Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to play some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels , including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says, "While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can really cause physical changes in the brain."

The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician , believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. "Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning," says Margaret.

Older people can beef up their brains as well. Scientists from 11 universities studied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants , exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions, such as with yoga or tai-chi, helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.

For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as three hours of exercise a week. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Can old farts beef up their brains?
2. Who studied a group of seniors?
3. Were they all from the same university?
4. How many difference schools were involved?
5. How old were the greyhairs they studied?
6. What could short-term memory increase up to?
7. What did they seniors need to do?
8. How many hours?
9. Daily or weekly?
10. Does the exercise have to be arduous?
11. What does it need to increase, though?
12. Should learning be simpler or more complex?
13. What's a new skill or motion that might help them?
14. What's another?
Answer: 1. Yes
2. Scientists
3. No
4. 11
5. seventy to seventy-nine
6. 40 percent
7. exercise
8. three
9. weekly
10. No
11. heart rate
12. More complex
13. yoga
14. tai-chi

CHAPTER XXIII

I

WHEN America entered the Great European War, Vida sent Raymie off to an officers' training-camp--less than a year after her wedding. Raymie was diligent and rather strong. He came out a first lieutenant of infantry, and was one of the earliest sent abroad.

Carol grew definitely afraid of Vida as Vida transferred the passion which had been released in marriage to the cause of the war; as she lost all tolerance. When Carol was touched by the desire for heroism in Raymie and tried tactfully to express it, Vida made her feel like an impertinent child.

By enlistment and draft, the sons of Lyman Cass, Nat Hicks, Sam Clark joined the army. But most of the soldiers were the sons of German and Swedish farmers unknown to Carol. Dr. Terry Gould and Dr. McGanum became captains in the medical corps, and were stationed at camps in Iowa and Georgia. They were the only officers, besides Raymie, from the Gopher Prairie district. Kennicott wanted to go with them, but the several doctors of the town forgot medical rivalry and, meeting in council, decided that he would do better to wait and keep the town well till he should be needed. Kennicott was forty-two now; the only youngish doctor left in a radius of eighteen miles. Old Dr. Westlake, who loved comfort like a cat, protestingly rolled out at night for country calls, and hunted through his collar-box for his G. A. R. button.

Carol did not quite know what she thought about Kennicott's going. Certainly she was no Spartan wife. She knew that he wanted to go; she knew that this longing was always in him, behind his unchanged trudging and remarks about the weather. She felt for him an admiring affection--and she was sorry that she had nothing more than affection. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What war did America enter?
2. Who was Carol afraid of?
3. What did he make her?
4. How many enlisted in the Army?
5. Most of the soldiers were sons of who?
6. How old was the youngish doc?
7. What was the radius?
Answer: 1. the Great European War
2. Vida
3. feel like an impertinent child
4. Six
5. Lyman Cass, Nat Hicks, and Sam Clark
6. forty-two
7. eighteen miles

CHAPTER XI

BROUGHT TO TRIAL

"By jinks! we'll have to be on our good behavior," observed Tom, after he had read his father's letter.

"That's so," responded Sam. "Father means to have us study, or else we must stay here during the spring term."

As anticipated, Alexander Pop reached Cedarville Tuesday afternoon. He came first to Putnam Hall, and was warmly received both by the Rover boys and by the others who knew him as an old hand around the Hall.

"Glad you have come, Aleck!" cried Tom. "I declare it looks as if you belonged here."

"Yes, sah, an' I dun feel like I belong heah, too, Massah Tom," answered the colored man.

"Remember the sport we used to have?" put in Sam.

"'Deed I does, Massah Sam--an' de tricks youse lads used to play on dis yeah coon," and Aleck smiled broadly.

Captain Putnam also came forward to greet Pop. There had been a time when the captain had suspected Pop of stealing, and the colored man had run away in preference to being sent to jail, but now it was known by all that the faithful negro was innocent, and the master, of the Hall was sorry that he had ever accused the man.

"Pop, I miss you a good deal," he said kindly.

"If ever you are out of work again, come to me and I will let you stay here as long as you please."

"T'ank you, Cap'n Putnam, I'll remember dat. But I dun lub de Robers, ain't no use ter talk, an' so long as da wants me to stay by 'em, why dat's whar you will find Aleck Pop, yes, sah!" And he bobbed his head to emphasize his words. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who came to Cedarville?
2. What day was it?
3. Who thought that Pop was a thief in the past?
4. What did he do in response?
5. Was Pop a black man?
6. Did he end up being guilty?
7. Who said he missed Pop a lot?
8. Whose letter did Tom read?
9. What are the names of the Rover boys?
10. What did Tom say when he saw Pop?
11. And what did Sam say?
12. What did the Captain say to Pop about if he was out of work?
13. Did Pop take him up on it?
14. Who used to play tricks on Pop?
15. What did Pop think would happen if he didn't run away?
16. Who was considered faithful?
17. What did Tom say they would have to do about their behavior?
18. What did the dad want them to do or stay during the spring term?
19. Where did Alexander Pop go first in Cedarville?
20. And how was he received?
Answer:
1. Alexander Pop
2. Tuesday
3. Captain Putnam
4. Run away
5. Yes.
6. No.
7. Captain Putnam
8. His father's
9. Tom and Sam.
10. "Glad you have come, Aleck." "I declare it looks as if you belonged here."
11. "Remember the sport we used to have?"
12. "...come to me and I will let you stay here as long as you please."
13. No.
14. Sam and Tom.
15. He would go to jail.
16. Alexander Pop
17. Be on their good behavior.
18. Study or stay there during spring term.
19. Putnam Hall
20. Warmly