LIVING LONGER  8

THINK AND DISCUSS

Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. I think exercising both your body and brain daily contributes to good health.

2. In my opinion, genes play an important part, but I think lifestyle has an even greater effect. I especially think that what you eat is a key part of staying healthy.

EXPLORE THE THEME

A 1. The quahog clam has the longest known life span, but the immortal jellyfish might live even longer, since its life span is unknown.

2. the bowhead whale

3. Answers will vary. Possible answers: All of these animals live underwater, so perhaps their lack of contact with the human world keeps them alive longer.

B life span, longevity, beyond

Reading

PREPARING TO READ

A 1. contradictory

2. conversely

3. gain insight

4. implication

5. reconstruct

6. restrictions

7. mechanism

B 1. outcome

2. undermine

3. outnumbers

4. intact

5. ratio

C Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. These days, many people are allergic to gluten, or prefer not to eat it. My friend is a vegan and doesn’t eat any animal products at all, not even butter.

2. The benefits are that you can enjoy life for a long time, visit many places, and learn many things. The only disadvantage is that you may get

illnesses in old age.

3. I am from Japan, and not many people are vegetarians in my country. I don’t know the ratio, but I guess it might be something like 1 in 20.

D Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. I think diet has a big effect on life expectancy, and so do lifestyle choices such as smoking or taking part in dangerous activities. Your genes may play a part, too.

2. I think the most important factor is the genes a person is born with.

E Answers will vary. Possible answers:

diet, genetics, environment, gender, medical care, metabolism, stress, luck

DEVELOPING READING SKILLS

A Answers will vary. Possible answers:

Information That You Learned or That Surprised You

A–D: no drinking, no smoking, no women; ate mostly figs and beans

E–H: restricted diet does not lead to longevity

I–L: medical records in file cabinets going back a hundred years!

M–P: genetics has a stronger effect on men!

Q–S: studies about mice and monkeys—answers one of my questions

Questions That You Have About the Information

A–D: Why “no women”? Did he mean no stress from marriage? Did he eat figs and beans because they were available?

E–H: What studies showed this?

I–L: How did they find the medical records of the people? Why is Francesco D’Amato the central figure?

M–P: What other external factors affect women’s longevity?

Q–S: What studies support the theory of diet restriction? How many were there and how long ago were they conducted?

UNDERSTANDING THE READING

A 1. Calabria has an unusually high percentage of nonagenarians and centenarians and comprehensive demographic records dating back to 1866. Calabria’s mountainous geography creates isolated villages where many people still live a traditional lifestyle. (Paragraphs A, I–J)

2. Scientists have learned that both genetics and environment are important, but neither factor entirely and sufficiently explains why some

people live so long. They look at other factors such as chance. Specific things they’ve learned include the fact that in Calabria, genetics benefits

males more than females, that people in their 90s and beyond have genes that enhance digestion and metabolism, and that restricting food intake does not necessarily confer longevity. (Paragraphs M–S)

B Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. A centenarian’s siblings may have similar genes, but their spouses wouldn’t, although they share the same lifestyle. (Paragraph L)

2. They used official government records of births, marriages, and deaths going back to 1866. (Paragraphs I and L)

3. Some people have a gene that promotes the digestion of certain green foods. (Paragraph N)

Another gene makes metabolism more efficient. (Paragraph O)

4. Recent research shows contradictory results with caloric restrictions. Experiments on mice showed mixed results. Experiments on monkeys showed that caloric restriction did not lead to a longer life span. (Paragraph R)

C Answers will vary. Possible answers:

Salvatore Caruso

Genetics: allele gene and protein affecting metabolism

External Factors: lifestyle choices, for example, doesn’t drink or smoke; hardly eats red meat, eats mostly figs and beans

Chance: broken leg led to dismissal from army Men, in general

Genetics: longevity is influenced by genetics more in men than in women

External Factors: -

Chance: -

Women, in general

Genetics: longevity is not as influenced by genetics

External Factors: diet and medical care

Chance: -

D 1. b; Caruso told the researchers he was in good health, and his memory seemed prodigiously intact. (Paragraph C)

2. c; … the centenarian said with an impish smile, “No Bacco, no tabacco, no Venere—No drinking, no smoking, no women.” (Paragraph C)

3. d; Although eating sparingly may have been less a choice than an involuntary circumstance of poverty in places like early 20th-century

Calabria, … (Paragraph G)

