Grandparents who help out occasionally with childcare in their community tend to live longer than seniors who do not care for other people, according to a study from Berlin, Germany.

    “Having no contact with grandchildren at all can negatively impact grandparents' health. This link could be deeply rooted in our evolutionary past when help with childcare was important for the survival of the human species,” said Sonja Hilbrand, one of the researchers.

    The findings are drawn from data on more than 500 people over age 70. Overall, after accounting for grandparents' age and general state of health, the risk of dying over a 20-year period was one-third lower for grandparents who cared for their grandchildren, compared with grandparents who provided no childcare.

    Caregiving was associated with a longer life even when the care receiver wasn't a relative. Half of all childless seniors who provided support to friends or neighbors lived for seven years after the study began, while non-helpers lived for four years on average.

    “Caregiving may give caregivers a purpose of life because they may feel useful for others and society. Caregiving may be thought also as an activity that keeps caregivers physically and mentally active,” said Professor Bruno Arpino.

    Arpino noted, however, that caregiving is not the only activity that can improve health and that too many caring responsibilities can take away from other beneficial activities like working, being in social clubs, or volunteering. “Children should take into account their parents' needs, willingness, and desires and agree with them on the timing and amount of childcare,” he suggested.

    “It is very important that every individual decides for himself/herself, what proper amounts of help means,” Hilbrand said, adding, “As long as you do not feel stressed about the intensity (强度) of help you provide you may be doing something good for others as well as for yourself.”

    The rules about how to talk, eat and sit, which are highly limited, are observed in most Western restaurants and homes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many Westerners have no idea how to act at the Chinese dinner table. No forks or knives for them to use! The Chinese host makes great, sweeping arm movements that go over large sections of the table, passing over both food and friends alike. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, it leaves many foreigners at a loss for what to do.

    In my childhood home, dinner was enjoyed with low voices, and the topics that we could discuss were very limited. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If I had to leave the table to use the toilet, I had to excuse myself without mentioning what it was that I was going to do. “May I be excused, please? I need to wash my hands.” I would say. My mother would say, “Sure.” My father would often play a joke on me by saying, “{#blank#}4{#/blank#}”

    As for eating, we did it quietly. No eating noises were allowed. Everything must be done as quietly as possible. If any sound was created by eating food or drinking, it would be considered as bad manners!

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}He is to sit up straight with the recessive hand (usually the left) in one's lap holding a napkin while the dominant hand (usually the right) holds the fork or spoon. The only time one is allowed to have both hands on the table is when he is using a knife to cut something.

A. The scene is fantastic.

B. Your hands don't look dirty!

C. How one sits at the table is also prescribed.

D. Can't you think up a better excuse than that?

E. In general they were all strictly forbidden topics.

F. They're completely different from what we find here in China.

G. We were not allowed to talk about anything that made listeners uncomfortable.

    The rules about how to talk, eat and sit, which are highly limited, are observed in most Western restaurants and homes. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} Many Westerners have no idea how to act at the Chinese dinner table. No forks or knives for them to use! The Chinese host makes great, sweeping arm movements that go over large sections of the table, passing over both food and friends alike. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, it leaves many foreigners at a loss for what to do.

    In my childhood home, dinner was enjoyed with low voices, and the topics that we could discuss were very limited. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If I had to leave the table to use the toilet, I had to excuse myself without mentioning what it was that I was going to do. “May I be excused, please? I need to wash my hands.” I would say. My mother would say, “Sure.” My father would often play a joke on me by saying, “{#blank#}4{#/blank#}”

    As for eating, we did it quietly. No eating noises were allowed. Everything must be done as quietly as possible. If any sound was created by eating food or drinking, it would be considered as bad manners!

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}He is to sit up straight with the recessive hand (usually the left) in one's lap holding a napkin while the dominant hand (usually the right) holds the fork or spoon. The only time one is allowed to have both hands on the table is when he is using a knife to cut something.

A. The scene is fantastic.

B. Your hands don't look dirty!

C. How one sits at the table is also prescribed.

D. Can't you think up a better excuse than that?

E. In general they were all strictly forbidden topics.

F. They're completely different from what we find here in China.

G. We were not allowed to talk about anything that made listeners uncomfortable.