When was the last time something important slipped your mind ? Maybe it was the answer to a test question , the name of an acquaintance or where you left your keys.Fortunately , memory can be improved so they won ’ t happen that often.People ’ s memory has much to do with training and practice.Applying effective means will help improve your memory so that you can access everything you learn whenever you need it. When students want to prepare for a test , they often try to study by simply reading over the material again , copying notes , etc.But these methods of remembering are not always helpful.People remember more when actively taking part in their learning rather than passively receiving it. One great way to do this is to test yourself on the material.Come up with questions about the topic , and try to answer them without looking at your notes.It also helps to try to summarize the material in different ways.You could diagram the information , or you could write your own outline.The more you use the information , the more likely you are to remember it. When I was 8 , I began learning to play the flute( 长笛 ) , and my music instructor said that it ’ s better to practice for five minutes a day , seven days a week , than for two hours on one day.The same goes for remembering information.The more you spread out the time you spend reviewing information , the more likely you are to remember it. A psychologist named Hermann Ebbinghaus made an important discovery about memory and forgetting.He found that people tend to forget information in a regular pattern.They forget the most information shortly after learning it.The rate at which they forget then slows down over time.Every time people review the information , it causes them to forget less of it—which means they remember more.So it is vital to review things you want to remember shortly after learning them.Over time , you can review them less and less frequently.