Study Buddy (Explorer): 124-year-old Chinese woman shares longevity secrets
Each week, this page presents a light article with questions to test your comprehension.
A Chinese woman in Nanchong, Sichuan province, turned 124 this year, becoming one of the country’s oldest centenarians. Photo: SCMP composite/cbgc.scol.com.cnContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] A woman in China who has lived for over a century has inspired millions online. Qiu Chaishi is known for her love of lard rice. She was born in 1901, in late imperial China under rule by the semifeudal Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
[2] On January 1, 2025, Qiu celebrated her 124th birthday in Nanchong, southwestern China’s Sichuan province, where she became one of the oldest centenarians in the country. Her family spans six generations. Qiu’s granddaughter is already 60, while the family’s youngest member is only eight months old. However, Qiu’s age has not been officially verified by organisations outside China, despite her birth date being listed on her hukou – the official household registration system used in mainland China.
[3] Qiu shared the secrets to her longevity with the country’s media, emphasising a simple routine. She eats three meals daily, each at a set time, walks after meals and goes to bed around 8pm. Qiu manages tasks like combing her hair, lighting fires and feeding geese on her own, even climbing stairs with ease.
[4] Her favourite dish is porridge made with pumpkin, winter melon and crushed corn, topped with a spoonful of lard. Her granddaughter said she has a soft spot for lard but eats it in moderation now on doctors’ advice.
[5] Qiu’s early years were marked by hardship. During the Qing dynasty, she said, many people starved to death searching for wild vegetables in the mountains. Before marriage, Qiu earned respect in her village for sharp accounting skills and impressive physical strength, often tackling the toughest farm tasks, such as ploughing fields and stacking stones.
[6] Tragedy struck in Qiu’s 40s; her husband died suddenly, leaving her to raise four children alone. She worked tirelessly to ensure her children had new clothes and food despite financial struggles. Heartbreak returned in her 70s when her eldest son died of illness, leaving behind a granddaughter, and her daughter-in-law remarried.
[7] Qiu stepped up once more, raising her granddaughter alone. Years later, her granddaughter faced trouble in her marriage, losing her husband to illness. Now, Qiu’s granddaughter lives with Qiu in a three-story rural house in Nanchong. She experienced some decline in vision and hearing after turning 100 but remained sharp-witted and articulate.
[8] According to the country’s 2020 National Census, China is home to 119,000 centenarians, the highest number in the world. China’s average life expectancy is also rising: 78.6 years, according to a 2023 report from its National Health Commission. Hong Kong stood out in 2024 with the highest average life expectancy in the world at 85.63 years, according to United Nations estimates cited by Worldometer.
Source: South China Morning Post, January 14
Questions
1. What dynasty ruled China when Qiu was born, according to paragraph 1?
2. In paragraph 2, how old is Qiu’s youngest daughter?
A. eight months old
B. 34 years old
C. 60 years old
D. information not given
3. List two of Qiu’s healthy habits mentioned in paragraph 3.
4. Find a phrase in paragraph 4 that means a “particular liking for something”.
5. As mentioned in paragraph 5, what was a common way people died during the Qing dynasty?
6. Decide whether the following statements about Qiu, according to paragraphs 6 and 7, are True, False or the information is Not Given. Fill in ONE circle only for each statement. (4 marks)
(i) Qiu’s husband died when he was in his early 40s.
(ii) She had to work more than three jobs to support her children.
(iii) Her eldest son died.
(iv) Qiu lives with a family member now.
7. What happened to Qiu after she turned 100, according to paragraph 7?
8. According to paragraph 8, how many people aged 100 or older live in China?
9. In paragraph 8, the life expectancy in China …
A. is dropping.
B. is rising.
C. has stayed the same.
D. none of the above
Answers
1. the Qing dynasty
2. D
3. three meals a day on time / walking after meals / going to bed early, around 8pm (any two)
4. soft spot
5. starving to death, often in the mountains looking for vegetables/crops that grew in the wild (accept all similar answers)
6. (i) NG; (ii) NG; (iii) T; (iv) T
7. She does not see and hear as well any more. (accept all similar answers)
8. 119,000
9. B