Question

    Some people always seem to have sunny outlooks, while others never stop complaining. Naturally, scientists have asked why

In a study, University of Minnesota researchers David Lykken and Auke Tellegen analysed well-being questionnaires answered by 254 twins over a 10-year period. They found that identical twins' （同卵双胞胎）happiness was much closely paired over time than that of fraternal twins （异卵 双胞胎）.In a smaller sample of twins separated in infancy （婴儿期）and raised apart—removing the influence of a shared environment—the effect was slightly more pronounced. The authors went on to calculate that about 50 per cent of happiness genetic. The scientific community is still arguing about the exact number; but the basic finding is widely accepted.

If a large part of happiness is genetic, does that mean the rest can be acquired by upgrading your job, your house or where you live?

Decades of research support the theory of hedonic adaptation （享乐适应），sometimes called "happiness treadmill （快乐水车理论）"：after negative and positive life changes, individuals tend to return to a baseline level of well-being. One study examined 3,658 Germans who moved into new houses because they were frustrated with their old ones. Housing satisfaction generally rose in the first year and then began falling, though remained higher than before the move. But life satisfaction remained unchanged. Other studies have found that spikes in well-being after marriage, or a job promotion tend to fade within months. On the flip side, even after calamitous changes like widowhood, disability, and job loss, happiness usually trend upward again （although slowly and with more variability）.

In other words, chasing material life changes doesn’t offer much joy. Does that mean happiness is out of our control? Not at all, says Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside and the author of The Myths of Happiness. After conducting a review of 51 "happiness interventions"—including writing letters of gratitude, counting one's blessings and practicing random acts of kindness—Lyubomirsky and her co-author, Nancy L. Sin, found that these simple activities had a significance effect on well-being. In addition, enjoying positive experiences tended to increase appreciation of them.

"Happiness is not something where you either have it or you don't. You definitely can do something about it," says Lyubomirsky.

1.What does the theory of Hedonic adaptation refer to?

A.A person's happiness grows over time.

B.A person, tend to be happier when positive changes occur.

C.A person tends to be less happy when negative changes occur.

D.A person's long term happiness is not significantly affected by any event.

2.What does the underlined word “calamitous” in paragraph 4 mean?

A.significant. B.disastrous

C.gradual. D.constant

3.Which of the following may Soja Lyubomirsky agree with?

A.He who makes others happy is truly happy.

B.Joy and sorrow are next-door neighbors.

C.Man is the master of his happiness.

D.Joys shared with others are more enjoyed.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。主要说明了研究人员计算出大约50%的幸福是遗传的，而除了遗传之外，写感谢信，数数自己得到的祝福，以及做一些随机的善举这些简单的活动对幸福有显著的影响。

1.细节理解题。根据第四段第一句Decades of research support the theory of hedonic adaptation，sometimes called "happiness treadmill"：after negative and positive life changes, individuals tend to return to a baseline level of well-being.（数十年的研究支持享乐适应理论，有时也被称为“快乐水车理论”:在经历了消极和积极的生活变化后，个人往往会回到幸福的基线水平）可知享乐适应理论指的是一个人的长期幸福不会受到任何事件的显著影响。故选D。

2.词义猜测题。根据下文changes like widowhood, disability, and job loss, happiness usually trend upward again （although slowly and with more variability）.可知在经历了诸如丧偶、残疾和失业等灾难性的变化之后，幸福感通常也会再次上升(尽管速度缓慢，变化幅度更大)。like widowhood, disability, and job loss是对calamitous changes的解释说明，故可推知划线单词意思为“灾难性的；悲惨的”。故选B。

3.推理判断题。根据最后一段"Happiness is not something where you either have it or you don't. You definitely can do something about it," says Lyubomirsky.（幸福不是你拥有或没有的东西。你一定可以做些什么。” Lyubomirsky说）同时分析选项可知Sonja Lyubomirsky最有可能同意“人是自己幸福的主人”的观点。故选C。