Question

    Many mental health professionals viewed the pursuit of happiness as a foolish mistake until quite recently. Most of them used to concentrate their energy and attention on individuals suffering from diseases like depression and anxiety, or on relieving despair rather than promoting well-being. But that’s all beginning to change. Supporters of “positive psychology” think that happiness is a goal that people can—and should—work toward. They believe that it’s not only possible but crucially important. Health means not just the absence of disease but a positive sense of involvement and engagement in life. Unless you know how to enjoy life, your life is not really happy. This doesn’t mean that finding happiness is easy—a variety of obstacles stands in the way. The first, perhaps the biggest, is genetics.

Happiness, it seems, is decided—at least in part—by personality features that are largely passed on from their parents. In a study published in 2018, researchers at the University of Edinburgh examined personality and happiness data on more than 900 pairs of twins. They found a close genetic relationship between happiness and positive personalities such as openness and agreeableness. Identical twins (同卵双胞胎) were more likely to share these positive features than non-identical twins; they were also more likely to report similar levels of well-being.

Major life events as well as social and economic factors can also stand in the way of happiness. More often than not, however, people get in their own way by looking for happiness in all the wrong places. They aren’t particularly good at recognizing what will bring them lasting joy: Although money tops many people’s wish lists, study after study has found that once basic needs are met, additional wealth doesn’t add much to people’s sense of well-being and contentment.

Experts in the field of positive psychology still believe it’s possible for people to push their happiness upward—not just temporarily but over the long term.

1.What’s the shift in mental health study?

A.Health means the absence of disease.

B.Emphasis is placed on the pursuit of happiness.

C.Well-being is found to be something one was born with.

D.More attention is paid to anxiety and depression.

2.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A.Different obstacles are in the way of finding happiness.

B.Happiness is largely dictated by one’s personality.

C.Identical twins are more likely to be on the same level of well-being than non-identical twins.

D.Wealth always plays an important role in people’s sense of happiness and contentment.

3.The obstacles standing in the way of happiness include all of the following elements EXCEPT .

A.emotive factors B.genetics

C.social factors D.economic factors

4.According to the experts of positive psychology, what’s the essential point of the pursuit of happiness?

A.Material prosperity. B.Freedom.

C.Long-term efforts. D.The avoidance of stress.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。主要讲述心理健康研究的转变，重点要放在追求幸福上并且指出追求幸福的多种障碍。追求幸福的本质要靠长期的努力。

1.细节理解题。根据文章Many mental health professionals viewed the pursuit of happiness as a foolish mistake…But that’s all beginning to change. Supporters of “positive psychology” think that happiness is a goal that people can—and should—work toward. They believe that it’s not only possible but crucially important.直到最近，许多心理健康专家还认为追求幸福是一个愚蠢的错误。他们大多把精力和注意力集中在患有抑郁和焦虑等疾病的人身上，或者用来缓解绝望，而不是增进福祉。但这一切都开始改变了。“积极心理学”的支持者认为，幸福是一个人们可以而且应该为之努力的目标。他们相信这不仅是可能的，而且至关重要。由此可以看出心理健康研究要转移重点到追求幸福上，故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据文章Although money tops many people’s wish lists, study after study has found that once basic needs are met, additional wealth doesn’t add much to people’s sense of well-being and contentment. 虽然金钱是许多人的头号愿望，但一项又一项的研究发现，一旦基本需求得到满足，再多的财富也不会给人们带来多大的幸福感和满足感。由此可知D选项说财富在人们的幸福感和满足感中始终起着重要的作用，不符合文章的表述，故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据文章This doesn’t mean that finding happiness is easy—a variety of obstacles stands in the way. The first, perhaps the biggest, is genetics. 这并不意味着寻找幸福是容易的——有各种各样的障碍挡在路上。第一个，也许是最大的，是基因。 Major life events as well as social and economic factors can also stand in the way of happiness. 生活中的重大事件以及社会和经济因素也会阻碍幸福。从第三段的第一句话可以得知答案。由此可知，寻找幸福的阻碍不包括情绪因素，故选A。

4.细节理解题。最后一段Experts in the field of positive psychology still believe it’s possible for people to push their happiness upward—not just temporarily but over the long term. 积极心理学领域的专家仍然相信，人们有可能提升自己的幸福感——努力不仅仅是暂时的，而是长期的。

由此可知追求幸福的本质要靠长期的努力。故选C。