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GENERAL ENGLISH · SPECIAL REPORT · ADVANCED (C1-C2)

LIVE FOREVER:
THE
AGE-REVERSAL
PILL
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1 Warm up

Discuss the questions in pairs or small groups.

1. Would you like to live forever? Why/why not?

2. If you could be one age for your whole life, which age would you like to be?
3. In the future, will humans be able to live for hundreds of years?
4. If a pill or medical treatment could prevent death, do you think that everyone would have access
to it, or would it only be for rich people?

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LIVE FOREVER: THE AGE-REVERSAL PILL

2 Pre-listening task: vocabulary focus

Part A: Match words with the correct definitions.

1. cellular (adj.) a. switch off a computer, machine, etc., and then start it again
immediately
2. differentiation (n) b. a very severe type of headache that often makes a person feel sick
and have difficulty in seeing
3. reboot (v) c. the process of a cell becoming different during growth and
development
4. culmination (n) d. make somebody/something look or feel younger

5. migraine (n) e. connected with or consisting of the cells of plants or animals

6. epilepsy (n) f. a sudden attack of an illness, especially one that affects the brain

7. seizure (n) g. a condition affecting the nervous system that causes a person to
become unconscious suddenly, often with violent movements of the
body
8. rejuvenate (v) h. the highest point or end of something, usually happening after a long
time

Part B: Complete the sentences with the missing phrases from the list. You may need to change the
form of the phrase.

1. Charles had a at work and had to go to hospital.

2. Sarah develops treatments for diseases on a level.

3. I’ve been using a new cream that promises to my skin.

4. When I have a , I have to lie in a dark room and wait for it to pass.

5. The project is the of everything we have learnt this term.

6. Our son has , so we have to be careful which videogames we let him play.

7. During , the proteins of a cell may change.

8. My grandfather’s laptop worked perfectly after I it.

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LIVE FOREVER: THE AGE-REVERSAL PILL

3 Listening for specific information

Listen to the report. Match the items mentioned with the things they relate to.

Video

Audio

Aging David Sinclair Epigenome Harvard University Valproic acid

1. Where the scientists behind the age-reversal pill are from

2. The name of the journal in which the study was published
3. One of the scientists behind the study
4. The part of the genome that the research focused on
5. An anti-seizure medication

Glossary:
epigenome: a record of the chemical changes to the DNA and proteins of an organism

4 Listening for comprehension

Listen to the report again. Answer the questions true (T), false (F) or not given (NG).

1. The study showed that cells in monkeys could be rejuvenated without destroying cellular identity.

2. Applications for an anti-aging pill could include improving eyesight and treating age-related
diseases.
3. In a series of experiments, researchers were able to speed up and reverse the aging process.
4. David Sinclair has published a book on the aging process.
5. The research team believe that the reason we age is because of changes to our DNA.
6. The research team have written a computer program that corrects the errors in human DNA.

7. There are concerns that interfering with cells could lead to a higher risk of cancer.
8. Human trials have already begun.

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LIVE FOREVER: THE AGE-REVERSAL PILL

5 Reading: general vocabulary

Part A: Match the words in bold with the correct definitions.

Group 1

1. There are many old stories about gods and mortals. (n)

2. Before his demise, the King announced that his daughter would take over the throne. (n)

3. My uncle is rather eccentric. He wears a hat every day, even indoors. (adj.)

4. Having conceded seven goals, the team played out the rest of the match in front of an apathetic
crowd. (adj.)

5. Scientists are still looking for a silver bullet to treat the virus. (n)

6. My grandparents had to toil in the fields for very little money. (v)

7. Donnie describes himself as a lifestyle guru, but his advice doesn’t seem very good. (n)

8. I felt a sense of queasiness about getting on the plane when I saw the pilot holding a copy of a
tabloid newspaper. (n)

9. I found my father slumped in his favourite chair, fast asleep. (v)

a. (formal or humorous) death

b. the feeling of being worried, nervous or uncomfortable about something

c. a person who is an expert on a particular subject, or who says that they are

d. sit or fall down heavily

e. considered by other people to be strange or unusual

f. showing no interest or enthusiasm

g. a fast and effective solution to a serious problem

h. a human, especially an ordinary person with little power or influence

i. work very hard and/or for a long time, usually doing hard physical work

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Group 2

1. Although my grandmother is frail now, she used to be a medal-winning athlete. (adj.)

2. In the book I’m reading, the hero is searching for an elixir to give to his dying wife. (n)

3. Romantic novels often have an alluring character who acts as a love interest. (adj.)

4. Sitting in school in the first weeks of summer, we would hear the tantalising sound of the ice
cream van outside. (adj.)

