Researchers found that working shifts leads to a loss of memory and an impaired ability to think. 

A decade or more working rotating shifts was connected with a loss of brain function equal to six and a half years of the normal decline in thinking and memory relating to ageing, they showed.

Disruption of the body clock, which is based on natural day and night cycles, may cause stresses that may affect brain functioning, the researchers believe. Other studies have linked vitamin D deficiency due to reduced exposure to sunlight to poorer mental ability. Lead researcher Dr Jean-Claude Marquie concluded: “Shift work chronically impairs cognition, with potentially important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society.”

The scientists assessed more than 3,000 workers from southern France who had their mental abilities tested on three occasions over a 10-year period. Participants were aged 32, 42, 52 and 62 at the time of the first test in 1996. Around a fifth had worked a shift pattern that switched between mornings, afternoons and nights. Shift workers had lower average scores for memory, processing speed and overall brain function than those working normal office hours. Compared with people who had never worked rotating shifts, participants employed this way for 10 or more years had lower overall thinking and memory scores. The level of impairment was equivalent to six and a half years of age-related cognitive decline.

The international team of scientists, who included British researchers from the University of Swansea, said the problems increased with the length of time people worked shifts. After 10 years of rotating shift work the association became “highly significant”. However, there was evidence that the losses were reversible. People who stopped working shifts recovered their lost mental function after at least five years.

The researchers wrote: “Measures should be considered that reduce the impact that long-lasting exposure to shift work has on cognitive abilities, including switching to normal day work.”

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1.What is the effect of working rotating shifts for years?

A Vitamin D deficiency.

B Lower average score for memory.

C Stressful emotions.

D Loss of brain function.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第二段…connected with a loss of brain function可知，长期轮班工作将导致大脑功能的丧失。

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A Shift work can cause safety concerns for the society.

B Shift work interrupts the normal life of individuals.

C Loss of mental ability can be regained with enough rest.

D Working at night shifts can cause many health problems.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据文章第三段…with potentially important safety consequences可以判断，长期轮班工作给人们带来的焦虑心理，将为社会带来安全隐患。

3.What can people do to recover their loss of brain function?

A Changing to normal office hours.

B Getting exposed to more sunlight.

C Working in a happier environment.

D Doing practice to improve processing speed.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据文章第五段People who stopped working shifts recovered their lost mental function after at least five years可知，只要不再轮班，丧失的心理功能会逐渐恢复的。

4.What factors were assessed of the French workers by the scientists?

A Working shifts, loss of memory, cognition decline.

B Scores for memory, processing speed and brain function.

C Shifts between mornings, afternoons and nights.

D Safety concerns, exposure to sunlight and level of impairment.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据文章第四段…lower average scores for memory, processing speed and overall brain function…可知，科学家们对法国工人进行了记忆力水平，反应速度和大脑功能等三个因素的评估，与不做轮班工作的工人进行了比较。

5.What is the author’s attitude towards the impact of long-lasting shift work?

A Astonished.

B Sympathetic.

C Anxious.

D Embarrassed.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据文章中的safety consequences，cognitive decline，problems increased等消极词汇可以判断，作者对于轮班工作的工人的状况非常忧虑，因此呼吁有关部门采取措施，争取避免轮班工作给工人带来的心理健康影响。