题目内容
You hear the comment all the time: the U.S. economy looks good by figures, but it doesn’t feel good. Why doesn’t ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 of The Wealthy Society by John Kenneth Galbraith, who died recently at 97.
The Wealthy Society is a modern classic because it helped describe a new moment in the human condition. For most of history, “hunger, sickness, and cold” threatened nearly everyone, Galbraith wrote. “Poverty (贫穷) was found everywhere in that world. Obviously it is not of ours.” After World War II, the fear of another Great Depression gave way to an economic growth. In the 1930s unemployment had averaged 18.2 percent; in the 1950s it was 4.5 percent.
To Galbraith, materialism (物质主义) had gone mad and would cause discontent. Through advertising, companies conditioned consumers to buy things they didn’t really want or need. Because so much spending was artificial, it would be unsatisfying. Meanwhile, government spending that would make everyone better off was being cut down because people wrongly considered government only as “a necessary bad.”
It’s often said that only the rich are getting ahead; everyone else is standing still or falling behind. Well, there are many undeserving rich — overpaid chief managers, for instance. But over any meaningful period, most people’s incomes are increasing. From 1995 to 2004, people feel “squeezed” because their rising incomes often don’t satisfy their rising wants — for bigger homes, more health care, more education, and faster Internet connections.
The other great disappointment is that it has not got rid of insecurity. People regard job stability as part of their standard of living. As company unemployment increased, that part has gradually become weaker. More workers fear they’ve become “the disposable American,” as Louis Uchitelle puts it in his book by the same name.
Because so much previous suffering and social conflict resulted from poverty, the arrival of widespread wealth suggested utopian (乌托邦式的) possibilities. Up to a point, wealth succeeds. There is much less physical suffering than before. People are better off. Unfortunately, wealth also creates new complaints.
Advanced societies need economic growth to satisfy the multiplying wants of their citizens. But the search for growth cause new anxieties and economic conflicts that disturb the social order. Wealth sets free the individual, promising that everyone can choose a unique way to self-accomplishment. But the promise is so unreasonable that it leads to many disappointments and sometimes inspires choices that have anti-social consequences, including family breakdown. Figures indicate that happiness has not risen with incomes.
Should we be surprised? Not really. We’ve simply confirmed an old truth: the seeking of wealth does not always end with happiness.
【小题1】The Wealthy Society is a book ________.
A.about poverty in the past |
B.written by Louis Uchitelle |
C.indicating that people are becoming worse off |
D.about why happiness does not rise with wealth |
A.materialism has run wild in modern society |
B.they are in fear of another Great Depression |
C.public spending hasn’t been cut down as expected |
D.the government has proved to be necessary but ugly |
A.They think there are too many overpaid rich. |
B.There is more unemployment in modern society. |
C.Their material demands go faster than their earnings. |
D.Health care and educational cost have somehow gone out of control. |
A.People with a stable job. |
B.Workers who no longer have secure jobs. |
C.Those who see job stability as part of their living standard. |
D.People who have a sense of security because of their rising incomes. |
A.Stability and security. |
B.Materialism and content. |
C.A sense of self-accomplishment. |
D.New anxiety, conflicts and complaints. |
【小题1】D
【小题2】A
【小题3】C
【小题4】B
【小题5】D
解析试题分析:本文论述了美国人的生活现状,现在虽然人们富裕了,而人们的幸福指数却不高,这是什么原因呢?本文主要论述的原因是经济增长了,人们的收入提高了,但是随之人们的物质欲望却更高了,远远地超过了他们的购买力。这就引起了新的问题,人们出现了新的焦虑、矛盾及抱怨等。因此现在的人们感觉不到幸福。
【小题1】这是细节理解题。根据Why doesn’t ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 of The Wealthy Society by John Kenneth Galbraith, who died recently at 97.人们富裕了,却感受不到幸福,故选D。
【小题2】这是细节理解题。根据To Galbraith, materialism (物质主义) had gone mad and would cause discontent. 因为人们的物质欲望更强,即使富裕了,还是感觉不到幸福,故选A。
【小题3】这是细节理解题。根据because their rising incomes often don’t satisfy their rising wants — for bigger homes, more health care, more education, and faster Internet connections.因为人们的物质欲望远远超过了他们的收入,所以人们感觉日子过的很紧,故选C。
【小题4】这是细节理解题。根据The other great disappointment is that it has not got rid of insecurity. People regard job stability as part of their standard of living. 他们的工作不稳定,故选B。
【小题5】这是细节理解题。根据wealth also creates new complaints. But the search for growth cause new anxieties and economic conflicts that disturb the social order.财富的增长引起了新的焦虑、矛盾及抱怨,故选D。
考点:这是一篇社会类的文章。
点评:做细节理解题需要阅读时对某些细节仔细琢磨。尤其应注意有些表明作者观点词汇,如形容词、副词等。相对而言较简单,因为这类题虽然要求理解准确,但基本上限于字面意义的理解,范围也限于局部,因此是我们可望得高分的部分。
A. Decide to Be Happy B. Lower Your Expectations C. Learn to Enjoy the Moment D. Look for the Good in Everything E. Let People Deal with Their Own Problems F. Focus More on What You Can Control Than on What You Can’t |
So many times I hear people say that they will be happy once a certain event occurs. They think that once they move into a new house, start their new job, travel or retire they will be happy. But it doesn’t work that way.
