Question

    MADRID  — What is it that makes people happy? Youth, health, a good job, good looks, a flashy car? None of these things, Spanish experts say.

The concept of happiness is coming under increasingly close examination in Spain. As the nation rises to the club of the world’s wealthiest countries, people are discovering that material things do not bring happiness.

“Most people use money as a measure of human value,” says Jesus Yn-fante, author of a book on Spain’s 300 biggest fortunes. “Expensive products are regarded as the best. The rich are admired simply for being rich,” Yn-fante said. Yet psychologists (心理学家) warn that happiness cannot be bought. They advise people to look for it in human relations and in the small pleasures of everyday life.

Many people regard happiness as moment of ecstatic pleasure (狂喜) — something that, by definition, cannot last — while others speak of it as peace and acceptance of oneself. Polls (问卷 调 查 ) in different countries indicate that between 65 and 85 percent of the world’s population regard themselves as reasonably happy.

Around 40 percent of a person’s happiness is thought to be determined by genetics ( 遗传), while the rest depends on childhood environment and the process of growing up.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about happiness is that it has little to do with age, health, wealth, or other values thought to be important in Western society.

For most Spaniards, happiness is linked with feeling close to other people.

Happy people accept their limitations and set themselves reachable goals, experts say. There are lifestyle choices which favour happiness, such as exercise, eating carbohydrates (含碳 水化合物的食物) and exposing oneself to sunlight.

But the main secret of happiness is to take pleasure in small things.

“If you are given a choice between eternal (永久的) happiness and cheese sandwich, take the sandwich,” advises musician Julian Hernandez.

1.Spain, as this passage tells us,                 .

A.has built more clubs than the other countries.

B.has owned the largest group of experts.

C.has become one of the richest countries in the world.

D.has produced the most wealth in the world.

2.It can be concluded that Jesus Yn-fante is                 .

A.a famous and rich expert. B.a famous psychologist.

C.one of the richest Spaniards. D.a writer familiar with the richest Spaniards.

3.As psychologists warn in this passage, people can’t feel happy even if they                 .

A.have much money. B.only care about themselves.

C.don’t do any homework. D.have a few relations.

4.Happy people, as we can find in this passage,                 .

A.are always full of feelings. B.are always born in rich families.

C.always enjoy every achievement they get. D.always look down upon themselves.

5.What Julian Hernandez advises at the end of this passage suggests that                 .

A.he is not a happy musician. B.he is leading a hard life.

C.he doesn’t agree to the idea in this passage. D.he is humorous.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.C

5.D

【解析】

本文是一篇议论文。是什么让人们快乐？西班牙专家说年轻，健康，一份好工作，漂亮的外表和一辆浮华的汽车都不是。幸福的概念在西班牙受到越来越密切的审查。当国家上升到世界上最富裕国家的俱乐部时，人们发现物质的东西并不能带来幸福。本文讨论人们对于快乐的不同的看法。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段的“As the nation rises to the club of the world’s wealthiest countries, people are discovering that material things do not bring happiness.( 随着这个国家崛起成为世界上最富有国家的社团，人们发现物质并不能带来幸福)”可推知，西班牙已经是世界上最富有的国家之一。故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段的“‘Most people use money as a measure of human value,’says Jesus Yn-fante, author of a book on Spain’s 300 biggest fortunes.(耶苏·因范特，一本关于西班牙300大财富的书的作者，说：“大多数人把金钱作为衡量人的价值的标准”)”可推断，耶苏·因范特是一个熟悉最富有西班牙人的作家。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第二段的“Yet psychologists (心理学家) warn that happiness cannot be bought. They advise people to look for it in human relations and in the small pleasures of everyday life.

(然而，心理学家警告说，幸福是买不到的。他们建议人们在人际关系和日常生活的小乐趣中寻找它。)”可知，即使人们有许多钱也不可能感到幸福。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第三段的“Happy people accept their limitations and set themselves reachable goals, experts say.(专家说，快乐的人接受他们的局限，并为自己设定可达到的目标。)”可推断，快乐的人总是喜欢他们取得每一点成就。故选C。

5.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“But the main secret of happiness is to take pleasure in small things.”(但幸福的主要秘诀是在小事上取乐)，接下来音乐家Julian Hernandez建议“If you are given a choice between eternal (永久的) happiness and cheese sandwich, take the sandwich(如果让在永恒的幸福和奶酪三明治之间做选择，那就吃三明治吧，)”因此推断，他的建议暗示他幽默地诠释了幸福的秘诀。故选D。