Reload

def test_invalid_first_week_ship_score
Swap.find(1).update_attributes(:swap_status_id => 1)
users(:jacob).update_attribute(:score, 1)
old_score = users(:jacob).reload.score
login_as :jacob
send_shipment_test(old_score)
end

the above example how the reload works
users(:jacob) is a fixture
actually what happened whether the fixture data is reload or
update_attribute data is reload?
please explain