Bài đọc hiểu 10: Optimism and Longevity

Cấp độ: Upper Intermediate (B2)

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Seeing the glass as half full may mean a longer life, according to research suggesting that optimists not only live longer in general, but have a better chance of reaching 85 or older. People of an upbeat disposition have previously been found to have a lower risk of heart conditions and premature death. Researchers now say it could also play a role in living a long life. “A lot of evidence suggests that exceptional longevity is usually accompanied by a longer span of good health and living without disability, so our findings raise an exciting possibility that we may be able to promote healthy and resilient ageing by cultivating psychosocial assets such as optimism,” said Lewina Lee, the lead author of the study at Boston University School of Medicine.

Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Lee and colleagues report how they analysed data from two previous long-term research projects, one involving female nurses and the other focused on a cohort of men. The former team compared lifespan for the most optimistic with the least, taking into account factors including age, sex, race, education, depression and other health conditions present at the outset. The results show the most optimistic group of women had a lifespan almost 15% longer than the least. As for the other project, when the team compared the fifth of men boasting the highest optimism scores with the least optimistic, they found the most positive men had lifespans almost 11% longer.

But being optimistic was not only linked to a longer lifespan. For men and women it was also linked more specifically to living to 85 or older when health behaviours were taken into account, with the most optimistic group of women having 20% better odds of reaching age 85 than the least. Lee said it was not yet clear why optimism is linked to longevity. “In our study, healthier behaviours, fewer depressive symptoms, and more social ties only partially accounted for the association from optimism to exceptional longevity,” Lee said, adding there are likely to be other mechanisms at play, such as optimistic people coping better with stress. Dr Catherine Hurt, an expert in health psychology at City, University of London, said the study highlighted the importance of psychological wellbeing alongside physical wellbeing for living a long and healthy life.

500 Bài Luyện Đọc Hiểu – Đọc Điền Tiếng Anh by Trang Anh

NEW VOCABULARY:

optimists (n): (những) người lạc quan

upbeat (adj): tràn đầy sự lạc quan, yêu đời.

disposition (n): khuynh hướng

premature (adj): sớm, có xu hướng xảy ra sớm hơn dự kiến.

exceptional (adj): xuất sắc

accompanied (v): hỗ trợ, đồng hành cùng.

resilient (adj): Có khả năng chống chọi với, thích nghi với gì.

cultivating (adj): đào sâu nghiên cứu (trong ngữ cảnh của bài)

psychosocial (adj): thuộc về tâm lý học.

assets (n): tài sản

cohort (n): một nhóm.

lifespan (n): tuổi thọ

boasting (v): khoe khoang

taken into account (phrasal verb): được tính tới, tính cả cái gì.

odds (v): có khả năng.

longevity (n): tuổi thọ

partially (adv): một phần

mechanisms (n): cơ chế vận hành, hoạt động

highlighted (v): được đánh dấu, nêu bật.

QUESTIONS:

Question 1: Which best serves as the title for the passage?

A. Optimism holding secret to longer life. B. Smiles are the best doctor human can get.

C. Tapping into the secret of eternal life. D. Learning to cope with the stressful modern life.

Question 2: The word “assets” in paragraph 1 can be replaced by _______.

A. means B. resources C. qualities D. credits

Question 3: The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to _____.

A. heart condition B. upbeat disposition

C. premature death D. exceptional longevity

Question 4: According to paragraph 2, what can be concluded from the two investigations?

A. Women are different from men in expressing optimism without meaning it.

B. Both projects focusing on men and women produced similar pattern of results.

C. People with the personality trait of optimism tend to make healthy life choices.

D. Optimism is associated independently with longevity with no other elements at play.

Question 5: According to paragraph 3, which is NOT listed as the aspect related to the linkage between optimism and longevity?

A. Social networks. B. Health-related actions.

C. Depression. D. Sexual orientation.

Question 6: The word “odds” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by _______.

A. chances B. fates C. possibilities D. risks

Question 7: Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

A. Not only does optimism not come naturally, but it also cannot be taught.

B. It has been already proven for certain that optimism causes a longer life.

C. People who have a rosy view of the world would never experience stress in life.

D. Optimism has previously been found to link with health benefits in many cases.

Question 8: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

A. Lack of hope for the future is the most important sign of vulnerability to death.

B. While such a possibility has yet to be tested, optimism levels can be raised.

C. An optimistic outlook appears to be a key part of a healthy lifestyle.

D. Longevity have more to do with physical factors rather than mental ones.

Happy learning!