Don’t expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says
Expectancyって？
What does “expectancy” mean?
質問：日本人の平均寿命は知っていますか？
回答：知りません？84歳？
Do you know the average life expectancy for Japanese people? You don’t? 84 years? いいえ、「You don’t?」はカジュアルな確認のニュアンスを含んでいますが、より適切な答えは「You don’t know?」や「You don’t know it?」です。「You don’t?」でも意味は通じますが、「You don’t know?」とすると少し丁寧でわかりやすい表現になります。 No I don’t knowではないのですか？ 「No, I don’t know.」も正しい表現です。これにすると、より直接的に「いいえ、知りません」というニュアンスになります。
比較
You don’t know? は、相手が知らないことに対して軽く確認・驚きのニュアンスがある表現。
the length of time someone or something lives or lasts
ChatGPT:
ChatGPT
「誰かまたは何かが生きたり続いたりする期間」
plateau / plæˈtoʊ / (n.) – a period when something does not increase or develop anymore Example:
Prices for groceries have reached a plateau. So, customers can expect stable costs for now.
snapshot / ˈsnæpˌʃɒt / (n.) – a quick or brief view or summary of information, often describing the main points at a specific moment Example:
The finance department presented a snapshot of the company’s sales performance over the last year.
at a specific moment
特定の瞬間に
unforeseen / ˌʌnfɔrˈsiːn / (adj.) – not planned or expected Example:
The company had to adapt quickly to unforeseen changes in the market to stay competitive.
centenarian / ˌsɛn tnˈɛər i ən / (n.) – a person who is 100 years old or older Example:
My great-grandmother is now a centenarian. She just turned 100 last month.
Article
Read the text below.
Humanity is hitting the upper limit of life expectancy, according to a new study.
Step 1: Full Translation
新しい研究によると、人類は寿命の上限に達しつつある。
Step 2: Syntax Analysis
Humanity (Noun – Subject) – 人類
is hitting (Verb phrase – Predicate) – 達しつつある、到達している
is (Auxiliary verb – Present continuous) – ～している
hitting (Verb – Action) – 到達する、直面する
the upper limit (Noun phrase – Object of “hitting”) – 上限
the (Article) – その
upper (Adjective) – 上の、最高の
limit (Noun) – 限界、上限
of life expectancy (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “upper limit”) – 平均寿命の
of (Preposition) – ～の
life expectancy (Noun) – 平均寿命
according to a new study (Prepositional phrase – Provides source of information) – 新しい研究によると
according to (Preposition) – ～によると
a new study (Noun phrase – Object of “according to”) – 新しい研究
a (Article) – ある、ひとつの
new (Adjective) – 新しい
study (Noun) – 研究
Step 3: Summary and Interpretation
この文は、「新しい研究によると、人類は寿命の上限に達しつつある」という内容を表しています。主語の「Humanity」が人類全体を指し、「is hitting」が「到達しつつある」という進行形で、寿命の上限に近づいていることを意味しています。最後の「according to a new study」が情報の出所を明示し、全体の内容を裏付けています。
Advances in medical technology and genetic research—not to mention larger numbers of people making it to age 100—are not translating into marked jumps in lifespan overall, according to researchers who found shrinking longevity increases in countries with the longest-living populations.
into marked jumps in lifespan overall (Prepositional phrase – Indicates result) – 全体の寿命の大幅な増加に
marked jumps (Noun phrase) – 大幅な増加
marked (Adjective) – 顕著な
jumps (Noun – Plural) – 増加、伸び
in lifespan overall (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “jumps”) – 全体の寿命において
in (Preposition) – ～において
lifespan (Noun) – 寿命
overall (Adverb – Describes “lifespan”) – 全体として
according to researchers (Prepositional phrase – Indicates source) – 研究者によると
according to (Preposition) – ～によると
researchers (Noun – Plural) – 研究者たち
who found shrinking longevity increases in countries with the longest-living populations (Relative clause – Modifies “researchers”) – 長寿国で寿命の伸びが鈍化していることを発見した
who (Relative pronoun – Refers to “researchers”) – ～する
in countries with the longest-living populations (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “longevity increases”) – 長寿国において
in (Preposition) – ～において
countries (Noun – Plural) – 国々
with the longest-living populations (Prepositional phrase – Describes “countries”) – 長寿の人々を持つ
Step 3: Summary and Interpretation
この文は、医療技術と遺伝子研究の進歩、および100歳に到達する人の増加が全体の寿命の大幅な向上にはつながっていないということを示しています。「Advances in medical technology and genetic research」が主語で、「are not translating into marked jumps in lifespan overall」が主要な述語です。また、「according to researchers」という句が研究者を情報源として示し、最後の「who found shrinking longevity increases…」が長寿国で寿命の伸びが鈍化している発見を詳述しています。
“We have to recognize there’s a limit” and perhaps reassess assumptions about when people should retire and how much money they’ll need to live out their lives, said S. Jay Olshansky, a University of Illinois-Chicago researcher who was lead author of the study published by the journal Nature Aging.
