 3D games. Your memory gets 12% better! Though it’s not quite clear why it happens, scientists are looking for ways to use it to help people who have problems with memory.

#8 Better Coordination 

Video games are great for hand-eye coordination. The influence is so substantial that they use games to train surgeons. They use special simulators to learn precise movements in a very small space. This way, surgeons can perform a difficult operation in virtual reality before the real one, making the chances for success much higher. It’s also proved that games that require quick actions improve mobility and reflexes.

#9 Better Cognitive Processes 

Playing your favorite video game helps you develop attention, diligence, and your perception of reality. This is all thanks to critical thinking and the many decisions you have to make during the game. This discovery is very important, since it means that video games can help elderly people. Now you know that if your mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be, you’d better go and play for a couple of hours for your health’s sake.

#10 Less Stress 

No one has thought of a better way to reduce stress than to wipe out thousands of your enemies on an alien planet. Playing a video game and thinking about what’s happening in a virtual world distracts you from the stresses and troubles of reality. A lot of people play “Angry Birds” to relax. So, if you feel angry, leave the furniture alone and throw that bird into the pigs. 

#11 Quicker Decision Making 

In most games, you have to face moral dilemmas that make you weigh up the pros and cons and make a decision that will affect the course of the game. To play some games, like strategies, you need to think critically, or nothing will come of it. Studies show that the skills you get in the games can be useful in real life – and at school, too.

#12 Help with Reading Disorders 

Some people have serious difficulty reading and focusing, but those who play video games can process information more easily. There are also special games that train them to discern sounds and turn on the sleeping zones of the brain, which helps with concentration.

#13 Leadership Qualities 

Some video games require that you behave as a leader, and gamers use these skills in real life. They develop improvisation skills, and as a result, react much faster to unexpected difficulties, and make better judgment calls under pressure.

#14 Research

A lot of games are based on true historical events, which allows the gamers to learn about it without really trying. Children who play these games might show more interest in history than their peers.

#15 Communication 

Online games help people get acquainted with each other and make new friends who share their interests. They could even meet offline and have fun outside of the virtual world. But always use caution if meeting someone for the first time. Kids should never talk to anyone online, or give out any information, without the permission of their parents.

#16 Physical Exercises

“Wii Sports” and other similar games give your body the same amount of exercise as walking at a speed of 3 miles per hour. Some gyms use virtual reality for their workouts, too, and it’s a more efficient and exciting way of training. Have you ever tried working out this way?

Bottom Line: The main advice with video games is not to overdo it. Moderation is the key, you know; your parents were right about that one. So, don’t forget to get out sometimes. No matter how great and elaborate the virtual world is, there’s still a real life to live. And it might be more interesting than game designers could ever imagine.

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