5. Listening to my friend describe the myriad problems in her life made me realise that I’m extremely
lucky. (adj.)

6. My country started to unravel after it voted to leave the European Union. (v)

7. I need to shave at least five seconds off my finishing time, or I’ll never compete in the Olympics.
(pv)

8. We managed to stave off the heat with fans for a while, but eventually we had to go to a café with
air conditioning. (pv)

9. I have always been enthralled with the natural world. I love being in nature! (v)

a. find something so interesting, beautiful, etc. that you give it all of your attention

b. reduce a number by a very small amount

c. a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses or make people live forever

d. weak and thin, especially due to old age

e. extremely large in number

f. attractive and exciting in a mysterious way

g. delay something or prevent something bad from affecting you for a period of time

h. (of a system, plan, relationship, etc.) start to fail or no longer stay together as a whole

i. making you want something that you cannot have or do

Glossary:
plasma: the clear liquid part of blood, in which the blood cells, etc. float
mercury: a chemical element in the form of a poisonous silver liquid metal that is used in thermometers
the Holy Grail: the cup or bowl believed to have been used by Jesus Christ before he died, that became
a holy thing that people wanted to find, and was often believed to have the power to grant eternal life

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Part B: Complete the short text below with TEN of- the words and phrases from the above exercise.
You may need to change the tense of the word or phrase.

1
I have spent much of my life searching for a for death. I suppose I have always
2
been with the idea of immortality! When I tell people this, they tend to consider me
3 4
, or assume that I must fear my own so much that I have begun to
obsess over it. While there may be a little truth to both of those assumptions, my primary aim is to
5
help those that I love. In ancient times, I suppose I would have searched for an with
magical powers. Fortunately, we live in an exciting modern world – a world full of possibilities.
6
I am in my eighties now, and becoming somewhat . I know that I’m running out of
time, but I have recently discovered a new type of medicine that may not only prevent death, but also
7
rejuvenate my aging body. A prospect! If I survive long enough to succeed in my
goal, then I will be able to give the medication to my family, too. If not, at least I will have spent my last
8
remaining years trying to improve things, rather than in a chair with a newspaper. The
biggest obstacle, as I see it, is funding. The drug that I speak of is rather expensive to make. We need
9
money, which means persuading investors that this particular medicine will work.
10
You would have thought that the idea of living forever would be an one, but I think
that many people believe that this could never happen in reality.

Part C: Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. What type of event do you think could cause civilisation to unravel?

2. Can you think of a job that you consider to be alluring, and would like to do in an ideal world?
3. Do you think we will ever find a silverbullet to treat the common cold?
4. Which subjects at school were you apathetic about?
5. Are you afraid of becoming frail when you get older?
6. Why do you think that some people have habits that will almost certainly shave years off their
lifespans?
7. Do you have a family member you would describe as eccentric?

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6 Pre-reading task: reading for general understanding

Part A: You are going to read about the quest for immortality. Scan the text quickly and match the
opening sentence with the correct paragraph. One opening sentence cannot be matched to any of
the five paragraphs in the text and should be marked ‘Not given’.

a. Today, many are still searching for the secret to eternal life – and eternal youth.

b. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of unified China, didn’t want to die.

c. We are all aware that our lifestyle choices can impact our health.

d. Qin Shi Huang was not the first – or last – leader to fall foul of hubris, with the Egyptian pharaohs,
European kings and eccentric business owners leading the pursuit of immortality; a hunt which
has haunted humans since we first emerged from the cave.

e. The potential side effects of age-reversal pills should be considered, with concerns about long-
term dangers to health a priority for researchers.

f. While the Holy Grail is said to grant eternal life, the fountain of youth has proved even more
alluring for many.

Part B: Look at the following sentence. In pairs, discuss the meaning of the underlined phrase. Do
you think young people tend to be glued to their phones? How can we prevent this?

My son is glued to his phone. I wish I hadn’t bought him a smartphone for his birthday!

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Do you want to live forever?

A history of our hunt for immortality
1
A. By the age of thirty-eight, he had conquered the seven Chinese kingdoms, and hoped to rule
his new realm for ten thousand generations. His obsessive search for immortality led to thousands of deaths,
including the execution of hundreds of scholars who failed him. Ultimately, it is believed that the emperor himself
died as a result of his desire to live forever. One of the many elixirs he commissioned contained mercury, bringing
a swift end to his ambition. By the time of his death, Qin Shi Huang had established such a firm belief in the idea
of an eternal ruler that his subjects were reluctant to reveal his demise, hiding the fact from the nation for months.
When news of his death finally broke, China erupted into civil war, and Qin’s empire unravelled.
2
B. We have been enthralled with the idea of living forever since we first began to tell tales, with
gods and heroes enjoying long lives far beyond the limits of our own lifespans. The idea that a mere mortal may be
able to seek out a cure for death has, too, echoed throughout our stories, from the Arthurian quest for the Holy
Grail* to the search for the Fountain of Youth. The grail – often portrayed as the cup that Christ either drank from
at his last meal, or that collected his blood on the cross – has appeared in myriad fables for the last two thousand
years, inspiring knightly orders, books and films.

