Children Can Remember Memories from Two Years Old

May 27, 2011


Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. recall (v.) – to remember something (or someone)
Example: I cannot recall the lesson we had yesterday.

2. verify (v.) – to check if a piece of information is true
Example: Students verify results of their experiment by having their professor check their work.

3. aid (v.) – to help or provide help
Example: My mother was aided by the nurses when she got to the hospital for her operation.
   
4. cue (n.) – a hint or clue that leads to a certain information
Example: Actors are given cues so they can remember the script.

5. recent (adj.) – something that happened not long ago
Example: Recent news are still important to people.


Article
Read the text below.

Canadian researchers at Memorial University of Newfoundland claim that children can remember events that happened before they were two years old but soon forget them as they become adults.

They added that most adults cannot recall events that occurred when they were three or four years old. 

In the study, researchers asked 100 children aged 4 to 13 to recall an earlier memory. The youngest participants were able to remember events that happened as early as they were 1 year and 6 months old. Researchers also verified the information through their parents.

Two years later, the same children, aided with memory cues related to their past experiences, were asked to recall three specific memories from their younger years. Surprisingly, the children could not remember anything; some even claimed they never participated in the events suggested by the cues.

Dr. Patricia Bauer from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia suggests that we may have a different way of remembering recent and old memories which explains why older memories seem to disappear.



Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A


·         What could be the importance of remembering childhood memories?
·         What are some lessons you learned from your childhood memories?

Discussion B

·         What are the best memories you can think of right now?
·         What kind of memories do you think should be forgotten?

May 27, 2011