about when people should retire and how much money they’ll need to live out their lives (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “assumptions”) – いつ人が引退するべきか、人生を過ごすためにどれだけのお金が必要かについて
about (Preposition) – ～について
when people should retire (Clause – Specifies “assumptions”) – いつ人が引退するべきか
and (Conjunction) – そして
how much money they’ll need to live out their lives (Clause – Specifies “assumptions”) – 人生を過ごすためにどれだけのお金が必要か
said S. Jay Olshansky (Verb phrase – Reporting verb with subject) – S・ジェイ・オルシャンスキー氏は述べた
said (Verb – Reporting) – 述べた
S. Jay Olshansky (Proper noun – Subject of “said”) – S・ジェイ・オルシャンスキー氏
a University of Illinois-Chicago researcher who was lead author of the study (Noun phrase – Apposition to “S. Jay Olshansky”) – シカゴ・イリノイ大学の研究者であり、その研究の主任著者
a (Article) – 一人の
University of Illinois-Chicago researcher (Noun phrase) – シカゴ・イリノイ大学の研究者
who was lead author of the study (Relative clause – Modifies “researcher”) – その研究の主任著者
published by the journal Nature Aging (Past participial phrase – Modifies “study”) – 『Nature Aging』ジャーナルに掲載された
published by (Verb – Passive) – ～により発表された
the journal Nature Aging (Noun phrase – Indicates the publisher) – ジャーナル『Nature Aging』
“We are reaching a plateau” in life expectancy, he agreed. It’s always possible some breakthrough could push survival to greater heights, “but we don’t have that now,” said Mark Hayward, a University of Texas researcher.
Life expectancy is one of the world’s most important health measures, but it is also imperfect: It is a snapshot estimate that cannot account for deadly pandemics, miracle cures, or other unforeseen developments that might kill or save millions of people.
“We are reaching a plateau” in life expectancy, he agreed. (Quoted clause with reporting clause – Direct speech)
We (Pronoun – Subject) – 私たち
are reaching (Verb phrase – Present continuous) – 到達しつつある
a plateau (Noun – Object of “reaching”) – 停滞、限界点
in life expectancy (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “plateau”) – 平均寿命において
he agreed (Reporting clause – Indicates agreement) – 彼も同意した
It’s always possible (Clause – Main clause indicating potential) – 常に可能性はある
It’s (Contraction of “it is”) – ～である
always (Adverb – Emphasizes frequency) – 常に
possible (Adjective – Predicate complement) – 可能
some breakthrough could push survival to greater heights (Clause – Describes potential event) – ある突破口が寿命をさらに延ばすことができる
some breakthrough (Noun phrase – Subject) – ある突破口
could (Modal verb – Indicates potential) – ～できる
push (Verb – Action) – 押し上げる、延ばす
survival (Noun – Object of “push”) – 生存
to greater heights (Prepositional phrase – Indicates goal) – より高い水準に
“but we don’t have that now,” (Quoted clause – Direct speech with negation) – 「しかし現時点ではそうしたものはない」
but (Conjunction – Indicates contrast) – しかし
we (Pronoun – Subject) – 私たち
don’t have (Verb phrase – Present negative) – 持っていない
that (Pronoun – Refers to “breakthrough”) – それ
now (Adverb – Indicates time) – 現在
said Mark Hayward, a University of Texas researcher. (Reporting clause with attribution) – テキサス大学の研究者であるマーク・ヘイワード氏は述べている
said (Verb – Reporting) – 述べている
Mark Hayward (Proper noun – Subject of “said”) – マーク・ヘイワード氏
a University of Texas researcher (Noun phrase – Apposition, describes “Mark Hayward”) – テキサス大学の研究者
Life expectancy is one of the world’s most important health measures (Main clause – Defines life expectancy) – 平均寿命は世界で最も重要な健康指標の一つである
Life expectancy (Noun phrase – Subject) – 平均寿命
