Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. ignore
(v.) [ig-nawr] – refuse to notice or disregard something or somebody
Example: The store manager seems to ignore all the efforts of his sales
personnel.
2. caution
(n.) [kaw-shuhn] – a warning to somebody to be careful about something
Example: My aunt received a caution from her doctor about her blood
pressure.
3. withstand
(v.) [with-stand] –to remain strong or unchanged by something in an extreme situation
such as heat or pressure
Example: I could not withstand the noise in the canteen so I
stayed in the library.
4. diminish
(v.) [dih-min-ish] – to make something smaller or less important; decrease
Example: The students’ excitement
suddenly diminished when the teachers
cancelled their field trip.
5. dire
(adj.) [dahyuhr] – characterized by serious, urgent or desperate circumstances
Example: The victims of the recent
calamities in my town are in dire
need of food and clothing.
Article
Read the text below.
Many old people in the
US ignore heat
warnings during summer even if they are in danger of heat-related illnesses. A study made by Kent State University in four
US cities showed that 90% of participants aged 60 and above were aware of these
cautions, but only 15% took them
seriously. Most of them ignored heat
warnings because they did not see themselves as old.
In the United States
law, individuals aged 60 are already considered elderly or old. However, many
Americans at this age think that old age starts at 80.
For instance, 73-year-old Jack Chapman does not consider
himself old, because he keeps himself in good shape by staying active and
eating well-balanced meals with regular vitamins.
But experts say that
despite good health, old people face greater danger during high temperatures as
their bodies lose the ability to withstand heat.
The sense of thirst diminishes as individuals
grow older so they do not realize that they need more water. In addition, older
kidneys cannot keep fluids in the body as much as younger ones do.
Senior Helpers, a
company that provides in-home care for seniors, has a new program that aims to
educate the elderly on avoiding heat-related illnesses. Elders are advised to
limit activities on hot days and get enough water to drink.
According to Peter Ross,
CEO of Senior Helpers, the effect of heat can be dire even if older folks do workout hard, because bodies change as
people age.
Viewpoint
Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
How do you think we
can inform old people about the dangers of hot weather?
·
What activities do
you think should be avoided by old people during hot weather?
Discussion B
·
At what age is a
person considered old in your country?
What
types of jobs can be done by people aged 70 and above?