Pages 106–107 asthma

life expectancy 
/
ˌlaɪf ɪkˈspektənsi/ Noun
your 
life expectancy is the number of years you can 
reasonably expect to be alive
life expectancy in the UK for women is now over 82 
years | life expectancy rose throughout the 20th century 
but might now drop | the inhabitants of Liechtenstein 
have the longest life expectancy in Europe | lower than 
average life expectancy | the life expectancy of a horse 
is 25 to 30 years
literacy 
/
ˈlɪt(ə)rəsi/ Noun uncount
literacy is the basic ability to be able to read and write. 
You can also use 
literacy about other skills, for example 
financial literacy is knowing how to deal with your 
money sensibly, and 
computer literacy is the ability to 
use a computer
Collocates: financial/computer/scientific literacy | adult 
literacy | literacy rates | literacy skills
we need to improve adult literacy rates (increase the 
number of adults who can read and write) | financial 
literacy should be taught in schools | they had basic 
literacy and numeracy (they could read and write and 
do basic arithmetic) | you should help your children with 
their literacy skills
Adjective: 
literate | Opposite – Noun: illiteracy | 
Adjective: 
illiterate
Collocates: computer literate
targets for reducing poverty, disease, hunger, and 
illiteracy | if you’re not computer literate you won’t get on 
the course | he was barely literate when he left school | 
most of the population was illiterate in the 12th century 
(most people could not read or write)
mortality 
/
mɔː(r)ˈtæləti/ Noun uncount
mortality is the number of people who die in a particular 
group, at a particular age, in a particular place, or in a 
particular period of time
Collocates: infant/child mortality | mortality rates
child mortality rates | we are seeing reduced mortality 
from cancer | rising mortality among men in Eastern 
Europe | studies have shown those who cycle to have a 
significantly lower mortality rate | married people face a 
lower mortality risk than unmarried people