New research reveals humanity may have hit the limit of life expectancy

admin 2024年10月13日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Do you think living longer is always a good thing?
Have you heard of any countries where people commonly live to 100 years old?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

publish /PUHB-lish/

[verb] – to make information available to people, especially in a book, magazine, or newspaper, or to produce and sell a book, magazine, or newspaper
The author decided to publish her first novel next spring.

maximum /MAK-suh-muhm/

[adjective] – being the largest amount or number allowed or possible
The maximum speed allowed on this road is 60 miles per hour.

trend /trend/

[noun] – a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving
Fashion trends change rapidly from year to year.

decade /DEK-eyd/

[noun] – a period of ten years
The last decade has seen significant advancements in technology.

limit /LIM-it/

[noun] – a restriction or boundary; the greatest amount, number, or level of something that is either possible or allowed
The speed limit on this highway is 65 miles per hour to ensure safety for all drivers.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

A new study published in Nature Aging suggests that humans may be reaching the maximum life expectancy. The research, led by S. Jay Olshansky from the University of Illinois-Chicago, examined life expectancy trends from 1990 to 2019 in eight countries known for long lives: Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland. While medical advances have helped more people live to 100, the overall increase in life expectancy is slowing down. In the 1990s, life expectancy increased by about 2.5 years every ten years. However, in the 2010s, it only rose by 1.5 years per decade, with almost no change in the U.S. This slowdown may mean there is a natural limit to human lifespan. The study shows that, even with more people living to 100, improvements in life expectancy are becoming smaller. Researchers also discovered that if everyone remained healthy until age 50, the increase in life expectancy would still be small. Experts agree that while technology can help people live longer, the aging process is still a significant challenge.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

The study suggests that humans may be reaching their maximum life expectancy.
The research examined life expectancy trends from 1980 to 2019.
The study was led by a researcher from the University of California.
There is a natural limit to how long humans can live.
More people are living to 150 years old, according to the study.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table, then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

publish

maximum

trends

decade

limit

The company is studying market __________ to improve its products.
The magazine will __________ a special edition for the holidays.
The company sets a __________ on the number of vacation days employees can take each year.
She reached her __________ potential after years of training.
He plans to travel to at least five countries in the next __________.