Question

Read the passage.

excerpt from "Can You Lengthen Your Life? Researchers Explore How To Stay Healthy Longer" from NIH News in Health, June 2016

Want the secret to living a longer and healthier life? Scientists have found ways to prolong the healthy lifespans of worms, mice, and even monkeys. Their work has revealed exciting new clues about the biology of aging. But solid evidence still shows that the best way to boost the chance of living a long and active life is to follow the advice you likely heard from your parents: eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and stay away from bad habits.

People born in the U.S. today can expect to live to an average age of about 79. A century ago, life expectancy was closer to 54. “We’ve had a significant increase in lifespan over the last century,” says Dr. Marie Bernard, deputy director of NIH’s National Institute on Aging. “Now if you make it to age 65, the likelihood that you’ll make it to 85 is very high. And if you make it to 85, the likelihood that you’ll make it to 92 is very high. So people are living longer, and it’s happening across the globe.”

Older people tend to be healthier nowadays, too. Research has shown that healthful behaviors can help you stay active and healthy into your 60s, 70s, and beyond. In fact, a long-term study of Seventh-day Adventists—a religious group with a generally healthy lifestyle—shows that they tend to remain healthier into old age. Their life expectancy is nearly 10 years longer on average than most Americans. The Adventists’ age-enhancing behaviors include regular exercise, a vegetarian diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight.

“If I had to rank behaviors in terms of priority, I’d say that exercise is the most important thing associated with living longer and healthier,” says Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, an NIH geriatrician who oversees research on aging and health. “Exercise is especially important for lengthening active life expectancy, which is life without disease and without physical and mental/thinking disability.”

Natural changes to the body as we age can lead to a gradual loss of muscle, reduced energy, and achy joints. These changes may make it tempting to move less and sit more. But doing that can raise your risk for disease, disability, and even death. It’s important to work with a doctor to find the types of physical activity that can help you maintain your health and mobility.

How does Paragraph 3 develop the topic introduced in Paragraph 1 of this excerpt?

Responses

A. It explains how one group of people has a long life expectancy because of their habits.

B. It gives an example of how being religious makes everyone live longer.

C. It reveals why the author is interested in research on aging.

D. It adds details about the author’s personal beliefs and religious practices.

Answer 1

Paragraph 3 illustrates the effect of healthy habits on longevity by citing Seventh-day Adventists as an example, supporting the general advice given in Paragraph 1.

Step-by-step explanation:

Paragraph 3 of the excerpt develops the topic introduced in Paragraph 1 by explaining how one group of people, the Seventh-day Adventists, has managed to achieve a long life expectancy through their healthy habits. It highlights the impact of certain lifestyle choices on longevity, such as regular exercise, adhering to a vegetarian diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight, thus substantiating the general advice given earlier about living a longer and healthier life. Rather than discussing religion's general effects on lifespan or the author's personal beliefs, it serves as a concrete example of how specific behaviors can directly influence one's health and longevity.