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Here's a potential test of the hypothesis:
Take the two groups, the group which read Shakespeare and the group which read the simplified Shakespeare. Then have each group read some other book that is unlike Shakespeare - something contemporary. Test each group on their understanding of this book. If the first group's brain was really turbo-charged, then perhaps they would show a greater understanding of the book than would the second group.
Language is a code, so we must decode the text to understand it. As a very simple example, "tree" is a code for that big woody thing in the back yard. The more complex the writing is, the more mental effort it is to decode it. But that's only part of understanding the text. A text can be complex yet shallow, or be simple but deep. Some paintings are easy to understand, some are difficult to understand. But that doesn't mean the more complex painting is better than the simpler one. Some of the most beloved paintings can be understood by everyone and there are highly complex paintings that languish in attics.
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