When asked about happiness,we usually think of something ex?traordinary,an absolute delight,which seems to get rarer the older we get.

  For kids,happiness has a magical quality. Their delight at win?ning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫无掩饰的) .

  In the teenage years the concept of happiness changes. Suddenly it's conditional on such things as excitement,love and popularity. I can still recall the excitement of being invited to dance with the most attractive boy at the school party.

In adulthood the things that bring deep joy―love,marriage,birth―also bring responsibility and the risk of loss. For adults,happiness is complicated (复杂的) .

  My definition of happiness is "the capacity for enjoyment". The more we can enjoy what we have,the happier we are. It's easy to overlook the pleasure we get from the company of friends,the freedom to live where we please,and even good health.

  I experienced my little moments of pleasure yesterday. First I was overjoyed when I shut the last lunchbox and had the house to myself. Then I spent an unin?terrupted morning writing,which I love. When the kids and my husband came home,1 enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.

  Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a mix of enjoyable leisure time and satisfying work. I don't think that my grandmother,who raised 14 children,had much of either. She did have a network of close friends and family,and maybe this is what satisfied her.

  We,however,with so many choices and such pressure to succeed in every area* have turned happiness into one more thing we've got to have. We're so selfcon?scious about our "right" to it that it's making us miserable. So we chase it and equal it with wealth and success,without noticing that the people who have those things aren't necessarily happier.

  Happiness isn't about what happens to us―it's about how we see what hap?pens to us. It's the skilful way of finding a positive for every negative. It's not wish?ing for what we don't have,but enjoying what we do possess.

1. As people grow older,they         .

   A. feel it harder to experience happiness

   B. associate their happiness less with others

   C. will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness

   D. tend to believe responsibility means happiness

2. What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 5 and 6?

   A. She cares little about her own health.

   B. She enjoys the freedom of travelling.

   C. She is easily pleased by little things in daily life.

   D. She prefers getting pleasure from housework.

3. What can be inferred from Paragraph 7?

   A. Psychologists think satisfying work is key to happiness.

   B. Psychologists' opinion is well proved by Grandma's case.

   C. Grandma often found time for social gatherings.

   D. Grandma's happiness came from modest expectations of life.

4. People who equal happiness with wealth and success         .

   A. consider pressure something blocking their way

   B. stress their right to happiness too much

   C. are at a loss to make correct choices

   D. are more likely to be happy

   I have been driving for over 30 years,but I can still remember what happened that day when I drove a car for the first time. My mum had driven our big Plymouth to a 27       and deserted back road and 28        it. It was a oneway road and had a 29       built with river rocks along the side of it,but Mum knew there was little 30        of meeting any traffic on it that day. With a smile,she gave me the key and 31        seats with me. And then she told me to 32        the car,to put it into drive and to 33        push on the gas pedal.

  In spite of excitement,I 34       what "gently" meant.  After I pushed on the gas pedal,the car sped 35       . Before I could turn the 36       ,I heard the scratch of metal against the stone wall. I 37       the car and looked over at Mum. Her face was 38        and her hands were trembling. Slowly,she opened her door and began checking the car. Then she walked 39        around the car to the drivers side door. I kept waiting for her to 40        at me but she just 41        and said, "Well,that's enough for today. We'll try again tomorrow."

  As I 42        that day,I am amazed at the 43       amount of kindness,love and 44        my mum showed me. In the years that followed,I messed up many times in many ways. Often I didn't feel worthy to be 45       ,but each time I could feel Mum's gentle voice, "We'll try again tomorrow."When we fall today,don't stay 46      Rise up and be ready to try again tomorrow.

27. A. steep   B. narrow   C. crowded   D. loose

28. A. unloaded   B. equipped   C. repaired   D. parked

29. A. wall   B. fence   C. pole   D. bridge

30. A. choice   B. challenge   C. chance   D. task

31. A. took   B. booked   C. switched   D. adjusted

32. A. wash   B. start   C. wipe   D. push

33. A. quickly   B. heavily   C. urgently   D. gently

34. A. caught   B. misunderstood   C. guessed   D. questioned

35. A. forward   B. upward

   C. backward   D. downward

36. A. door   B. key   C. wheel   D. mirror

37. A. sped   B. tested   C. moved   D. stopped

38. A. pale   B. rough   C. calm   D. tired

39. A. angrily   B. quietly   C. casually   D. bravely

40. A. whisper   B. glare   C. shout   D. cry

41. A. apologized   B. blamed   C. complained   D. sighed

42. A. look back on   B. make up for   C. look forward to   D. put up with

43. A. small   B. huge

   C. equal   D. concrete

44. A. courage   B. ability   C. patience   D. doubt

45. A. forgiven   B. praised   C. motivated   D. ignored

46. A. up   B. away   C. aside   D. down

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