Introduction
Improving ability to remember and recall information is the goal. Here, practices to instigate the brain and tips to improve the memory are posted. By following up the posts, even right after the first two weeks, you will understand that your problems with memory and attention are gradually removed. After a while, you would find that “load of information” and “learning” will not be a torture anymore. These practices are also recommended for people who are approaching the time risky for their mind health, decline in cognitive function and getting Alzheimer. So, as soon as you would get some confidence here by finding some progress in remembering and recalling information, it would be nice to recommend these practices and tips to your grandparents, parents and other relatives and friends.
This is the first level of the three-level tips and practices (in three Kindle publications) to improve your memory; as the further steps, you may proceed on levels two and three respectively. If the practices of this level are so easy for you that you would not feel any pressure or mind fatigue in your exercises then skip this level and start on level two or three.
Picture One
Remember the following objects in Picture One.
In the next posts, if you would be asked to say the objects in Picture One, you have to say:
- Red Rose
- Blue Whale
- Green Eyes
The order in the above three-item-list is Not important.
Line One of Sonnet 46 (William Shakespeare)
Memorize the following single verse of Sonnet 46 by William Shakespeare:
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the conquest of thy sight;
If you have problem in memorizing it, read it; continue on reading it for 10 times, 20 times ... 100 times, ... 1000 times ... until it would be memorized. Just memorize it!
In the next posts, if you would be asked to say Line One of Sonnet 46 by William Shakespeare, you have to recall the above verse completely.
Flag of Wales
This is the flage of Wales (a country that is part of the United Kingdom):
It is consisting of a red dragon passant on a green and white field.
In the next posts, you might be asked one of the following questions about this flag:
Q. Which country flag includes a red dragon? (Answer: Wales)
Q. What are the colors in the fag of Wales? (Answer: White, Green and Red)
Q. What is the color of the dragon in the flag of Wales? (Answer: Red)
Albert Einstein's DOB
Memorize Albert Einstein's date of birth:
14 March 1879
In your relatives and friends, whose birthday is close to 14 March? Try to find at least one person. Why? It helps you to remember that Albert Einstein's birthday is March 14.
In the next posts you would be asked to recall Albert Einstein's date of birth.
Rectangle
| Remember the spell of Rectangle in the following languages: | |
| English: | Rectangle |
| French: | Rectangle |
| German: | Rechteck |
| Spanish: | Rectángulo |
Lewis Carroll
Remember, he is Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland:
Idiosyncrasy
Learn the dictation and meaning of the English word idiosyncrasy:
idiosyncrasy: A behavior or way of thinking that is characteristic of a person.
If it is difficult to memorize its spelling then write this word for 3 time ... 10 times ... 20 times ... 100 times .... until you would learn it.
In the next posts you would be questioned on the word idiosyncrasy.
Virgin Atlantic
Look at the following picture and remember what the airline name is:
Room No. One
This is Room No. One. Remember all items in this room, their colors and positions:
Quiz No. 1
Q. Which country flag does include a red dragon?
Q. What is Albert Einstein's date of birth?
Q. Who was the author of Alice in Wonderland?
Radio Practice
The following exercise is called Radio Practice. Accomplish it just in 4 minutes. Do NOT do it for more than 4 minutes for each practice time as it becomes harmful rather than being beneficial for your mind and memory. Arrange the whole practice procedure in 4 minutes.
Radio Practice:
Turn on a radio, tune it and listen to a report or news (a human talk in English).
Turn it down a little and just listen to it.
Again, turn it down a little and just listen to it.
Turn it down again and try to listen and understand what is said.
Turn it down … again and again and make your extreme effort to understand what the radio is saying.
Again turn it down …. just listen.
Maps of Mexico, France, China and Canada
Remember the maps of the countries Mexico, France, China and Canada as depicted in the following.
If you have problem in "memorizing" for this practice then try to make and imagine a shape for each map; in past, maybe at school, you have done this for the Italy's map that is like a boot.
For memorizing and remembering: the weirder shape the better.
Mexico
France
China
Canada
Object List No 1
Leave the room where you live or the office where you work.
Take a pen and paper and write down 25 objects located in the room or office.
If you cannot remember 25 objects then close your eyes and imagine that you are in there. Give dark colors to your imagination; make it clearer and clearer. Try to remember. Give yourself 15 minutes and try to reach to 25 items.
