Unsurprisingly, the answer to these questions will depend on your culture, as well as how old you are when someone asks you.
不出所料，这些问题的答案将取决于你的文化环境，以及当你被问及这个问题时的年龄。
What is perhaps more surprising is that the answer to these questions could have an impact on how quickly your body begins to age.
也许更令人惊讶的是，这些问题的答案可能会影响你的身体开始衰老的速度。
In 2003, the researchers Hannah Kuper and Sir Michael Marmot carried out a wide-ranging study in which participants were asked the question: when does old age start?
2003 年，研究人员汉娜·库珀和迈克尔·马尔莫特爵士进行了一项范围广泛的研究，参与者被问到这样一个问题：老年什么时候开始？
They then followed up with the participants six to nine years later and found that those who had thought old age began earlier were more likely to be in poor physical health.
然后，他们在 6 到 9 年后对参与者进行了跟踪调查，发现那些认为老年开始得更早的人更有可能身体健康状况不佳。
But how could someone's answer to a question about age possibly have an impact on their health?
但是一个人对年龄问题的回答怎么会对他们的健康产生影响呢？
It might be that the question prompts people to think about their physical health, underlying health issues or poor lifestyle, which might then make them feel that old age is coming sooner.
可能是这个问题促使人们思考他们的身体健康、潜在的健康问题或糟糕的生活方式，这可能会让他们觉得老年来得更快。
People who say that old age sets in earlier, may also be more fatalistic and less likely to visit a doctor or to adopt healthier routines.
那些说老年来得更早的人也可能更听天由命，不太可能去看医生或采取更健康的生活习惯。
It's even possible that the stress of having negative thoughts about ageing contributes to more health problems.
甚至有可能对衰老有负面想法的压力会导致更多的健康问题。
So, this is what happens when we think negatively about ageing, but what happens when we think positively?
这就是当我们消极地看待衰老时会发生的事情，但是当我们积极地看待衰老时会发生什么呢？
People who think old age starts later, may be more conscious about their health and fitness and therefore take steps to stay in better shape.
认为衰老开始较晚的人，可能更在意自己的健康和健身，因此会采取措施保持更好的身材。
They may see their twilight years as an opportunity to learn new things and make new plans.
他们可能会把晚年视为学习新事物和制定新计划的机会。
If they believe they are younger, they, therefore, behave in younger ways, creating a virtuous circle.
如果他们认为自己更年轻，他们就会以更年轻的方式行事，形成良性循环。
Whatever the reason, according to data from the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Retirement, people who think positively about ageing live longer on average.
不管是什么原因，根据俄亥俄州老龄化和退休纵向研究的数据，对老龄化持积极态度的人平均寿命更长。
Of course, none of this research means that a positive attitude can magically stop the ageing process — our bodies get older with each passing year, after all.
当然，这些研究都不意味着积极的态度可以魔法般地阻止衰老——毕竟，我们的身体总是一年比一年老的。
But it seems that if we try to be healthier and if we believe that there are still things we can do in old age, we might live longer and enjoy ourselves more too.
但似乎如果我们努力变得更健康，如果我们相信老年时仍有我们可以做的事情，我们可能会活得更久，也会更快乐。
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