is (Verb – Linking) – である
one of the world’s most important health measures (Noun phrase – Predicate complement) – 世界で最も重要な健康指標の一つ
but it is also imperfect (Conjunctive clause – Indicates contrast) – しかし、それはまた不完全でもある
but (Conjunction – Indicates contrast) – しかし
it (Pronoun – Refers to “life expectancy”) – それ
is (Verb – Linking) – である
also imperfect (Adjective phrase – Predicate complement) – また不完全でもある
It is a snapshot estimate (Clause – Describes life expectancy as a quick estimate) – それは一瞬の推定値である
It (Pronoun – Refers to “life expectancy”) – それ
is (Verb – Linking) – ～である
a snapshot estimate (Noun phrase – Predicate complement) – 一瞬の推定値
that cannot account for deadly pandemics, miracle cures, or other unforeseen developments (Relative clause – Modifies “snapshot estimate”) – 致命的なパンデミックや奇跡的な治療法、その他の予期せぬ出来事を考慮に入れることができない
that (Relative pronoun – Refers to “snapshot estimate”) – ～する
In the new research, Olshansky and his research partners tracked life expectancy estimates for the years 1990 to 2019, drawn from a database administered by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. The researchers focused on eight of the places in the world where people live the longest—Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland.
In the new research (Prepositional phrase – Indicates context) – 新しい研究で
In (Preposition) – ～で
the new research (Noun phrase) – 新しい研究
Olshansky and his research partners (Noun phrase – Subject) – オルシャンスキー氏と彼の研究仲間
Olshansky (Proper noun – Part of subject) – オルシャンスキー氏
and (Conjunction) – と
his research partners (Noun phrase – Part of subject) – 彼の研究仲間
tracked life expectancy estimates (Verb phrase – Predicate) – 寿命推定値を追跡した
tracked (Verb – Action) – 追跡した
life expectancy estimates (Noun phrase – Object of “tracked”) – 寿命推定値
for the years 1990 to 2019 (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “tracked”) – 1990年から2019年まで
for (Preposition) – ～の
the years 1990 to 2019 (Noun phrase) – 1990年から2019年まで
drawn from a database administered by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (Past participial phrase – Describes “life expectancy estimates”) – マックス・プランク人口動態研究所が管理するデータベースから取得された
drawn from (Verb phrase – Passive) – ～から取得された
a database (Noun – Object of “drawn”) – データベース
administered by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (Past participial phrase – Modifies “database”) – マックス・プランク人口動態研究所が管理する
The researchers focused on eight of the places in the world where people live the longest (Main clause) – 研究者たちは、世界で最も長寿の地域の8か所に焦点を当てた
The researchers (Noun phrase – Subject) – 研究者たち
focused on (Verb – Action) – ～に焦点を当てた
eight of the places in the world where people live the longest (Noun phrase – Object of “focused on”) – 世界で最も長寿の地域の8か所
eight of the places (Noun phrase) – 8か所
in the world (Prepositional phrase – Modifies “places”) – 世界で
where people live the longest (Relative clause – Modifies “places”) – 人々が最も長生きする
Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland (Noun phrase – Appositive, provides specifics for “eight of the places”) – オーストラリア、フランス、香港、イタリア、日本、韓国、スペイン、スイス
Australia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Switzerland – 具体的な8か国のリスト
The study suggests that there’s a limit to how long most people live, and we’ve about hit it, Olshansky said. “We’re squeezing less and less life out of these life-extending technologies. And the reason is, aging gets in the way,” he said.
