memorize, mesmerize

Memorize or memorize means to learn by heart; to commit to memory--
He won't come out; he has to stay in and memorize his lines for the play.
He is trying to memorize his favorite poem.

Mesmerize or mesmerize means to hypnotize; to fascinate--
He uses the sound of a ticking clock to mesmerize his subjects.
If you stare at that design for a while, it may begin to mesmerize you.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His friend, a psychology student, offered to mesmerize him, to help him memorize his science text."