ACADEMIC LISTENING TEST PRACTICE
OLDEST PERSON
OLDEST PERSON
For Students Preparing for Academic Tests / IELTS and TOEFL
Listen as you read the script.
Playing Time: 2 minutes 51 seconds
Jeanne Calment was a French supercentenarian who is recognized as the oldest human to have ever lived, with a verified age of 122 years and 164 days at the time of her death. She was born on February 21, 1875 in Arles, France and was the daughter of a shipbuilder.
Calment spent her early years in Arles, where she attended school and became fluent in both French and Spanish. She also had a passion for music and art, and often painted in her spare time.
In 1896, at the age of 21, Calment married a wealthy businessman named Fernand Calment. The couple had one child; a daughter named Yvonne. Fernand passed away in 1942, and Yvonne died in 1934.
Calment lived a very active lifestyle, even as she grew older. She took up fencing in her seventies and continued to ride her bicycle until she was 100 years old. She also had a keen mind, and was able to recall details of her life and events from history with remarkable clarity.
It was not until she reached the age of 114 that Calment began to experience age-related health problems. However, even then, she remained in relatively good health and was able to live independently until the age of 120.
Calment's age was verified by a number of organizations, including the Gerontology Research Group, which is responsible for verifying the ages of the oldest living people in the world. Despite some initial skepticism, her age was confirmed through a variety of methods, including examination of her birth and marriage certificates, as well as interviews with family members and friends.
At around 10:00 a.m., on August 4, 1997, Jeanne Calment passed away at the age of 122 years. Her longevity has been studied extensively by scientists in an effort to understand the aging process and identify potential factors that may contribute to exceptional longevity. Despite her age, Calment's mind remained sharp until her death and she was able to recall details of her life and events from history with remarkable clarity.
Today, Jeanne Calment's name is synonymous with longevity, and her life serves as a reminder of the human body's ability to withstand the test of time. Her story continues to be studied by scientists and researchers all over the world, in the hopes of uncovering the secrets behind her exceptional longevity.
Calment spent her early years in Arles, where she attended school and became fluent in both French and Spanish. She also had a passion for music and art, and often painted in her spare time.
In 1896, at the age of 21, Calment married a wealthy businessman named Fernand Calment. The couple had one child; a daughter named Yvonne. Fernand passed away in 1942, and Yvonne died in 1934.
Calment lived a very active lifestyle, even as she grew older. She took up fencing in her seventies and continued to ride her bicycle until she was 100 years old. She also had a keen mind, and was able to recall details of her life and events from history with remarkable clarity.
It was not until she reached the age of 114 that Calment began to experience age-related health problems. However, even then, she remained in relatively good health and was able to live independently until the age of 120.
Calment's age was verified by a number of organizations, including the Gerontology Research Group, which is responsible for verifying the ages of the oldest living people in the world. Despite some initial skepticism, her age was confirmed through a variety of methods, including examination of her birth and marriage certificates, as well as interviews with family members and friends.
At around 10:00 a.m., on August 4, 1997, Jeanne Calment passed away at the age of 122 years. Her longevity has been studied extensively by scientists in an effort to understand the aging process and identify potential factors that may contribute to exceptional longevity. Despite her age, Calment's mind remained sharp until her death and she was able to recall details of her life and events from history with remarkable clarity.
Today, Jeanne Calment's name is synonymous with longevity, and her life serves as a reminder of the human body's ability to withstand the test of time. Her story continues to be studied by scientists and researchers all over the world, in the hopes of uncovering the secrets behind her exceptional longevity.
family photograph of Jeanne Calment, the world's oldest human, believed to have been taken around 1895
Note: For more cool ESL resources about health, visit my All Things Topics site.
