World's oldest identical twins are 107 years (and 300 days) old

Part 1. Vocabulary

 

identical	/ˌīˈden(t)ək(ə)l/ adj - similar in every detail; exactly alike The four girls in identical green outfits are dancing on the stage.
pilgrimages	/ˈpilɡrəmij/ n - a trip, journey, or a holy mission Many Christians go to Vatican City for a pilgrimage.
speculate	/ˈspekyəˌlāt/ v - form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence  My colleagues speculate about my private life.
spans	/span/ n - the length of time for which something lasts  Students do have a short concentration span.
ward off	/wôrd/ /ôf,äf/ phrasal verb - prevent someone or something from harming or affecting one  She put up a hand to the man as if to ward him off.

 

Part 2. Comprehensive Questions

How old are the oldest identical twins in the world?

Where is the birthplace of the oldest twins?

What are the influencing factors why people longer?

What genes are linked to a longer life span?

Who is the longest person alive according to World Guinness Records?

 

Part 3. Article Reading

Two sisters in Japan have been declared the world's oldest identical twins, at age 107, according to news reports.

 

The sisters, Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama, were born on Nov. 5, 1913, making them 107 years and 300-plus days old, according to the Associated Press. That breaks the previous record for the world's oldest identical twins also from Japan, held by Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, who were 107 years and 175 days old, the AP reported. (Kin Narita died in 2000 at age 107, according to The Guardian, and Gin Kanie died a year later at 108.)

 Sumiyama and Kodama were certified as the world's oldest twins on Monday (Sept. 20) by Guinness World Records. The sisters are currently living in separate locations and were presented with their certificates by home care staff, the organization said in a statement.

 They were born on Shōdoshima Island in Japan into a large family, with 11 total children, according to the AP. After elementary school, Kodama moved to Kyushu in southern Japan to work as a maid, while Sumiyama remained on the island. The pair rarely saw each other for decades until they turned 70 when they reconnected and started making pilgrimages together, the AP reported.

 How long a person lives is thought to be influenced by genetics, environment, and lifestyle, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Scientists have been studying centenarians (people who live to 100) and "supercentenarians" (people who live to 110 and beyond) to better understand the factors that contribute to long life spans.

 Some scientists speculate that lifestyle factors, including diet and exercise, play an important role in the first 80 years of life, after which genetic factors become more and more important in keeping a person healthy as they age, according to the NIH.

Genetic variants that have been linked to longer life spans include variants in the ABO, CDKN2B, APOE, and SH2B3 genes, Live Science previously reported. These variants have been found to be more common in centenarians than people with average life spans.

 Another recent study found that centenarians may have special gut bacteria that help ward off infections, Live Science previously reported.

The oldest living person today is Kane Tanaka, from Fukuoka, Japan, who is currently 118 years old, according to Guinness World Records.

 

Source: https://www.livescience.com/ By Rachael Rettner, Sept. 6, 2021