C. The promise of restoring lost beauty, rolling the clock back and allowing one to relive the prime
of their life is tantalising. The beauty industry has risen on the back of the desire to look young again, while
the health and wellness world focuses on feeling youthful once more. Although worth billions today, these are
not new concepts: the first cosmetics are believed to have been used in Ancient Egypt, and, across the centuries,
many have tried to appear younger with the aid of all manner of powders and pills. Often, these beauty treatments
would have horrifying effects. Queen Elizabeth I of England was said to have suffered from lead poisoning, possibly
leading to her death. The monarch used the chemical to turn her face white.
3
D. After all, what’s the use of living forever if you’re trapped in a frail body? Across the world,
billionaires are pouring their personal funds into potential silver bullets; everything from stem-cell research to
plasma* transfusions. Some have announced their intentions to cheat death to an apathetic public, such as Bryan
Johnson, who made his fortune in tech. Johnson made the headlines with some of his more eccentric efforts
to battle aging, including injecting himself with blood plasma taken from his eighteen-year-old son. This may
well conjure images of vampires – a famous example of immortals from legend – and it can be hard to shake
the queasiness that accompanies the idea of a man draining his son’s blood. Johnson, however, has tried many
approaches to staving off the march of time, from following a strict sleeping regime – rising at four in the morning,
and going to bed at eight-thirty – to a carefully selected diet featuring three identical vegetable-based meals.
4
E. Most of us indulge in habits that may end up shaving years off our lifespans, such as drinking too
much alcohol, smoking, or eating processed foods. Despite being told by doctors to exercise more, we often find
ourselves glued to television screens, slumped in sofas or office chairs. Gyms can be expensive, and some of the
healthier diets recommended by lifestyle gurus are beyond the means of many. While rich individuals in wealthy
countries dream of living forever, millions around the world have little choice in what they eat or how they work.
Survival on a day-by-day basis is the reality for a large proportion of the planet. The drive to get by, to continue
living despite the odds is, perhaps, the same urge that has dominated our dreams since the dawn of civilisation.
We all want to live healthy, happy lives, but for far too long, the majority of the human species has been forced
to suffer and toil while the emperors, kings and CEOS of the world throw money at immortality.

Sources: Time, Fortune Well, The Guardian, Science Focus

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7 Reading comprehension

Read the article again. Complete the sentences with between ONE to THREE words from the article.

1. Thousands died as a result of Qin Shi Huang’s search for immortality.

2. News of the emperor’s demise resulted in a , and the unravelling of the empire
itself.

3. The idea of being able to can be found in our earliest stories.

4. The Holy Grail has inspired everything from orders to films and books.

5. The to appear young once more has led to the rise of the beauty industry.

6. Beauty treatments have often come with side effects.

7. The super-rich are investing huge amounts of money into treatments for eternal
life and eternal youth.

8. Bryan Johnson has with some of his more peculiar attempts to stave off the march
of time.

9. The habits that many of us in could end up shortening our lifespans.

10. For many, a battle for on a day-by-day basis is the simple reality.

8 Talking Point

In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions.

1. What would be the best and worst thing about being immortal?
2. Can you think of any famous books or films that focus on immortality?
3. Do you consider human-caused climate change to be a political issue? If so, why?
4. Is it ethical to speed up or decrease the rate of aging in mice? Should such experiments be banned?
5. Can you think of any potential problems a society might experience if humans could no longer age
or die?
6. If we managed to double our lifespans, how would our working lives change? Would the age of
retirement increase?
7. If we were able to stop aging and become immortal, would we, as humans, become more ambitious
or less?

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9 Extended activity/writing homework

Write an opinion essay on the topic below. Your essay should agree with or disagree with the statement
and should be between 260 – 320 words.

1. If age-reversal research leads to effective treatments for Alzheimer’s and other wasting
illnesses, we should invest heavily in such technology.
2. Attempting to fight our mortality is a waste of time, money and resources that would be
better spent elsewhere.

Alternative extended activity:

Split into groups. Each group works for a company that has developed a successful age-reversal pill.
The drug, however, is very expensive to make, and your bosses expect a large profit. As part of the
marketing team, your job is to decide what to call the drug, which market to target, which price to set
for the pill, and what potential side effects and problems you may need to mention when promoting
the product. How will your pill differ from other similar products? Present your ideas to the class.

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