新奇事件簿 60岁成为中年标志

For the past 100 years, people believed middle age to be around 50 years old. This is when we start to grow 'old'. However, new research says we have to change this. A study from the International Institute for Applied¹ Systems Analysis (IIAS) in Austria and Stony² Brook³ University in New York says middle age now starts at 60 or even 65, or older. Why? The biggest reason is that we are living longer. We are also healthier,we have better diets, we exercise more and we have more money to live a nicer lifestyle. The IIAS said: "Since life expectancies⁴ have increased over the past several decades, and are continuing to increase, people once considered 'old' should actually be viewed as more middle aged⁵."

在过去的100年中，人们一直相信中年应该是50岁左右。从这时期开始，我们开始变老。但是，新的研究称我们应对此进行改变。澳大利亚应用系统分析国际研究所和纽约州立大学石溪分校的研究称中年应该开始于60或65岁，或是更老一些。为什么？其中最大的原因是我们生活的时间变长了。我们也变得更加健康，我们的饮食更加健康、体育锻炼有所增强，我们有足够的资金来过好日子。应用系统分析国际研究所称：“在过去的十几年中，人类的寿命正在逐渐增长，目前还在不断增长，我们曾经认为的“老”应该看成是中年年纪。

The study was not a worldwide one so perhaps not everyone in all countries can say they are middle aged when they are 65. The researchers looked at populations in 39 European countries, so this is good news for Europeans. Britain's National Health Service warned against looking at this study and believing it to be 100 per cent true. It said the researchers did not look at things which could reduce life expectancy⁶: "We don't know whether, for example, they factored in the possible impact of being unable to treat infections because of rising antibiotic⁷ resistance, or the increased numbers of people with diabetes⁸ due to obesity⁹." It recommended healthy living, eating and exercise as a way to live longer.

这项研究并不是在全球范围内进行的，所以或许并不是所有国家都认为65岁是中年。研究人员对39个欧洲国家的人口进行了调查，所以这是一个对欧洲人利好的消息。英国国家医疗服务体系警告称不要相信这一研究。他们认为研究人员并没有将减少寿命的因素考虑在内，我们并不清楚他们是否将无法治愈的传染病也包含在内，无法治愈的原因有抗生素耐药性的增加，或者是因肥胖而逐渐增加的糖尿病人口数。该组织还建议进行健康生活，健康饮食，经常锻炼来维持生命。

1 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

2 stony   

adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的

参考例句：

• The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。
• He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

3 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

4 expectancies   

期待，期望( expectancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Each of us came with his own expectancies. 我们每个人都有自己的希望。
• In fact, modern lifestyles are actually exacerbating the gap between male and female life expectancies. 实际上，现代生活方式确实加大了男女寿命差别的鸿沟。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 expectancy   

n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额

参考例句：

• Japanese people have a very high life expectancy.日本人的平均寿命非常长。
• The atomosphere of tense expectancy sobered everyone.这种期望的紧张气氛使每个人变得严肃起来。

7 antibiotic   

adj.抗菌的；n.抗生素

参考例句：

• The doctor said that I should take some antibiotic.医生说我应该服些用抗生素。
• Antibiotic can be used against infection.抗菌素可以用来防止感染。

8 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

9 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。