From Ponce De Leon, who searched for "the fountain of youth" in the 16th century, to the modern theory of cryogenics, people have always been fascinated by the idea of eternal life. Many myths have also grown around the idea of longevity. Some believe it is a matter of diet and exer-cise alone. Others seek treatments that are supposed to slow or reverse aging. Science says the human body has the capacity to live for about 90 years, but one in every five thousand people lives to be one hundred.

There are several places in the world where centenarians are not un-common. The Nuoro Province, off the coast of Italy has ten times the number of 100 year olds than are found in the rest of the world. And the island of Okinawa in Japan is known to have the longest disability-free lifespan in the world.

What is so different about these places and people? Researchers have come to some conclusions. First of all, these people don't exercise — at least they don't jog or go to the gym. Movement, however, is built into their lifestyles. They walk where they need to go, and many of them work in their garden. Another commonality is that these populations do not live life in a hurry, and they appreciate and make time for leisure. They also have a strong sense of purpose. They have a reason to get up in the morning, and they feel that their lives are meaningful. None of them are vegetarians, but they all eat a plant-based diet and practice strategies for not overeating. These people connect to others, put family first, and be-long to faith based communities. They also surround themselves with equally healthy, positive, and spiritual people.

I. Word List

reverse: to make something travel in the opposite direction

longevity: living a long life

centenarians: those who are 100 or more years old

II. Answer the following questions.

1. What are some myths about longevity?

___________________________________________________________.

2. What are some places in the world that have a lot of centenarians?

___________________________________________________________.

3. What do many centenarians have in common?

___________________________________________________________.

4. What is a surprising fact about many centenarians?

___________________________________________________________.

5. Would you like to live to be a centenarian? Why or why not?

___________________________________________________________.

III. What's the word? Using the clues, write the correct words from the reading.

1. a real meaning - p _ _ _ _ _ _

2. to believe in something - f _ _ _ _

3. those who don't eat meat - v _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4. places where people live - c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5. stories that are not true - m _ _ _ _

IV. True, False, or Not Given—Read these sentences carefully. Write T (true), F (false), or NG (not given) for each one.

___ 1. Most centenarians are vegetarians.

___ 2. Centenarians usually drink a lot of red wine.

___ 3. Centenarians tend to exercise a lot.

___ 4. Most centenarians work hard.

___ 5. Centenarians usually eat mostly vegetables.