Centenarians!

BBC Learning English
6 Minute English
Centenarians
NB: This is not a word for word transcript
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 1 of 6
Yvonne: This is 6 Minute English, I'm Yvonne Archer - and thanks to Alice for joining
me today.
Alice: Hi, Yvonne!
Yvonne: Hi! Now, when people in the UK reach the ripe old age of 100, something
rather special usually arrives in the post for them.
Alice: Yes, they get a congratulatory card from the Queen.
Yvonne: Exactly. But it seems that the Queen will have to send out lots more cards in
the future. But before we hear why, are you ready to answer today's question,
Alice?
Alice: Yes, ready and waiting!
Yvonne: Grand! The oldest female to complete a marathon was from the United States
- but how old was she?
a) 92
b) 97 or
c) 101 years old
Alice: Oh, that's difficult. They're all quite old. Because we're talking about people
over the age of 100, I'll guess 101 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Yvonne: Good answer, but as usual you'll have to wait until the end of today's “6 Minute
English” to find out if you're right or wrong. Now, reaching the age of 100
used to be quite rare - unusual. But government figures show that in 2009,
there were 11,600 people over that age here in the UK.
Alice: That's quite a lot!
Yvonne: Exactly. Well, that number is set to rise because it's expected that more than
three million of today's under-16s will live to be centenarians. Alice, explain
what 'a centenarian' is for us, please?
Alice: A centenarian is someone who has reached 100 years old - or older.
Yvonne: Wow. Let's hear more on that from Fran Cartwright of Age UK, who's at an
exercise class for the over 70s.
Insert 1: Fran Cartwright, Age UK
Well, people are living longer. We have wonderful clients here who are approaching a
hundred; they're still exercising. So by mental and physical activity, they can achieve
that.
Yvonne: In that class, there are clients who are approaching - are almost - a hundred
years old and they're still exercising.
Alice: Yes, and Fran Cartwright from Age UK says they can achieve the age of a
hundred through mental activity and physical activity - by exercising both
mind and body.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Yvonne: Right, well, here's how one woman in the exercise class compares herself and
her friends with her own great grandmother.
Insert 2: Woman at exercise class for over 70s
My great grandma, you know, she was, you know - I thought they were ancient. We're
not today, are we? You know, we're reasonably healthy.
Yvonne: The woman and her friends are all over the age of 70. Some of them are great
grandparents too, but she wouldn't describe them in the same way that she'd
describe her own great grandmother, would she?
Alice: No, she describes her own great grandmother as 'ancient' - so old, that she was
almost an antique, or even prehistoric!
Yvonne: Oh dear. And in contrast, at a similar age, the woman says that she and her
friends are reasonably healthy - they're in fairly good health. But here's how
two young people feel about the possibility of an extended old age - living
longer than they'd expect to.
Insert 3 – Two young men
Young man 1: It would be an achievement living that long, but I wouldn't be able to do
much then. I'd just probably be sitting around in a chair.
Young man 2: I don't think it would be fun because you've got to live with strangers
which you don't know.
Yvonne: Well, they don't seem too enthusiastic about living until one hundred - and
possibly beyond - do they?
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Alice: No, they don't. Although the first young man said that he thought it would be
an achievement to live that long. He doesn't think he'll be able to do much by
then - except sit around in a chair.
Yvonne: And the second young man thinks that being old won't be any fun because he'll
have to live with strangers - people he doesn't know - rather than with friends
and family.
Alice: But government figures seem to say otherwise, predicting that one in four
children in Britain will live until they are 100 years old.
Yvonne: So hopefully, both young men are wrong about what will happen to them when
they're old. Alice, did I tell you that I've got a friend who's now 102 years old?
Alice: You did. What an achievement! And she's still very active, isn't she?
Yvonne: Definitely. She was dancing at her sister's 100th birthday party just last
weekend! And what about your sprightly, lovely grandfather, Alice?
Alice: Yeah, my grandpa's over 90 and he does lots of crosswords. I think it keeps his
mind very active.
Yvonne: Excellent! And to keep your mind active Alice, back to today's quiz. Earlier, I
told you that the oldest female to complete a marathon was from the United
States. But was she 92, 97 or 101 years old?
Alice: I guessed 101 years old.
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Yvonne: And, unfortunately, you were wrong. She was actually 92 years old and it only
took her nine hours and almost a minute.
Alice: Fantastic! I hope we'll be able to do that when we get into our 90s.
Yvonne: Let's hope so - and more importantly, that we're really healthy too. But that's all
for "6 Minute English" from BBC Learning English. Do join us again soon.
Both: Goodbye!
6 Minute English c bbclearningenglish.com 2011
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Vocabulary and definitions
the ripe old age of an informal expression emphasising that someone has
lived for more years than most people
a marathon a race of about 26 miles or 45 kilometres which takes place
on public roads
centenarians people who are 100 years of age or older
mental activity things that people do to make or keep the mind healthy
physical activity things that people do to make or keep the body healthy
great grandmother the mother of someone's grandmother
ancient extremely old, from a time in the distant past
extended lengthened, extra long, lasting longer than usual
strangers people who you don’t know or are familiar with
sprightly energetic, lively, active
More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13137233
Read and listen to the story online: http://bbc.in/k83d4O