Even mild cases of COVID cause significant, measurable cognitive deficits (认知缺陷) compared to those never infected with the virus, according to one of the largest studies of its type. COVID brain fog is real, and it can drain six IQ points for at least a year. “The potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on cognitive function have been a concern for the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, but until now it has been difficult to objectively measure them in a large population sample,” explained Adam Hampshire, first author on the newly published study.
The research comes out of one of the world’s largest and longest running COVID studies, called REACT (Real-Time Assessment of Community Transmission). The project, which kicked off in April 2020, follows nearly three million people in England. The goal is to better understand who is suffering from long-term symptoms of COVID and what those symptoms actually are. This particular REACT investigation aimed at around 112,000 people who completed online assessments uniquely developed to measure cognitive domains that have been known to be affected by COVID. Each participant also supplied a COVID infection history allowing the researchers to compare cognitive findings with symptom duration and severity. Between three and four percent of the total group of people qualified as suffering from long COVID, reporting symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks. The majority of that long COVID group were still experiencing symptoms up to one year later.
Of those long COVID patients the researchers suggest their cognitive assessments showed deficits that correlated (关联的) with a drop in about six IQ points compared to those with no history of infection. The deficits were primarily detected in cognitive domains associated with memory, spatial (空间的) planning and verbal reasoning. More interestingly, the researchers found small but statistically significant differences in cognition between people who recovered quickly from short symptom duration of COVID and people with no history of infection. The cognitive assessments correlated with differences of about three IQ points.
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1.What does the underlined word “them” in Para. 1 refer to?
A The mild cases of COVID.
B The measurable cognitive deficits.
C The long-term effects of COVID.
D The healthcare professionals.
解析：选C。C 词意指代题。根据前文的“The potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on cognitive function have been a concern for the public, healthcare professionals, and policymakers”COVID-19对认知功能的潜在长期影响一直是公众、医疗保健专业人员和政策制定者关注的问题，但到目前为止，很难在一个大的人口样本中客观地测量这些影响。故选C。
2.What is TRUE about the REACT investigation participants?
A They come from different nations.
B They were all affected by COVID.
C Their symptom duration lasted over 3 months.
D Their symptoms with COVID were the same.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“This particular REACT investigation aimed at around 112,000 people who completed online assessments uniquely developed to measure cognitive domains that have been known to be affected by COVID.”可知，这项特别的REACT调查针对大约112,000人，他们完成了在线评估，该评估是为测量已知受COVID影响的认知领域而独特开发的，由此可知，这些受访者都感染过COVID病毒。故选B。
3.Who suffered a three-point loss in IQ?
A People suffering from long-term symptoms of COVID.
B People with no history of infection.
C People with short symptom duration of COVID.
D People recovering from COVID infection.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据最后一段倒数两句“More interestingly, the researchers found small but statistically significant differences in cognition between people who recovered quickly from short symptom duration of COVID and people with no history of infection. The cognitive assessments correlated with differences of about three IQ points.”研究人员发现，从COVID的短症状持续时间中迅速恢复的人的认知评估大约有3分智商分数的下降。故选C。
4.What’s a suitable title for the text?
A COVID brain fog drains 3-6 IQ points for more than a year.
B COVID-19 pandemic impacts millions around the world.
C Patients with long-COVID symptoms get better over time.
D Cognitive deficits from COVID are relevant to IQ.
解析：选A。A 主旨大意题。结合第一段中的“COVID brain fog is real, and it can drain six IQ points for at least a year.”以及全文内容可知，本文主要围绕COVID“脑雾”对人的智商的影响展开，它导致智商分数下降3-6分，并且持续时间超过一年。故选A。