If you could not complete the list in 15 minutes go there without the paper and look at the objects carefully just for 2 minutes. Then leave the place and continue on completing your list.
When you are finished with the list of 25 objects then entitle the list as Object List No 1. Keep the paper in a safe place as you would require it in the next posts.
Exercise:
Do the Radio Practice again.
Cold Mountain
Read and memorize:
Cold Mountain is a 1997 historical fiction novel by Charles Frazier. It tells the story of W. P. Inman, a wounded deserter from the Confederate army near the end of the American Civil War who leaves the war and walks home for months to return to his sweetheart Ada Monroe, the love of his life.
Cold Mountain is also a film based on this novel; a 2003 war drama film written and directed by Anthony Minghella.
If you cannot memorize it then suppose that:
1- You are W. P. Inman or Ada Monroe,
2- Charles Frazier is your close friend who wrote your life story in 1997,
3- Anthony Minghella is your cousin who, in 2003, directed a movie displaying your life story.
As your life story is important to you; the story of Cold Mountain would not be forgettable for you.
10 Days in 2009, 2008, … 2000
The following (very important) exercise should be done as quickly as possible; in the worst-case scenario not in more than 150 minutes; the faster the better!
Remember a special day, a private event, a good day, or a bad day in 2009. Just one day. In a sentence or two, write down what happened in that day. For now, one or two sentences is enough.
Do the above task exactly for 2008, then 2007, 2006, … and finally for 2000.
So you would have a record of 10 days among 10 years; a day for each year.
Entitle the paper containing your sentences as 10 Days in 2009, 2008, … 2000. Keep your record in a safe place as you would require it in the future posts.
If you got problem in remembering a special day for example for the year 2003 then try to do any of the followings:
- Remember your birthday in 2003; a party? Any phone call? Any email? Any card?
- Remember your mothers’ birthday, your father’s, … brother’s, sister’s, close friend’s, cousin’s birthday in 2003 … anybody’s?
- Remember if, in 2003, someone was born, passed away …?
- Remember a car accident in 2003, …, any disaster?
- Remember a good or bad mark? Any exam in 2003?
- Remember making a friend … a boyfriend or a girlfriend in 2003?
- Remember a trip … any trip in 2003?
- Remember a movie in 2003? In theater? On TV?
- Remember a moving in 2003 … a new place? A new storage?
- Remember a purchase in 2003 … a car? A laptop? A desktop? … A watch?
…
Try to remember something in someday of 2003.
Again, you have to do this exercise for the years 2009, 2008, 2007, … 2000.
Word Lists BAS, DAM and EXE
Take a pen and paper and without using any dictionary write down the following lists:
List BAS: all English words that start with BAS, e.g. basin, basis, etc.
List DAM: all English words that start with DAM, e.g. damage, damp, etc.
List EXE: all English words that start with EXE, e.g. exert, execution, etc.
For each list, do not spend more than 5 minutes to recall words.
When finished, open an dictionary and see what you have missed; i.e. what were in your passive memory but you could not recall.
Now, use the dictionary and complete the lists with words you missed and the words that you did not know at all. Put an ‘M’ sign close to the words you missed and an ‘N’ sign close to words that were new to you.
Keep your paper in a safe place as you would require these lists in the future posts.
Yesterday Story No.1
Take a pen and paper and write down what you exactly did yesterday from the time waked up up to go the bed. Remember every detail.
To help yourself, divide the day into quarters and write for example, from 6:00am to 6:15am ...; ...; from 9:00am to 9:15am driving to the office while listening to radio; from 9:15am to 9:30am checking emails; ...
When finished, review and try to include missing items that you did yesterday AND also try to give more details to what you wrote yet. Try and try until your brain get tired and totally exhausted. Don't give up as this is an important exercise for your brain.
Entitle your paper as Yesterday Story No.1 and keep it in a safe place for further reference.
Number Imagination Practice
Close your eyes and imagine number one; i.e. make 1 in your mind or see 1 by closed eyes. You should see the complete shape of one as “1”.
When you completely imagined 1 in your mind with closed eyes, then imagine number 2; see it clearly in your mind while your eyes are closed. Again, when you completely imagined 2 then try the same for 3, 4, … until 99.
