夜雨聆风本模块为2025年医学考博英语真题精讲，医学考博英语共五种题型：听力、词汇、完形填空、阅读理解、翻译与写作。整套真题精讲计划用时17天，本次是阅读理解部分精讲，计划用时六天，今天是第二天。
题量、分值及时间分配
阅读理解板块一共30道单选题，每题1分。试题由6篇短文组成，单篇文章字数区间为300–500词，每篇文章对应5道小题，考生需要阅读文章后，从四个选项中挑选最佳答案。整套医学考博英语统考总时长165分钟，答题分为两大板块：试卷一作答限时115分钟，试卷二写作部分安排50分钟。试卷一包含听力、词汇、完形填空、阅读理解。听力部分固定占用30分钟，剩余时间需要分配给其余题型。阅读理解建议预留65分钟作答，每篇约用时10分钟。这就要求考生加快词汇、完形填空的做题速度，防止最后没有充足时间完成阅读题目。
阅读理解部分计划
阅读理解部分共六篇文章，每篇文章有五道选择题。为保证阅读的连贯性与上下文的一致性，该部分每日精讲一篇文章，分六天完成。今日精讲第二篇文章。后附答案解析、解题技巧及高频考点总结。
Passage Two
When Sarah, a 32‑year‑old first‑time mother, joked about “baby brain” at her book club, her laughter masked genuine frustration. “I once forgot my phone in the fridge and spent 20 minutes searching the house,” she confessed. “But what scares me more is that I feel like parts of me are fading. ” Her experience mirrors countless anecdotes about postpartum cognitive fog, yet emerging neuroscience reveals this phenomenon to be more than mere fatigue—it reflects profound structural changes in the maternal brain.
Recently, a team of researchers at the University of California has provided an answer. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, shed light on what happens in the brain during pregnancy. The research team, led by Laura Pritschet, Emily G. Jacobs, and Elizabeth R. Chrastil, conducted an in‑depth study of a healthy 38‑year‑old first‑time mother. Starting in the first three weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother underwent up to 19 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, covering the entire 36 weeks of pregnancy. After delivery, they were followed up for another two years and had 7 MRI scans. In addition, researchers took nearly 20 intravenous blood samples to monitor her hormone levels.
The results showed that as the age of pregnancy increased, the volume of gray matter in the cerebral cortex decreased, the thickness of the cortex decreased, and the hippocampus, a region associated with memory and emotion, also shrank. These changes were still present two years after delivery. However, don’t worry! While gray matter volume decreased, it did not mean cognitive decline. Instead, the researchers suggest that these changes may help mothers better adapt to parenting roles and increase their sensitivity and responsiveness to their babies’ needs.
Back in 2017, researchers Susanna Carmona and Oscar Vilroya in Spain published a study in Nature Neuroscience. They found that pregnancy caused a reduction in the volume of gray‑matter areas of the brain that lasted for at least two years, but did not cause cognitive decline.
On July 31, 2024, Liam Drew published a review article in the journal Nature further summarizing these findings. He noted that the shrinkage of the cerebral cortex can predict the strength of a mother’s attachment to her baby, suggesting that changes in the brain during pregnancy may help a mother form a stronger emotional bond with her baby.
Taking these studies together, the brain changes during pregnancy are not making mothers “dumb”, but the brain is preparing for new life. Changes in gray matter may help mothers better understand and respond to the needs of their babies and enhance the emotional connection between mother and baby.
Although we are learning more about brain changes during pregnancy, there are still many unknowns. Future research is needed to further explore the impact of these changes on mothers’ mental states and behaviors, and how these findings can be used to support new mothers.
