Multi-tasking and the brain
Read Multi-tasking and the brain and check the IELTS Reading answers. Do you think you're a master of multi-tasking? Think again. Unless you are one of the three percent of super-taskers in the population, research shows that your brain isn't capable of paying close attention to more than one compl…
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Do you think you're a master of multi-tasking? Think again. Unless you are one of the three percent of super-taskers in the population, research shows that your brain isn't capable of paying close attention to more than one complex task at a time. Researchers who study attention say that effective multi-tasking is beyond most of us. Psychiatrist Edward M Hallowell even describes multi-tasking as 'a mythical activity in which people believe they can perform two or more tasks simultaneously as effectively as they can perform one'.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- capacity limitation noun
The finite amount of information or processing power a system can handle at once
The human brain can perform simultaneous tasks, but attention is governed by capacity limitations.
- concurrently adverb
Happening or done at the same time as something else; simultaneously
Tasks are performed more efficiently when done individually rather than concurrently with other activities.
- coordinate verb
To bring the different elements of a complex activity or organization into a relationship
The brain must coordinate inputs from various areas to effectively manage complex information.
- deteriorate verb
To become progressively worse in quality, value, or condition over a period of time
Research shows that driving performance deteriorates dramatically when a driver's attention is split.
- extraordinary adjective
Very unusual, remarkable, or exceptional; far beyond what is considered typical
A small percentage of the population possesses an extraordinary ability to perform multiple tasks.
- innate adjective
Existing in, belonging to, or determined by factors present from birth; natural
Innate activities like breathing do not require the same level of attention as complex tasks.
- mythical adjective
Widely believed to exist but actually false or non-existent in reality
The psychiatrist describes multi-tasking as a mythical activity that people falsely believe they can master.
- neural structure noun
The physical arrangement and connectivity of neurons within the brain or nervous system
Super-taskers are likely born with a specific neural structure that allows for extreme efficiency.
- prefrontal cortex noun
The part of the brain responsible for executive functions like decision-making and moderating social behavior
The prefrontal cortex is the brain region responsible for choosing which tasks to prioritize.
- superior adjective
Higher in quality, effectiveness, or status compared to others of a similar type
Some researchers believe women are superior multi-taskers because they use more organized strategies.
Answers with explanations
- 14. iv
Section A opens with a challenge, then states that research shows your brain **isn't capable** of paying close attention to more than one complex task, so **effective multi-tasking** is **beyond most of us**. The heading says that real multi-tasking is **nearly impossible**, which condenses exactly this message. Skim the opening lines of a paragraph for its main claim instead of matching a single detail. Answer: iv.
- 15. iii
Section B draws a line between two kinds of activity. **Innate activities** such as walking, chewing and breathing **do not require you to pay attention**, so they can be combined with others, whereas reading, texting or driving **do require attention**, and the writer then explains why doing two of those at once is hard. This contrast between situations where people can and cannot multi-task matches the heading about a **distinction**. Answer: iii.
- 16. vi
Section C is about the **prefrontal cortex**, the brain region that controls attention. Scientists found that its two sides **work independently** when people attempt two things at once, and that we have only **two frontal lobes**. This explains why people **struggle to manage more things**, so the heading about the **neurological reasons** for that struggle fits. The heading about effects on neurological structure is wrong because the section describes how the brain works, not changes to it. Answer: vi.
- 17. v
Section D begins by asking **whether there is a difference between the sexes**, and goes on to compare **men** and **women** as multi-taskers. The heading 'Multi-tasking and gender' covers this main idea. The other gender heading, about the structure of the brain, is a distractor: Koechlin's scans found **no differences** in the prefrontal cortices, but the section is mainly about behaviour and strategies, for example finding lost keys, not brain structure. Answer: v.
- 18. i
Section E turns to people who really can multi-task. It names the **occupations** where **super-taskers** are likely to be found: pilots of high-performance aircraft, high-end chefs and elite doctors in emergency rooms, and adds that they will rise to the top of any job with heavy demands. The heading about **professions** summarises this list. The heading about neurological effects is a distractor, because brain activity is mentioned only briefly. Answer: i.
- 19. vii
Section F states that the **ability to multi-task** probably comes down to the **DNA you inherit** from your parents. This is paraphrased in the heading as the ability being **determined by people's genes**. The next sentence reinforces it: you are either **born with the neural structure** or you are not. The heading about professions belongs to the previous section on super-taskers, and the one about neurological reasons describes section C. Answer: vii.
- 20. C
The statement claims that the brain of a **good multi-tasker** **works differently** from other people's. David Strayer's research found that super-taskers show **different patterns of brain activity** and **less activity** in the prefrontal cortex, which suggests higher efficiency. No other researcher in the list compares super-taskers with ordinary people: Hallowell, Dux, Koechlin and Laws all discuss ordinary multi-tasking. Answer: C.
- 21. C
David Strayer observed drivers at intersections and found that **performance deteriorates drastically** when attention is split between tasks, with **more mistakes** made and each activity taking longer. This matches the claim that the **rate of error** is **considerably higher** when people multi-task. Dux speaks of capacity limits and Koechlin of the two frontal lobes, but neither mentions mistakes or error rates. Answer: C.
- 22. A
The statement says people are **mistaken** in their **assumption** that they can multi-task. Psychiatrist Edward Hallowell calls multi-tasking **'a mythical activity'** in which people **believe** they can do two or more tasks as effectively as one, which means the belief is false. Strayer and Dux give evidence about performance and attention limits, but only Hallowell talks about what people wrongly believe. Answer: A.
- 23. E
Keith Laws discusses **gender differences**: women have a better strategy for finding lost keys, whereas **men tend to jump to it** and are far less organised. His quotation, 'It's as if they **don't stop to reflect** and plan for a moment', matches the statement about one gender not pausing to consider before taking action. Koechlin, the other researcher in this section, found no difference between the sexes, so he cannot be the answer. Answer: E.
- 24. position
The gap follows **achieve a** and needs a singular noun that fits **high on the career ladder**. In the final quotation, Strayer suspects that super-taskers **will rise to a top position** in any occupation with heavy demands, so the word is lifted directly from the passage. 'Position' fits the one-word limit and the article before the gap. Other nouns such as 'job' or 'career' are not in the sentence. Answer: position.
- 25. attention
The gap follows 'their' and must be a noun for what the tasks **need**. The final quotation says the occupations place a high demand on **juggling various tasks** that **demand attention** at the same time. 'Attention' is copied from the passage, fits grammatically after 'their' and meets the one-word limit. Synonyms such as 'focus' are not accepted, because the answer must be words from the passage. Answer: attention.
- 26. structure
The gap follows **a special brain** and needs a noun. The last section says you are either **born with the neural structure** that lets you overcome the usual multi-tasking challenges, or you aren't, and that super-taskers' brains are doing something we can't. The summary's 'genes' paraphrases the **DNA you inherit**. 'Neural' is an adjective and cannot fill the gap, so the one-word answer is the noun after it. Answer: structure.