Perform this exercise completely even if you would find it very boring. Your brain requires this kind of practice to help your memory to bring out items from passive memory to the active ones.
If you have problem to imagine numbers clearly with closed eyes then try out the following instruction for making clear imagination.
Write down 1 on a paper, keep it very close to your eyes and stare it. Then while still staring, without moving the paper, close your eyes try to make it in your head. If you could not see it in your mind, then open your eyes and stare it again. Continue this practice until you could see the number in your head clearly. Note that during this practice you do not need to move the paper at all.
High School Friends
Take a pen and paper. Entitle the paper as High School Friends.
Try to remember all your friends and classmates from all the time that you were in high school. A friend might be your classmate or not, write down all of them. Preferably, write down first names and last names if could not then either first name or last name for each.
Keep your paper in a safe place as you would require it in the next posts.
Exercise:
Do the Radio Practice again.
List of Foods
Take a pen and paper. Entitle the paper as List of Foods.
Now, try to remember names of all foods that you know or you have ever had; from the first days of your life that you could remember up to now.
This mind exercise should take at least 20 minutes. So try to complete this list in 20 minutes or more; take your time!
Exercise:
1. Do the Number Imagination Practice for numbers 85 to 184.
2. Do the Radio Practice again.
Counting Practice
Without using a calculator, paper, etc. do the following counting practices. During each practice you should not be disturbed or interrupted; otherwise restart it. Remember that this is a great exercise for you to improve your concentration helping your memory. After each practice you may rest for 1 - 3 minutes and not more.
1) Count from 11 to 91 like this (add 8 to a number to get the next number):
11, 19, 27, 35, ..., 91
2) Count from 81 to 1 like this (subtract 4 from a number to get the next number):
81, 77, 73, 69, ..., 1
3) Count from 111 to 231 like this (add 6 to a number to get the next number):
111, 117, 123, ..., 231
4) Count from 181 to 91 like this (subtract 3 from a number to get the next number):
181, 178, 175, ..., 91
Word Scamble Puzzle No. 1
Review the following definitions in 2 minutes or less then solve the Word Scramble Puzzle that follows.
In the time of solving the puzzle, do NOT refer to the list of definitions!
When finished, write down your score out of 20 in a paper entitled Word Scramble Puzzle No. 1. Keep this score as you may require it for evaluating your progress in future.
A strip or ridge of rocks, sand or coral near the surface of a body of water: reef
A guiding principle or procedure considered expedient, prudent or advantageous: policy
Almost exact or correct: approximate
Struck with great surprise and emotional disturbance: shocked
Something that furnishes proof: evidence
One that gives evidence: witness
To have necessary or fitting qualifications: measure up
A conspicuous object serving as a guide: mark
Regrettable or infelicitous: unfortunate
An unforeseen event or circumstance : accident
An act that damages: injury
Inferior in importance: minor
Unquestionably: absolutely
To advise or counsel: recommend
A general physical examination: checkup
An arrangement to meet a person or be at a place at a certain time: appointment
Accurately: exactly
To represent in words : describe
Occur: happen
In the direction of: towards
Word Scramble Puzzle No. 1
2. A guiding principle or procedure considered expedient, prudent or advantageous: lpcioy
3. Almost exact or correct: poaparxemti
4. Struck with great surprise and emotional disturbance: chsdeko
5. Something that furnishes proof : edevniec
6. One that gives evidence: ntssiwe
7. To have necessary or fitting qualifications (two words): aseremu pu
8. A conspicuous object serving as a guide: rkma
9. Regrettable or infelicitous: turofantneu
10. An unforeseen event or circumstance : dcitcnea
11. An act that damages: uijnry
12. Inferior in importance: irnmo
13. Unquestionably: ultesbaoyl
14. To advise or counsel: nmcredmoe
15. A general physical examination: pckecuh
16. An arrangement to meet a person or be at a place at a certain time: piapeontmnt
17. Accurately: xealcyt
18. To represent in words : ecdbsire
19. Occur: aephpn
20. In the direction of: saotwdr
List of Items No. 1
This is List of Items No. 1. Look at the items for 3 minutes then take it away.
Take a pen and paper. Now, try to remember what you saw on the list and write it on the paper. You have 3 minutes to remember.
How many items you could write? Give yourself a score out of 24 as there are 24 items in the list.
Keep this paper in a safe place as you would require it in the future posts.
