Question

    There is a Web site called the “World Database of Happiness.” It combines and analyzes the results of hundreds of surveys from around the world that have been conducted on life satisfaction. Most of the findings are _______, but a few are surprising.

The database makes it clear that there is not a strong connection between material wealth and general contentment. It is a cliché to say that money can’t buy happiness, but the old saying seems to be _______ by research. Many people still cling to the belief that gaining riches will be the answer to all their problems, yet they are probably _______.

Studies have been _______ on people who acquired sudden wealth, such as lottery winners. In most cases, after the _______ joy had worn off, people were not left with a sense of lasting happiness. In fact, they tended to revert to the way they _______ before they became rich. Previously contented people continue to be contented, _______ those who were miserable before sink back into misery.

If material wealth does not bring happiness, then what does? Perhaps happiness has something to do with where you live. The authorities at the World Database on Happiness have surveyed _______ of happiness in different countries. _______, people in America, Canada, and Singapore are very happy; people living in India and Russia, not surprisingly, are not happy.

Other surveys consistently ________ the importance of relationships. ________ relationships in particular seem to be the key to long-term contentment. The Web site suggests that falling in love and having children are two of the ________ that bring the greatest happiness.

Nowadays people look to technology as an ________ source of satisfaction. People increasingly spend more time alone watching TV or surfing the Internet ________ spending time with family. Can technology truly make people happy? It is too difficult to tell, but one thing is sure: If the Web site’s research is accurate, time spent with your family is a better ________ than time spent making money.

1.A.different B.predictable C.satisfactory D.unexpected

2.A.challenged B.widespread C.overtaken D.supported

3.A.generous B.positive C.hesitated D.mistaken

4.A.turned out B.done with C.carried out D.put forward

5.A.essential B.pleasant C.initial D.enviable

6.A.felt B.had C.chose D.lived

7.A.as B.so C.and D.while

8.A.levels B.standards C.senses D.examples

9.A.Strangely B.Hopefully C.Apparently D.Surprisingly

10.A.point to B.hold up C.deal with D.depend on

11.A.Partner B.Family C.Relative D.Society

12.A.situations B.relations C.destinations D.references

13.A.convenient B.alternative C.everlasting D.adequate

14.A.as far as B.rather than C.as well as D.in case of

15.A.environment B.circumstance C.investment D.civilization

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.C

5.C

6.A

7.D

8.A

9.C

10.A

11.B

12.A

13.B

14.B

15.C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了一家名为Wor1d Database of Happiness的网站，这家网站调查分析人们幸福的原因。最终得出结论：和家人的关系是保持幸福的关键。

1.考查形容词词义辨析。句意：大多数发现是可以预测的，但也有一些是令人惊讶的。A. different不同的；B. predictable可预言的；C. satisfactory满意的；D. unexpected意外的，想不到的。与后面的 surprising 对比，选 predictable。故选B。

2.考查动词词义辨析。句意：人们常说金钱买不到幸福，但这句谚语似乎得到了研究的支持。A. challenged挑战；B. widespread普遍的，广泛的；C. overtaken超过，赶上；D. supported支持。根据下文Studies have been carried out on people…可知，有研究的支持，所以选 supported。故选D。

3.考查形容词词义辨析。句意：许多人仍然坚信获得财富就能解决他们所有的问题，然而他们可能错了。A. generous慷慨的，大方的；B. positive积极的；C. hesitated犹豫的；D. mistaken误解的，错误的。根据Many people still cling to the belief…和此句yet转折可知，此处表示错误的。故选D。

4.考查动词短语辨析。句意：正在对那些一夜暴富的人，例如彩票中奖的人进行研究。A. turned out结果证明是；B. done with完毕；C. carried out实施；D. put forward提出。根据主语Studies可知，此处表示实施研究。故选C。

5.考查形容词词义辨析。句意：在大多数情况下，在最初的快乐消失后，人们并没有留下一种持久的幸福感。A. essential基本的，必要的；B. pleasant令人愉快的；C. initial最初的；D. enviable引起忌妒的。根据people were not left with a sense of lasting happiness可知，此处表示最初的快乐（initial joy）。故选C。

6.考查动词词义辨析。句意：实际上，他们倾向于回到他们变得富有之前的感觉。A. felt感觉；B. had有；C. chose选择；D. lived居住。根据下文Previously contented people continue to be contented, ___7___ those who were miserable before sink back into misery.可知，此处指“感受的生活方式”。故选A。

7.考查连接词辨析。句意：以前满足的人继续满足，而那些以前痛苦的人又重新陷入痛苦。A. as因为，在……时；B. so因此；C. and并且；D. while虽然，在……期间。前后两句是对比，应使用连接词while。故选D。

8.考查名词词义辨析。句意：世界幸福数据库的权威机构调查了不同国家的幸福水平。A. levels水平，标准；B. standards标准；C. senses感觉，判断力；D. examples例子。根据下文___9___, people in America, Canada, and Singapore are very happy; people living in India and Russia, not surprisingly, are not happy.可知，此处指levels of happiness“幸福水平”。故选A。

9.考查副词词义辨析。句意：显然，美国、加拿大和新加坡的人都很快乐；毫不奇怪，生活在印度和俄罗斯的人并不快乐。A. Strangely奇怪地；B. Hopefully有希望地；C. Apparently显然地，似乎，表面上；D. Surprisingly惊人地。对应后面的 not surprisingly，选 apparently表示显然的结果。故选C。

10.考查动词短语词义辨析。句意：其他调查一致指出了关系的重要性。A. point to指向，表明；B. hold up举起，阻挡；C. deal with对付，处理，涉及；D. depend on取决于，依赖。point to 指向。根据the importance of relationships可知，此处表示“关系的重要性”。故选A。

11.考查名词词义辨析。句意：家庭关系似乎是获得长期满足感的关键。A. Partner同伴，伙伴；B. Family家庭，家人；C. Relative亲戚，相关物；D. Society社会。根据下文中having children可知，此处是指“家庭关系”。故选B。

12.考查名词词义辨析。句意：该网站指出，坠入爱河和生儿育女是最能带来幸福的两种情形。A. situations情形，情境，局面；B. relations关系，交往；C. destinations目的地，终点；D. references参考文献，参照。根据falling in love and having children可知，此处是两种情形。故选A。

13.考查形容词词义辨析。句意：现在人们把技术看作幸福的一个替代的来源。A. convenient方便的，便利的；B. alternative供选择的；C. everlasting永恒的，永久的；D. adequate充足的，适当的。根据source of satisfaction可知，此处指的是上文中出现的两种情境外又一可供选择的。故选B。

14.考查副词词义辨析。句意：人们花越来越多的时间独自看电视或上网，而不是花时间与家人在一起。A. as far as至于，直到；B. rather than宁可，而不是；C. as well as也，和……一样；D. in case of如果，万一。根据spend more time alone watching TV or surfing the Internet可知，人们选择了这两种，而不是和家人在一起。故选B。

15.考查名词词义辨析。句意：这很难说，但有一件事是肯定的：如果网站的研究是准确的，那么与赚钱的时间相比，与家人在一起的时间是更好的投资。A. environment环境；B. circumstance状况，环境；C. investment投资；D. civilization文明，文化。investment 投资，根据time spent making money可知，此处看作是一种投资。故选C。