6. From a neurological perspective, Sarah experiences ______.
A. a temporary loss of memory due to fatigue
B. structural changes in her brain caused by pregnancy
C. emotional instability linked to postpartum depression
D. permanent cognitive decline after childbirth
7. The 2024 study by Liam Drew emphasize ______.
A. pregnancy permanently reduces gray matter volume
B. brain shrinkage predicts stronger mother‑baby bonding
C. hormone levels directly cause cognitive decline
D. MRI scans are unreliable for tracking brain changes
8. Which of the following findings is supported by both the 2017 and 2024 studies?
A. Gray matter loss leads to impaired memory.
B. Pregnancy causes long‑term cognitive dysfunction.
C. Brain changes enhance maternal sensitivity.
D. Hormone fluctuations explain postpartum confusion.
9. How many MRI scans did the 38‑year‑old participant undergo in total?
A. 19 during pregnancy and 7 postpartum.
B. 36 during pregnancy and 2 postpartum.
C. 7 during pregnancy and 19 postpartum.
D. 20 during pregnancy and 7 postpartum.
10. If you plan to get pregnant, how might you feel after reading this article?
A. Anxious about irreversible brain damage.
B. Hopeful that biological adaptations will aid parenting.
C. Confused by conflicting scientific evidence.
D. Indifferent to hormonal changes during pregnancy.
答案速查：66.B 67.B 68.C 69.A 70.B
Passage Two
【内容梗概】
文章介绍相关研究表明，所谓“孕傻”并非单纯疲劳，而是孕期大脑发生结构性变化，该变化不会损伤认知，反而利于母亲适应育儿、增进母婴情感联结。
【参考译文】
【题目精讲】
6. From a neurological perspective, Sarah experiences ______.
A. a temporary loss of memory due to fatigue
B. structural changes in her brain caused by pregnancy
C. emotional instability linked to postpartum depression
D. permanent cognitive decline after childbirth
【精析】细节理解题。题干问的是“从神经学角度，莎拉的经历了什么”。利用题干信息“neurological perspective”和“experience”可定位到第一段最后一句，"新兴的神经科学表明，这种现象不只是单纯的疲惫，它反映出母亲大脑发生了深刻的结构性改变"。B选项“怀孕造成她的大脑发生结构变化”与原文相符。
7. The 2024 study by Liam Drew emphasize ______.
A. pregnancy permanently reduces gray matter volume
B. brain shrinkage predicts stronger mother‑baby bonding
C. hormone levels directly cause cognitive decline
D. MRI scans are unreliable for tracking brain changes
【精析】细节理解题。题干问的是“2024年利亚姆·德鲁的研究强调了什么”。利用题干关键信息“Liam Drew”可定位到第五段，他的研究指出大脑皮层的萎缩程度可以预判母亲对婴儿的依恋程度，这说明孕期大脑的改变，有助于母亲和宝宝建立更牢固的情感纽带。B选项“脑萎缩预示着母婴关系更强”与原文相符。
8. Which of the following findings is supported by both the 2017 and 2024 studies?
A. Gray matter loss leads to impaired memory.
B. Pregnancy causes long‑term cognitive dysfunction.
C. Brain changes enhance maternal sensitivity.
D. Hormone fluctuations explain postpartum confusion.
【精析】推理判断题。题目的是“哪一项发现得到2017年和2024年研究的共同支持”。利用2017与2024定位到第四、五段，两次研究都认同大脑变化有助于增强母亲对婴儿需求的敏感性。只有C选项“大脑的变化增强了母亲的敏感性”与原文相符。故选C。
9. How many MRI scans did the 38‑year‑old participant undergo in total?
A. 19 during pregnancy and 7 postpartum.
B. 36 during pregnancy and 2 postpartum.
C. 7 during pregnancy and 19 postpartum.
D. 20 during pregnancy and 7 postpartum.
【精析】细节理解题。题干问的是“这位38岁的参与者总共进行了多少次核磁共振（MRI）扫描”。利用“38‑year‑old‑participant”和“MRI scans”可定位到第二段倒数第二、三句，“从怀孕最初三周开始，这位准妈妈完成了多达19次核磁共振（MRI）扫描，覆盖整整36周的孕期。分娩之后，研究人员又对她随访两年，做了7次核磁共振扫描。”
10. If you plan to get pregnant, how might you feel after reading this article?
A. Anxious about irreversible brain damage.
B. Hopeful that biological adaptations will aid parenting.
C. Confused by conflicting scientific evidence.
D. Indifferent to hormonal changes during pregnancy.
【精析】推理判断题。题干问的是“如果你打算要孩子，读完这篇文章之后可能会有什么感受”。文章结论表明随着孕周增长，大脑皮层的灰质体积下降、皮层厚度变薄，负责记忆与情绪的海马体也出现萎缩。不过不必担心！灰质体积下降，并不代表认知能力衰退。相反这些变化可以帮助母亲更好适应育儿身份，提升对宝宝需求的敏感度与反应力。所以读完文章可能会对即将到来的改变充满希望，相信身体的适应性变化有助于育儿，B选项正确。
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阅读理解中的常见题型总结
推理判断题
推理判断题属于阅读理解高频难题，十分考验逻辑思维。考生需要依托原文信息，通过分析、归纳，挖掘文本深层含义。考题可针对单句或多句内容，解题必须忠于原文，结合字面信息严谨推导作者态度。同时还要读懂修辞、语气和隐含信息，并结合常识合理判断。
干扰选项迷惑性强，这也是该题型失分的主要原因。题型重点考查逻辑推理、数字推测、语言分析与归纳能力。看到这些标志词即可快速识别题型：infer、imply、suggest、assume、indicate、conclude、learn from、probably、most likely。多做练习，提升对文本结构、文体和修辞的敏感度，就能从容破解推理类题目。
【词汇积累】
【难句精讲】
医学考博英语
更多精彩医学双语（中英）视频、历年考博英语真题精讲、医学博士招生简章请关注公众号↓↓↓