4. f; The office windows here offer stunning views of snow-covered mountains to the north, but to a population geneticist the truly breathtaking sights are hidden inside the tall file cabinets

ringing the room, … (Paragraph I)

5. a; Despite its well-earned reputation for chaos and disorganization, the Italian government … ordered local officials to record the birth,

marriage, and death of every citizen in each comune, or township. (Paragraph I)

6. e; Cross-checking the ledger entries against meticulously detailed registry cards … (Paragraph L)

7. h; … has reconstructed extensive family trees of 202 nonagenarians and centenarians in Calabria. (Paragraph L)

8. g; But by teasing out details from family trees, the Calabrian researchers discovered an intriguing paradox … (Paragraph M)

E 1. Most: United States; Least: Mexico

2. United States, Mexico

3. Highest: Czech Republic and Japan

Lowest: Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico, U.S.

4. Longest: Japan

Shortest: Hungary

F 1. a

2. b

3. a

G Answers will vary. Possible answers:

Sure, I’d like to live as long as I like. By the time I get to be 100, I hope medical technology will make it not so unusual to be that old.

Video

BEFORE VIEWING

A 1. Around 2070

2. Answers will vary. Possible answer:

The country’s population is rising, and perhaps healthcare is also getting better.

3. Answers will vary. Possible answer:

It could cause problems because very elderly people cannot work, so the country will have to help pay for their medical care and living costs.

B 1. hereditary

2. paradox

3. influx

WHILE VIEWING

A a, b

B genetics, the unpolluted environment, the carefree lifestyle, diet

AFTER VIEWING

Answers will vary. Possible answers:

A I don’t know. It looks like such a special place. I think they should leave it alone. I know economic development is an advantage for most places,

but if it causes pollution, what makes Bama special will disappear.

B Both regions prefer vegetables to meat. Both live in villages in the countryside, away from pollution and the stress of city life.

Writing

EXPLORING WRITTEN ENGLISH

WRITING SKILL

A 2, 3, 5

B 3, 4, 7

C Answers will vary. Possible answers:

Research on the effects of secondhand smoke; Number of countries where smoking in public is banned; Survey on smoking habits of adults with children

D Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. suggested

2. undermined

3. hint

4. implication

5. indicates

LANGUAGE FOR WRITING

E Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. This demonstrates that secondhand smoke is having devastating effects on the well-being of children.

2. This indicates that secondhand smoke is a serious threat.

3. The implication of this is that they will likely also become parents who smoke in front of their children, keeping the vicious cycle going.

WRITING TASK

A Answers will vary. Possible answers:

Arguments that support this point of view:

Mainly economic reasons: Elderly people require financial support for living costs, which will mean an increase in taxes for others. They also

cannot contribute to a country’s workforce. A larger elderly population would require a large workforce of caregivers, and this would reduce

the workforce available for other sectors.

Arguments against this point of view:

The elderly contribute a huge amount to society. A healthier elderly population will be more physically active and able to contribute to the

workforce. Investments in healthcare help us all.

B Answers will vary. Possible answer:

Introduction: Improvement of medical treatment and awareness about better health is helping humans live longer, even to 100; it looks

like the trend will continue.

Thesis Statement: Governments should

continue to invest in research to help us live to over 100. Investments in healthcare benefit us all, and a healthier elderly population can make a

huge contribution to the country’s workforce and society as a whole.

Body Paragraph 1

Topic Sentence: Investments in longevity are essentially investments in healthcare and benefit us all.

Details: data showing how investments in healthcare correlate with increased life expectancy; it doesn’t make any sense to stop investing in

healthcare; use example of cancer—it makes no sense to stop trying to find a cure because of its impact on a more elderly society

Body Paragraph 2

Topic Sentence: A healthier elderly population can continue to contribute to society.

Details: cite rising retirement ages around the world; as more money is invested in the healthcare of the elderly, more people will be

able to continue working into their 70s.

Body Paragraph 3

Topic Sentence: Elderly people contribute a huge amount to society.

Details: The idea that elderly people are simply a burden on society doesn’t make sense. Give data about voting figures etc. to show contribution to society.

Concluding paragraph: healthcare investment benefits us all; healthier elderly people will be able to continue to work longer; the elderly

contribute hugely to society.

REVISING PRACTICE

b, c, a, f, d, e

UNIT REVIEW

Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. genetics, lifestyle, diet, environment

2. genetics, stress, lifestyle etc.

3. The research shows that … ; This supports/undermines the idea that … ; The implication of this is …

4. Answers will vary