The study suggests (Main clause – Introduces finding) – この研究は示唆している
The study (Noun phrase – Subject) – この研究
suggests (Verb – Reporting verb) – 示唆している
that there’s a limit to how long most people live (Noun clause – Object of “suggests”) – ほとんどの人が生きる長さには限界がある
that (Conjunction – Introduces noun clause) – ～ということ
there’s a limit (Clause – Main clause within noun clause) – 限界がある
there’s (Contraction of “there is”) – ～がある
a limit (Noun phrase – Subject complement) – 限界
to how long most people live (Prepositional phrase – Specifies “limit”) – ほとんどの人が生きる長さに
to (Preposition) – ～に対する
how long most people live (Clause – Describes the extent or measure) – ほとんどの人がどれだけ長く生きるか
and we’ve about hit it (Conjunctive clause – Adds related conclusion) – そして私たちはその限界にほぼ達している
and (Conjunction) – そして
we’ve about hit it (Clause – Main clause within conjunction) – 私たちはほぼ達している
we’ve (Contraction of “we have”) – 私たちは
about (Adverb – Indicates approximation) – ほぼ
hit (Verb – Action) – 到達する
it (Pronoun – Refers to “limit”) – それ
“We’re squeezing less and less life out of these life-extending technologies. (Quoted clause – Direct speech) – 「私たちはこうした寿命延長技術からますます少ない寿命しか引き出せなくなっています。」
It may seem common to hear of a person living to 100. In 2019, a little over 2% of Americans made it to 100, compared with about 5% in Japan and 9% in Hong Kong, Olshansky said.
It’s likely that the ranks of centenarians will grow in the decades ahead, experts say, but that’s because of population growth. The percentage of people hitting 100 will remain limited, likely with fewer than 15% of women and 5% of men making it that long in most countries, Olshansky said.
that the ranks of centenarians will grow in the decades ahead (Noun clause – Object of “likely”) – 今後数十年で100歳以上の人々の数は増える
that (Conjunction – Introduces noun clause) – ～ということ
the ranks of centenarians (Noun phrase – Subject of “will grow”) – 100歳以上の人々の数
will grow (Verb phrase – Future tense) – 増える
in the decades ahead (Prepositional phrase – Indicates time frame) – 今後数十年で
experts say (Reporting clause – Attribution) – 専門家は述べている
experts (Noun – Subject) – 専門家
say (Verb – Reporting verb) – 述べる
but that’s because of population growth (Conjunctive clause – Provides reason) – しかしそれは人口増加によるもの
but (Conjunction – Indicates contrast) – しかし
that’s (Contraction of “that is”) – それは
because of population growth (Prepositional phrase – Indicates reason) – 人口増加によるもの
The percentage of people hitting 100 will remain limited (Main clause – States limitation) – 100歳に達する人々の割合は限られたままである
The percentage of people hitting 100 (Noun phrase – Subject) – 100歳に達する人々の割合
will remain limited (Verb phrase – Future tense) – 限られたままである
will remain (Verb – Future tense) – 維持する
limited (Adjective – Describes “remain”) – 限られた
likely with fewer than 15% of women and 5% of men making it that long in most countries (Adverbial phrase – Specifies limitation) – 大半の国では、女性は15％未満、男性は5％未満にとどまると考えられる
likely (Adverb – Indicates probability) – 可能性が高い
with fewer than 15% of women and 5% of men (Prepositional phrase – Specifies population group) – 女性は15％未満、男性は5％未満
making it that long (Participle phrase – Indicates achieving age 100) – その年齢に達する
in most countries (Prepositional phrase – Specifies location) – 大半の国で
Olshansky said (Reporting clause – Attribution) – オルシャンスキー氏は述べています
Olshansky (Proper noun – Subject of “said”) – オルシャンスキー氏
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
Life expectancy is an important but imperfect health measure that doesn’t account for factors like pandemics or medical breakthroughs. How accurate do you think life expectancy predictions are? Do you believe they are reliable? Why or why not? Discuss.
How do you think technology has impacted life expectancy so far? Do you believe that future technologies will allow people to live significantly longer? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
Do you think more people living to 100 is a good thing for society? Why or why not? How do you think society would change if more people lived past 100? Discuss.
Are centenarians common in your country? What lifestyle changes can people make to increase their quality of life as they age? Discuss.