IS THERE A SECRET OF LONG LIFE?

Mankind has been seeking to unravel the mystery of long life for more than a millenium, with hundreds of hypotheses and theories being suggested. It has become evident that long life comes from a whole set of factors, such as purely genetic, but also biological factors and, of course successful social adaptation. Whereas until quite recently long life in the scientific community was the subject of close attention for gerontologists only, in recent years, biologists, ethnographers, ecologists, psychologists and sociologists have also joined in with the research.

The distinctive feature of their approach is that rather than examining individual centenarians, the scientists today study entire populations, i.e., large groups, among whom many people have lived long lives, and what is most essential, long lives in these groups have become a regular occurrence in the course of history.

Today’s centenarians are people who were as a rule born and lived in one place, without going anywhere, without changing either habits, occupations or diets. Moreover, it has been discovered that the studies played down the role of the psychological factor. We call it “a psychic health factor”. It deserves special attention and can prove to be one of the main reasons for longevity as a regular occurrence. What is it?

In the first place, this is what we describe as the gerontophile atmosphere, a socio-psychological milieu of marked respect for the old people. This undoubtedly has a favourable effect on the tonus and optimistic mood among the elderly and maintains their interest in life and longevity as a whole.

Secondly, and this is even more important, there are anti-stress attitudes incorporated in society. These are mutual relations which are designed to relieve stress both among individuals and whole groups. The strong family and kinship have a strong positive effect, especially in dramatic situations following death or illness. In other words, we must live without stresses.

So anti-stress behaviour is perhaps the most important thing. With time this will enable the geneticists to extend the natural life span. However, we should not really pin our hopes on this. A comprehensive study of longevity can help scientists not so much to increase the time that any human being spends here on Earth, as to prolong his active life which is worth living as much as possible.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What scientists are interested in the problem of long life?

2. How do they organize their research?

3. What people comprise today's centenarians?

4. What factor plays a leading role in longevity?

5. What is this factor called?

6. What is meant by the gerontophile atmosphere?

7. What attitude should be incorporated in society?

8. What is the aim of geneticists?

Text B:

Pre-text activity 2:

1. Do women live longer than men? Why?

2. Are those who live long always happy?

1. Read and translate the text:

MYSTERIES OF SEX?

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