Question

【题目】When asked about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, an absolute delight, which seems to get rarer the older we get.

For kids, happiness has a magical quality. Their delight at winning a race or getting a new bike is unreserved (毫不掩饰的).

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.

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 lunch-box and had the house to myself. Then I spent an uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids and my husband came home, I 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 self-conscious 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 happens to us. It’s the skillful way of finding a positive for every negative. It’s not wishing for what we don’t have, but enjoying what we do possess.

【1】As people grow older, they .

A. associate their happiness less with others B. feel it harder to experience happiness

C. will take fewer risks in pursuing happiness D. tend to believe responsibility means happiness

【2】What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 5 and 6?

A. She cares little about her own health. B. She enjoys the freedom of traveling.

C. She is easily pleased by 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’ case.

C. Grandma often found time for social gatherings.

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

【4】What can be concluded from the passage?

A. Happiness lies between the positive and the negative.

B. Each man is the master of his own fate.

C. Happy is he who is content.

D. Success leads to happiness.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】 B

【2】 C

【3】 D

【4】 C

【解析】

本文是一篇议论文，文章讨论了什么是幸福？幸福不是希望得到自己所没有的东西，而是享受自己已经拥有的东西。也就是说幸福的人是那些对自己已经拥有的事物感觉满意的人。

【1】推理判断题。根据第一段“When asked about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, an absolute delight, which seems to get rarer the older we get.”可知幸福是一种快乐，我们越老这种快乐就原少。也就是说人们越老，越难以体验到幸福。故B项正确。

【2】推理判断题。根据第五段前两句“My definition of happiness is “the capacity for enjoyment”. The more we can enjoy what we have, the happier we are.”可知作者对幸福的定义是快乐的能力，对于自己拥有的东西越是喜欢，我们越是快乐。再根据第六段所列举事例可知生活中一点点的小事都可以让作者非常快乐。说明作者对生活中的事情非常容易满足。故C项正确。

【3】推理判断题。根据第七段前两句“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.”可知心理学家认为要想幸福我们需要奢侈的时间和令人满意的工作，而作者的奶奶的幸福与之相反，第一句中提到的这两种东西她都没有，她也很幸福。说明她的幸福来自生活中最朴素的东西。故D项正确。

【4】推理判断题。根据文章最后一句“It’s not wishing for what we don’t have, but enjoying what we do possess.”可知幸福不是希望得到自己所没有的东西，而是享受自己已经拥有的东西。也就是说幸福的人是那些对自己已经拥有的事物感觉满意的人。故C项正确。