题目内容
Wealth and ________(地位)is not the most important thing for him. |
position |
A woman came out of her house and saw three old men sitting in her front yard. She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be 36. Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?” they asked. "No", she replied, "He's out." "Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her 37 came home, she told him what had happened. "Go tell them I am home and invite them in!" The woman went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a 38 together," they replied. "Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men gave an 39 that their names were Wealth, 40 and Love. Then he added, "Now go in and 41 with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was 42and he suggested inviting Wealth to fill their home with money,talking and laughing.“With riches,we buy new houses,expensive furniture,and colourful clothing. We will look much better in the eyes of both ourselves and our neighbours ”he said. And his wife wanted to invite Health; but their daughter-in-law 43 they should invite Love so that their home would be full of warmth. “With that,we will feel much better in our family and our neighbourhood as well. That’s of more importance.”she argued. 44 the husband said to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman 45 and asked the three old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love 46 and started walking toward the house.
The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Health: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied 47: "If you had invited Wealth or Health, the other two of us would have stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Health!"
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There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.
People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, offend (hurt) many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing(批评) and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation(模仿). It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors(拥有者). The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.
Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people offend(冒犯) many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact(接触) with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.
【小题1】People who are unhappy________.
A.always consider things differently from others |
B.usually are affected by the results of certain things |
C.always discover the unpleasant side of certain things |
D.usually misunderstand what others think or say |
A.make others unhappy | B.have a good taste with social life |
C.tend to scold others openly | D.enjoy the pleasure of life |
A.we should pity all such unhappy people |
B.people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
C.such unhappy people are dangerous to social life |
D.unhappy people can not understand happy persons |
A.describes two types of people |
B.suggests the unhappy people should get rid of the habit of unhappiness |
C.laughs at the unhappy people |
D.tells people how to be happy in life |
Over the last 70 years, researchers have been studying happy and unhappy people and finally found out ten factors that make a difference. Our feelings of well-being at any moment are determined to a certain degree by genes. However, of all the factors, wealth and age are the top two.
Money can buy a degree of happiness. But once you can afford to feed, clothe and house yourself , each extra dollar makes less and less difference.
Researchers find that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But the link between money and happiness is complex. In the past half-century, average income has sharply increased in developed countries, yet happiness levels have remained almost the same. Once your basic needs are met, money only seems to increase happiness if you have more than your friends, neighbors and colleagues.
“Dollars buy status, and status makes people feel better,” conclude some experts, which helps explain why people who can seek status in other ways---scientists or actors, for example—may happily accept relatively poorly-paid jobs.
In a research, Professor Alex Michalos found that the people whose desires—not just for money, but for friends, family, job, health—rose furthest beyond what they already had, tended to be less happy than those who felt a smaller gap. Indeed, the size of the gap predicted happiness about five times better than income alone. “The gap measures just blow away the only measures of income.” Says Michalos.
Another factor that has to do with happiness is age. Old age may not be so bad. “Given all the problems of aging, how could the elderly be more satisfied?” asks Professor Laura Carstensen.
In one survey, Carstensen interviewed 184 people between the ages of 18 and 94, and asked them to fill out an emotions questionnaire. She found that old people reported positive emotions just as often as young people, but negative emotions much less often.
Why are old people happier? Some scientists suggest older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more realistic about their goals, only setting ones that they know they can achieve. But Carstensen thinks that with time running out, older people have learned to focus on things that make them happy and let go of those that don’t. “People realize not only what they have, but also that what they have cannot last forever,” she says. “A goodbye kiss to a husband or wife at the age of 85, for example, may bring far more complex emotional responses than a similar kiss to a boy or girl friend at the age of 20.
【小题1】According to the passage, the feeling of happiness ________.
A.is determined partly by genes | B.increases gradually with age |
C.has little to do with wealth | D.is measured by desires |
A.make them feel much better | B.provide chances to make friends |
C.improve their social position | D.satisfy their professional interests |
A.optimistic | B.successful | C.practical | D.emotional |
A.the gap between reality and desire is bigger |
B.they have a stronger desire for friendship |
C.their income is below their expectation |
D.the hope for good health is greater |