Aging is the process of growing old. It occurs eventually in every living thing provided, of course, that an illness or accident does not kill it prematurely. The most familiar outward signs of aging may be seen in old people, such as the graying of the hair and the wrinkling of the skin. Signs of aging in a pet dog or cat include loss of playfulness and energy, a decline in hearing and eyesight, or even a slight graying of the coat. Plants age too, but the signs are much harder to detect.

Most body parts grow bigger and stronger, and function more efficiently during childhood. They reach their peak at the time of maturity, or early adulthood. After that, they begin to decline. Bones, for example, gradually become lighter and more brittle. In the aged, the joints between the bones also become rigid and more inflexible. This can make moving very painful.

All the major organs of the body show signs of aging. The brain, for example, works less efficiently, and even gets smaller in size. Thinking processes of all sorts are slowed down. Old people often have trouble in remembering recent events.

One of the most serious changes of old age occurs in the arteries, the blood vessels that lead from the heart. They become thickened and constricted, allowing less blood to flow to the rest of body. This condition accounts, directly or indirectly, for many of the diseases of the aged. It may, for example, result in heart attack.

Aging is not a uniform process. Different parts of the body wear out at different rates. There are great differences among people in their rate of aging. Even the cells of the body differ in the way they age. The majority of cells are capable of reproducing themselves many times during the course of a lifetime. Nerve cells and muscle fibers can never be replaced once they wear out.

Gerontologists - scientists who study the process of aging-believe this wearing out of the body is controlled by a built-in biological time-clock. They are trying to discover how this clock works so that they can slow down the process. This could give man a longer life and a great number of productive years.

When does the human body begin to lose vigor and the ability to function efficiently? 

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A few kind words at the right time all the difference. 

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She is the most intelligent woman I have ever met. 

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Every time he opens his mouth, he immediately regrets what he said. He’s always putting his foot in his mouth

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I must go to the dentist and __________. 

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When his alarm went off, he shut it off and slept for __________ 15 minutes. 

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Factories are not allowed to pump their industrial ______ into the sea. 

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As a child, I had an_________ friend called Polly. 

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Hair colour is ______ characteristics to use in identifying people. 

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We received a call from the teacher _______ charge of the course. 

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“What would you do in my place?” “Were ___________ treated like that, I would complain to the manager.” 

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Be sure not to rely too ______ on your mother tongue when you are learning a foreign language. 

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Students are encouraged to develop critical thinking ____accepting opinions without questioning them

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Dick _______ moustache, but he doesn’t any more. He shaved it off because his wife didn’t like it. 

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We chose to find a place for the night. We found the bad weather very inconvenient. 

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“Thanks for helping me with my homework, John.” - “_______________________.”