مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت ب

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART B

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Some say her longevity wasn’t because of chocolates, wine, laughter or even good genetics.

Do some say her longevity wasn’t because of chocolates, wine, laughter or even good genetics? Yes, some say her longevity wasn’t because of chocolates, wine, laughter or even good genetics.

Russian mathematician, Nikolai Zak, has studied Calment’s life in detail.

Who has studied Calment’s life in detail? Russian mathematician, Nikolai Zak has studied Calment’s life in detail.

He says the secret to her longevity is much simpler: she was a phony.

Why does he say the secret to her longevity is much simpler? He says the secret to her longevity is much simpler because she was a phony.

She lied about her age.

What did she lie about? She lied about her age.

Zak’s theory is the birth certificate that shows her birthdate as 1875 is really the birth certificate of Calment’s mother, who died young.

Is Zak’s theory that the birth certificate that shows her birthdate as 1875 is really the birth certificate of Calment’s mother? Yes, Zak’s theory is the birth certificate that shows her birthdate as 1875 is really the birth certificate of Calment’s mother.

Attempting to avoid inheritance tax, Calment took her mother’s identity, adding 23 years to her actual age.

Why did Calment take her mother’s identity? Calment took her mother’s identity to avoid inheritance tax. How many years did she add to her actual age? She added 23 years to her actual age.

Supporting his theory, he found identity cards for Calment’s mother showing height, eye and hair color that did not match her own.

What did he find to support his theory? To support his theory, he found identity cards for Calment’s mother showing height, eye and hair color that did not match her own.

Something smelled fishy.

Did something smell delicious? No, something didn’t smell delicious.

Something smelled fishy.

A Russian gerontologist, Dr. Novoselov, also assisted Zak in reviewing Calment’s life story.

What did Russian gerontologist, Dr. Novoselov assist Zak with? Russian gerontologist, Dr. Novoselov assisted Zak with reviewing Calment’s life story.

He says, “As a doctor, I always had doubts about her age…The state of her muscle system was different from that of her contemporaries.” As a doctor, what did he always have doubts about? As a doctor, he always had doubts about her age. What was different from that of her contemporaries? The state of her muscle system was different from that of her contemporaries.

“She could sit up without any support. She had no signs of dementia.” What could she do without any support? She could sit up without any support. Did she have signs of dementia? No, she had no signs of dementia.

Even more damning, there are stories that Calment had all the old photos of herself burned when she became famous.

What do some stories say Calment had burned when she became famous?

Some stories say that Calment had all the old photos of herself burned when she became famous.

If Zak and Novoselov are right, she only lived to the age of 99 and was far from the oldest person to have ever lived.

If Zak and Novoselov are right, what age did she live to? If Zak and Novoselov are right, she lived to the age of 99. Was she the oldest person to have ever lived? No, she wasn’t the oldest person to have ever lived. She was far from the oldest person to have ever lived.

There are still believers in Calment’s story including some in her hometown in France.

Where are there still some believers in Calment’s story? There are still some believers in Calment’s story in her hometown in France.

French gerontologist, Jean-Marie Robine, who helped verify her age for the Guinness Book of World Records, says the Russians’ theory is defamatory.

What did the French gerontologist help verify for the Guinness Book of World Records? The French gerontologist helped verify her age for the Guinness Book of World Records. Does he say the Russians’ theory is complimentary or defamatory? He says the Russians’ theory is defamatory.

While people usually want to appear younger, not older, lying about one’s age is not uncommon.

What do people usually want to appear? People usually want to appear younger, not older. Is lying about one’s age uncommon? No, lying about one’s age is not uncommon.

Age is a touchy subject.

What is a touchy subject? Age is a touchy subject.

In some cultures, asking someone how old they are is rude.

What is rude in some cultures? Asking someone how old they are is rude in some cultures.

There is even a common expression that you never ask a lady her age. It’s just not polite.

What is a common expression? A common expression is that you never ask a lady her age. Is it polite to ask a lady her age? No, it’s not polite to ask a lady her age.