Vocabulary

 

key (2)	reach (2)	on horseback
trait	lifespan	population
beans	improve	immune system
mental	prevent	well-being
piece	move (2)	lead/led/led
plenty	sustain	throughout
shell	shellfish	cut/cut/cut
receive	diabetes	immune (2)
tend	scientist	relationship
global	optimistic	life expectancy
decade	team (2)	rise/rose/risen
ideal	analyze	strengthen
span	probably	imperfection
limit	scour (2)	weight (2)
gene	add (2)	pessimistic
god	poverty	believe (2)
weigh

 
 
 
 
 

Video: Costa Rican Longevity, III

 
 
 
 

Transcript

What’s the key to reaching one-hundred years of age in good health? And still having moves like these after more than a century?

Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula has an unusually high number of centenarians— people aged one-hundred (100) or older.

At least forty-six (46) currently live there, out of a population of around 161,000.

Years of studies show three key lifestyle traits in centenarians.

1. Staying Active

Regular exercise can strengthen the immune system, improve mental well-being and prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Pachito is a hundred-and-two (102) years old, and says he’s always led an active life.

Pachito: “I spent a lot of time going places on horseback. Since I was small, I’ve been riding. I feel like it’s something that sustains me.”

2. Eating Healthily

Plenty of fruit and vegetables in your diet is important. And may also help you live longer.

Maria is a hundred-and-five (105) and has eaten a lot of seafood throughout her life.

Maria: “I eat cheese, milk and years ago, there were a lot of piangua [local shellfish]. I cut the shellfish up into little pieces and add them to rice and beans.

3. Have a Social Lifestyle

Having lots of good friends can improve health and well-being.

Professor Tim Smith, Clinical Psychologist: “So the more social relationships you have, and the higher the quality, the longer people tend to live.”

But how far can the ideal lifestyle take you?

The oldest known person ever is believed to be Jeanne Calment. She was born in France in 1878 and died in 1997, aged 122.

Although global life expectancies have been rising for decades, a team of US scientists analyzing human lifespans think our limit is probably around a hundred-and-twenty-five (125) years.

They believe imperfections in gene copying will always limit lifespans.

The team said you would have to scour ten-thousand (10,000) planet Earths just to find one 125-year-old.

Although many scientists are more optimistic, it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing any two-hundred-year-olds anytime soon.

Maria: “If God gives me some more years to live, then I’ll take them.”
Journalist: “And you’ll receive them happily?”
Maria: “Yes, I have the weight of poverty, but God always helps me.”

 

 

Questions

Costa Rica. Many people in the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica live long, healthy lives. True or false?

El Salvador. Are the Nicoyans just lucky, or do they have healthy lifestyles?

Honduras. Do (old) people there mostly stay at home, sit on sofas and watch TV?

Nicaragua. Pachito likes to travel and explore the surrounding area. Is this right or wrong?

Panama. Do the people of Nicoya like to eat lots of chips, biscuits, cakes, pastries and drink soda?

Guatemala. Should people live lonely, isolated lives?

Mexico. People will keep living longer and longer, surpassing 140 years of age. Is this correct or incorrect?

 

Cuba. I know some centenarians or long lived individuals. Yes or no? What are their secrets to a long, healthy life?

Colombia. Are there regions in your country where people live very long? Describe the geography and their lifestyle.

Venezuela. Are there many TV shows, new reports, newspaper and magazine articles on health issues?

Ecuador. How can people live long, healthy lives?

Peru. What might happen in the future?