21. The causes of people's longevity today

Among various factors that contribute to today's longevity of people are three most obvious ones: the improvement of food conditions, the development of modern medical technology, and finally current stability of economy in our country.

Food conditions are better than before and are still being developed with a rapid pace. First of all, foods are more hygienic. People today drink untainted mineral water, sterilized skim milk, which are cheaply supplied in supermarkets. Furthermore, foods are more nutrient. Not to mention various carefully designed nutrient products. People can just ignore the possibility of being dystrophic, since they can keep nutrient balance by simply taking a cheap pill of vitamin compound every day.

Another essential improvement that contributes to people's longevity is swiftly developing medical technology. Development of modern medical technology has always been amazing. Certain diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and dysentery are now easy to remedy with low expenses, but in the past, they are all probably lethal ones. The dental technology seems developed little except its exorbitantly charged bill, yet the simplest technology contributes to people's longevity most. It is not difficult to imagine that if an individual who lived in the past got a toothache, without certain dental care which is common today, he was certainly in an awful prospect: he might even die of a toothache!

Current societal and economic stabilization is also a very indispensable factor. People have less pressure in a more stable society, the less pressure they suffer, the healthier they are. Today's ideal stabilization even provides people an opportunity to secure their future—buy insurances. Various types of insurances are readily available, which make people feel safe, and have to a large extent reduced people' anxieties, and therefore indirectly contribute significantly to the longevity of people.

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21. 现代人长寿的原因

现代人长寿的原因有很多，其中有3个最为明显：食品状况的改善、现代医疗技术的发展和当前我国经济的稳定。

食品状况比以前有所改善，而且还在以高速继续发展。首先是食物更加卫生了。人们现在喝的是无污染的矿泉水，高温灭菌的脱脂牛奶，这些都在超市里低价供应。此外，食物也更加有营养了，更不用说各种精心设计的营养食品。人们完全可以忽略患上营养不良的可能性，因为他们每天只需吃一片便宜的复合维生素片就可以保持营养平衡。

另一种使人们长寿的进步就是飞速发展的医疗技术。现代医疗技术的发展总是让人惊异。某些疾病，例如肺结核、肺炎、痢疾，只需很低的花费就能轻松治愈，但是在过去它们全都几乎是致命的。牙科技术似乎除了过分昂贵的帐单之外没什么发展，但最简单的技术却会对人类的长寿贡献最大。不难想像如果过去有人牙疼，没有今天很平常的牙科护理，那他可就肯定倒霉透了：他甚至可能死于牙疼！

目前的社会和经济稳定也是一个不可或缺的因素。在一个更稳定的社会里，人们的压力会较小，他们的压力越小，也就会越健康。今天理想化的稳定局面甚至为人们提供保证未来的机会——买保险。各种不同种类的保险随时提供，这使人们感到安全，也在很大程度上减轻了人们的忧虑，所以也就间接地为人们的长寿做出了重大的贡献。

Word List

• longevity ［la:nˈdʒeviti］ n. 长命，寿命
• stability ［stəˈbiliti］ n. 稳定性
• hygienic ［ˌhaidʒiˈenik］ adj. 卫生学的；卫生的
• nutrient ［ˈnu:triənt］ adj. 有营养的
• dystrophic ［diˈstra:fik］ adj.营养不良的
• tuberculosis ［tuˌbə:kjəˈləusis］ n. 肺结核
• pneumonia ［nu:ˈməunjə］ n. 肺炎
• dysentery ［ˈdisənˌteri］ n. 痢疾
• lethal ［ˈli:θəl］ adj. 致命的