If you truly want to be happy, here’s what to do.
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You are not just a victim of circumstances or your emotions. Think about it this way. If you are in a horrible argument with someone, and the person you most respect enters the room, what will happen? The fighting will likely stop immediately, your mood will change, and so will your behavior. You do have control, and you are the one who decides how you will face the day!
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We are never disappointed unless we have expectations. If you base your emotions on the need for certain things to happen, you will likely be let down most of the time. Instead, work hard, and treat everything good that happens as a bonus for which you can be thankful.
3 |
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Don’t get too wrapped up in issues involving friends or family. We are each responsible for our own lives, and even when someone makes a bad mistake, it is not up to you to make things better. And remember that worry doesn’t help anyone!
4 |
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You might not be satisfied with your income, but there’s no point complaining about it. Improve your diploma so that you can get a better job in the future. You may have an incurable illness, such as diabetes, but the fact that it’s incurable doesn’t mean that it cannot be managed.
5 |
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You don’t have to be a Pollyanna(盲目乐观者)about life, but you can see the bright side of almost every situation if you just make a point of looking for it. Happiness is not an uncatchable mouse! Once you have made up your mind that you are going to be happy despite what is going on around you, the task becomes easier. One of the key things to remember is that happiness doesn’t come from outside but begins on the inside and actually spread outward, and can influence everyone around you in a positive manner.
Every Friday we have a fire alarm test at nine o'clock sharp, and even though the sound is very noisy, I am so happy because when I heard that it reminded me today is Friday and tomorrow is weekend, it is the last working day of the week and I have two days off, it’s so excited!Sometimes we have a fire drill, when you hear the fire alarm, everybody have to run out through the fire exit.
One Monday at nine o’clock, the alarm was sounded and I was working behind the fish house and didn’t hear it. The department manager and staff were looking for me thoroughly, finally they found me and asked me to stop my job and follow them went out.
"I am busy, No problem! You leave, I work." I said.
"No, this is the law, everybody has to leave." The manager said.
I understood that if I insisted not to leave, they must carry me out. I went out with them together finally, no choice.
One afternoon, when I was working outside, the fire alarm cropped up(突然出现) sounding wildly, nobody knew what’s happening, some were standing and looking around, some were asking questions, some were running, I knew this wasn’t a test or drill, must be a real one. At that moment, one lady called me from a distance:"Jinglebell: leave your job, go out quickly."I joined the crowded flow of customers and staff going out. I asked somebody what's happened? And they told me this is a real one as there was some smoke on the shop floor.Finally I found out, actually there was no problem, that it was an electrician who used the equipment for the carpet and made a little smoke.
After that I asked somebody how to deal with the customer’s food in the restaurant in that case, because they went out to leave because of the fire, but hadn't finished their food. They told me that the customers who had bought food or drinks there could get a new one.
I don't understand, if in China, under that situation, everybody must carry a bucket(桶) or some other water containers to the fire spot, to fight the flames.
I agree with the English emphasis the human right, but maybe a very small problem could become a big problem while everybody had withdrawn from the shop, because the fire fighters could not come at once.
I was just thinking.
1.Despite the noise from the fire alarm, the author still feels happy because _____.
A.the noise lasts too long |
B.the noise is not too loud |
C.the noise reminds the author of the coming of weekend |
D.the author often ignores it when working |
2.If there is a fire breaking out in a restaurant, what will happen in China?
A.people will go out to leave |
B.people will scream and cry in panic |
C.people will not leave until they finish their food |
D.people will carry a basket or some water containers to help put out the flames |
3.What’s the author’s attitude to the human right?
A.Approval |
B.Rejection |
C.Neutral |
D.Not mentioned |
4.Why does the author think that a very small problem may become a big one while everybody had withdrawn from the shop?
A.Because the author thinks the fire is dangerous |
B.Because the author thinks the fire spreads fast |
C.Because the author thinks the fire fighters could not come at once |
D.Because the author thinks the human right is important |