今年，英國女王伊麗莎白二世迎來了她90歲的生日。英國民眾在慶祝女王生日的同時也在討論能延緩衰老和保持健康長壽的方法。本期《隨身英語》討論長壽的秘訣。

課文內容

詞匯: aging 老齡化

When is it time to slow down? Is it when you reach middle age, when you can draw your pension or even later? Queen Elizabeth II turned 90 this year and there are not many signs that she's taking it easy. Last year alone the monarch carried out over 300 engagements.

Longevity has long been a topic of discussion in Britain. What's likely to make us live longer? According to Professor Sarah Harper, from the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, just over half your chances of living a long life come down to luck. She says: "If you have parents and grandparents who made it into their eighties and nineties there's a chance you have inherited good genes. You are more likely to have a strong immune system and are less likely to develop chronic diseases."

Lucky you, then. But don't rely on that because bad habits can spoil everything. Half of long-term smokers die prematurely. Smoking causes heart disease, lung cancer and other illnesses. A poor diet and lack of exercise can lead to obesity, which reduces your life expectancy by between three and 10 years, says the National Health Service in Britain.

But it's not worth stressing out about how long you're going to stick around. Stress can take years off someone's life. A study published in the British Medical Journal found even low-level stress raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20% and you don't want that, do you?

After you've ticked all the boxes - genes, healthy living, keeping cool - you might have almost guaranteed a long life. But for what? That's the final piece of the jigsaw. Having a purpose in life can also make you live longer. Some people engage in charity work to keep active, others get involved in initiatives in their community. It gives them a reason to wake up in the morning - even if the joints creak a little. Professor Harper says that caring for others can make you feel valued.

It must feel good to be appreciated – by people around you, by a nation. Happy 90th birthday, Your Majesty!

詞匯表

middle age  中年
draw your pension  領取退休金
take it easy  放松，不拼命工作
longevity  長壽
ageing  年老的，衰老的
chances  可能性，機會
inherit  繼承
immune system  免疫系統
chronic disease  慢性疾病
bad habit  壞習慣
prematurely  過早的
life expectancy  （人的）預期壽命
to stick around  停留，（此處指）活著
stroke  中風
tick all the boxes  符合所有條件，滿足所有的標準
keep cool  保持冷靜
jigsaw  拼圖玩具
charity work  公益勞動，慈善工作

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What's the evidence that the British monarch is not slowing down her activities?   

2. What can be an indication that you have good genes?

3. What are the four examples of things you shouldn't do if you want to live longer?

4. True or false? Having some anxiety is not likely to affect your health at all. It's part of life.

5. What benefits are there to doing charity work when you are old?

2.  請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處 。

1. My sister is always busy and she worries a lot about everything. I told her to __________ or she'll have a heart attack!

stress out     tick all the boxes     stick around     take it easy

2. I hardly ever catch a cold. My __________ is very strong.

stroke     chronic disease     life expectancy     immune system

3. A good diet and exercise promotes good health and __________.

longevity     life expectancy     bad habits     aging

4. This anti-aging lotion is very effective. It takes years __________ your face!

of     out     away     off

5. I __________ on my parents to pay for my food and accommodation while I am at university.

relay     rely      really      rally

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What's the evidence that the British monarch is not slowing down her activities?
She carried out over 300 engagements last year alone.

2. What can be an indication that you have good genes?
If your parents and grandparents lived into their eighties or nineties.

3. What are the four examples of things you shouldn't do if you want to live longer?
Smoke, have a poor diet, avoid exercise and get stressed about things.

4. True or false? Having some anxiety is not likely to affect your health at all. It's part of life.
False. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, even low-level stress raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20%.

5. What benefits are there to doing charity work when you are old?
It gives you a purpose in life, a reason to wake up in the morning.

2.  請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處 。

1. My sister is always busy and she worries a lot about everything. I told her to take it easy or she'll have a heart attack!

2. I hardly ever catch a cold. My immune system is very strong.

3. A good diet and exercise promotes good health and longevity.

4. This anti-aging lotion is very effective. It takes years off your face!

5. I rely on my parents to pay for my food and accommodation while I am at university.