TOEFL Test example 1

Most people can remember a phone number for up to thirty seconds. When this short
amount of timeelapses, hoe!er, the numbers are erased from the memory. "o did
the information #et there in the first place$ %nformation that ma&es its ay to the short
term memory '(TM) does so !ia the sensory stora#e area. The brain has a filter hich
only allos stimuli that is of immediate interest to pass on to the (TM, also &non as
the or&in# memory.
There is much debate about the capacity and duration of the short term memory. The
most accepted theory comes from *eor#e +. Miller, a co#niti!e psycholo#ist ho
su##ested that humans can remember approximately se!en chun&s of information. +
chun& is defined as a meanin#ful unit of information, such as a ord or name rather
than ,ust a letter or number. Modern theorists su##est that one can increase the
capacity of the short term memory by chun&in#, or classifyin# similar information
to#ether. -y or#ani.in# information, one can optimi.e the (TM, and impro!e the
chances of a memory bein# passed on to lon# term stora#e.
When ma&in# a conscious effort to memori.e somethin#, such as information for an
exam, many people en#a#e in /rote rehearsal/. -y repeatin# somethin# o!er and o!er
a#ain, one is able to &eep a memory ali!e. 0nfortunately, this type of memory
maintenance only succeeds if there are no interruptions. +s soon as a person stops
rehearsin# the information, it has the tendency to disappear. When a pen and paper are
not handy, people often attempt to remember a phone number by repeatin# it aloud. %f
the doorbell rin#s or the do# bar&s to come in before a person has the opportunity to
ma&e a phone call, he ill li&ely for#et the number instantly.* Therefore, rote rehearsal
is not an efficient ay to pass information from the short term to lon# term
memory.* + better ay is to practice /elaboraterehearsal/. *This in!ol!es assi#nin#
semantic meanin# to a piece of information so that it can be filed alon# ith other pre1
existin# lon# term memories.*
Encodin# information semantically also ma&es it more retrie!able. 2etrie!in#
information can be done by reco#nition or recall. Humans can easily recall
memories that are stored in the long term memory and used often; however, if
a memory seems to be forgotten, it may eventually be retrieved by
prompting. The more cues a person is #i!en 'such as pictures), the more li&ely a
memory can be retrie!ed. This is hy multiple choice tests are often used for sub,ects
that re3uire a lot of memori.ation.