In the Caucasus region（高加索地区）,
nearly 50 out of every 100,000 people live to celebrate their 100th
birthday, and many don’t stop at 100! By comparison, in America only 3 people
in 100,000 reach 100. But these Caucasus people aren’t alone. The Pakistani
Hunzas, who live high in the Himalaya Mountains, and the Vilcabambans of the
Andes Mountains in Ecuador seem to share the secret of long life too.
These
peoples remain healthy in body and spirit despite the passage of time. While
many older persons in industrial societies become weak and ill in their 60s and
70s, some Caucasus people aged 110-140, work in the fields beside their
great-great-grandchildren. Even the idea of aging is foreign to them. When
asked, “At what age does youth end?” most of these old people had no answer.
Several replied, “Well, perhaps at age 80.” The very youngest estimate was age
60.
What
accounts for this ability to survive (live) to such old age, and to survive so
well? First of all, hard physical work is a way of life for all of these long-lived
peoples. They began their long days of physical labor as children and never
seem to stop. For example, Mr. Rustam is 142 years of age. He remembers his
life experience: the Crimean War of 1854; the Turkish War of 1878; the
Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. His wife is 116 years old. They have been married
for 90 years. Mr. Rustam has no plan of retiring from his life as a farmer.
“Why? What else would I do?” he asks. Oh, he’s slowed down a bit. Now he might
quit (stop working) for the day after 6 hours in the field instead of 10.
All these
people get healthful rewards from the environment in which they work. They all
come from mountainous regions. They live and work at elevations（海拔）of 5,000 to 12, 000 feet(1,660 to 4,000meters) above
sea level. The air has less oxygen and is pollution-free. This reduced oxygen
environment makes the heart and blood vessel（血管）system
stronger.
Another
factor（因素）that may lead to the good health of these
people is their isolation. To a great extent, they are separated from the
pressure（压力）and worries of industrial society.
Inherited（遗传的） factors also play some role. Most of the
longest-lived peoples had parents and grandparents who also reached very old
age. Good family genes may, therefore, be one factor in living longer.
Finally,
although these three groups don’t eat exactly the same foods, their diets are
similar. All of them eat little animal meat. Their diets are full of fresh
fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, cheese and milk. They never eat more food
than their bodies need.
It is clear
that isolation from urban pressure and pollution, clean mountain air, daily
hard work, moderate diets, good genes, and a youthful approach to life all lead
to the health and remarkable long life of all these people.
1. What is the main idea of this article?
A．Cause and
effect of long-lived life.
B．People in the
world enjoying a longer life.
C．Factors
leading to the health and long life of people.
D．A description
of several societies where people living a long life.
2. “The idea of aging is foreign to them” means that
_________.
A．they don’t care much about their age
B．they have no
idea of how old they are
C．they won’t say anything about their age until they are asked to
D．the idea of
getting old has never come into their mind
3. How do you think the writer feels about these
long-lived people?
A．He is much
impressed with them.
B．He doesn’t care a bit about them.
C．He hopes that
they will live a still longer life.
D．He doesn’t think their life is full of pressure and worries.
