Our journalist interviewed Thomas Kirkwood, the director of the Institute for Aging and Health at Newcastle University in England.

Ann: Mr.Kirk, we are used to thinking that women are the weaker sex. And boys are always brought up to help girls. The young girls are so slim and often look fragile. However, it is said that women live longer than men.

Kirk: If you still believe that women are the weaker sex you have to think again. The fact is that women are tougher than men from birth to old age. The average man may run a 100-meter race faster than the average woman and lift heavier weights. But women nowadays outlive men by about five to six years. By the age 85 there are six women to every four men.

Ann: So, why do women live longer than men? One idea is that men drive themselves to an early grave with all hardship and stress of their working lives.

Kirk: I can’t agree with you. A woman’s life in a typical household can be just as hard as a man’s. Indeed, statistically speaking, men get much profit out of marriage than their wives - married men tend to live many years longer than single men, whereas married women live only a little bit longer than single women. So who has the easier life?

Ann: It might be that women live longer because they develop healthier habits than men, for example, smoking and drinking less, choosing a better diet.

Kirk: Actually, the number of women who smoke is growing and plenty of others drink and eat unhealthy foods. Maybe they are less disposable than men. This notion makes excellent biological sense. In humans, as in most animal species, the state of the female body is very important for the reproduction. So if the female’s body is too much weakened by damage, there is a real threat to her chances of making healthy offspring. The man’s reproductive role, on the other hand, is less directly dependent on his continued good health.

Speaking

Try to answer the question’ Why do women live longer than men?’ using the text and your own ideas.

Writing

Write an opinion essay on the topic “What should be done to lengthen the life span?”

An opinion essay is a formal piece of writing. It requires your opinion on the topic, which must be stated clearly, giving various viewpoints on the topic supported by reasons or examples. You should also include the opposing viewpoint in another paragraph.

A successful essay should have:

a) an introductory paragraph in which you state the topic and your opinion.

b) a main body which consists of several paragraphs, each presenting a separate viewpoint supported by reasons. You also include a paragraph presenting the opposing viewpoint and reason why you think it is an unconvincing viewpoint;

c) a conclusion in which you restate your opinion using different words.

POINTS TO CONSIDER

a) Decide whether you agree or disagree with the subject of the topic, then make a list of your viewpoints and reasons.

b) Write well-developed paragraphs, joining the sentences with appropriate linking words and phrases. Do not forget to start each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarizes what the paragraph is about.

c) Linking words and phrases should also be used to join one paragraph with the other.

USEFUL EXPRESSIONS FOR GIVING OPINIONS:

To my mind/to my way of thinking,…

It is my ( firm) belief/opinion/view/conviction(that)…

In my opinion/view… My opinion is that… I (firmly) believe…

I feel /think that… I am (not) convinced that… I am inclined to believe that…

I (do not ) agree that/with… It seems /appears to me… It strikes me that…

Module 4 Word List

aging (=ageing) (n)

ancestor (n)

available (adj)

average (n, adj, v)

beneficial (adj)

cell (n)

circumstance (n)

differ (v)

divert (v)

evidence (n)

extend (v)

extension (n)

famine (n)

fault (n,v)

fertility (n)

flexibility (n)

fraction (n)

impact (n, v)

improve (v)

increase (v)

influence (n, v)

life expectancy

longevity (n)

maintain (v)

maintenance (n)

occur (v)

particular (adj)

purpose (n)

rejuvenation (n)

reproduce (v)

restrict (v)

restriction (n)

senescent (adj)

span (n)

subject to (v)

suggest (v)

undergo (v)

urgent (adj)

volunteer (n, v, adj.)

voluntary (adj)

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 854