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Subject-Verb Agreement

EXPLORE

QO 1 READ the article about longevity, or how long people live. Why do some people live to be
a hundred?

How long will you live?
Vv A100-year-old man
Will you live to be a hundred? There is AEN Cleo M Mena
Washington State, USA.
still no way to predict a person’s life span, but
scientists are getting closer. In a study of over
1000 centenarians (people who are 100 years
old or older), researchers have discovered a
set of “long-life” genes.! These genes allow
scientists to guess, with 77 percent accuracy,
whether a person can live into their late 90s
or longer. The authors of the study think
that long-life genes may prevent other genes
from causing the usual illnesses of aging such
as heart problems and dementia.? However,
it is not true that every person with long-
life genes is going to live to be a hundred. A
number of other important factors greatly
influence life span. For example, lifestyle, the
environment, and plain good luck also play
a big role. In fact, 23 percent of the people
in the study were not found to have long-
life genes. Perhaps these people simply lived
healthier lives.
The scientific community is excited by
the study and its implications? for further
research. For example, scientists are learning
how to use genes to help predict and prevent
certain illnesses. Dan Buettner, an expert
in long-life studies, believes in the value of
such studies. He says that scientists may even
learn how to slow the aging process, although
this won't happen for a long time. Years of

research have taught him that, for now, we
must accept the genes we have and live well.
For Buettner that means eating a healthy diet,
being physically active, and having a purpose
in life.

‘gene: the part of a cell that controls the physical
characteristics, growth, and development of living things
2 dementia: a serious illness of the mind
8 implication: something that is likely to happen as a result of
something else

UNITS LESSON3 131
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