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.

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

2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs_____.

A.make them feel much better               B.provide chances to make friends

C.improve their social position               D.satisfy their professional interests

3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more______.

A.optimistic         B.successful         C.practical          D.emotional

4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if _______.

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

 

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 desire-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(差距). 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.”

1.According to the passage, the feeling of happiness __________.

A.has little to do with wealth                B.increases gradually with age

C.is determined partly by genes              D.is measured by desires

2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ____________.

A.make them feel much better               B.improve their social position

C.provide chances to make friends            D.satisfy their professional interests

3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more _________.

A.optimistic         B.successful         C.practical          D.emotional

4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if __________.

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

 

Expressions about water are mostly as common as water itself.

The expression “to be in hot water” is one of them. It is a very old expression. Hot water was used five hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle. That no longer happens. But we still get “in hot water”. When we are in hot water, we are in trouble. It can be any kind of trouble, serious or not so serious. A person who breaks a law can be in hot water with the police. A young boy can be in hot water with his mother if he walks in the house with dirty shoes.

“Being in deep water” is somewhat like being in hot water. When you are in deep water, you are in a difficult position. Imagine a person who can not swim being thrown in water over his head. You are in deep water when you are facing a problem that you don’t have the ability to solve. You can be in deep water, for example, if you invest in stocks without knowing anything about the stock market.

“To keep your head above water” is a colorful expression that means staying out of debt. A company seeks to keep its head above water during economic hard times. A man who loses his job tries to keep his head above water until he finds a new job.

“Water over the dam” is another expression about past events. It is something that is finished, and cannot be changed. The expression comes from the idea that water has floated over a dam and cannot be brought back again. When a friend is troubled by a mistake he or she has made, you might tell him or her to forget about it. You say it is water over the dam.

Another common expression “to hold water” is about the strength or weakness of an idea or opinion that you may be arguing about . It probably comes from a way of testing the condition of a container. If it can hold water, it is strong and does not have any holes; if it does not hold water, then, it is weak and not worth debating.

“Throwing cold water” also is an expression that deals with ideas or proposals. For example, you want to buy a new car because the old one has some problems, but your wife throws cold water on the idea because she says a new car costs too much.

60. Don’t cheat in this exam! Or you’ll      if you are caught cheating by the teacher.

A. be in hot wate                  B. have to hold water

C . be in deep water                 D. keep your head above water

61.The expression using water in Paragraph       has almost the same meaning as “Things done cannot be undone.”

A. 3    B. 4   C . 5    D. 6

62. We can see from this passage that many of the expressions using water have         meanings.

A. double   B. unpleasant   C . close   D. moral

63.The best title for this passage should be         .

A. The history of water         B. Cold water or hot water

C . Water and it culture         D. Expressions concerning water

 

    On April twenty-second, some American children stayed out of school but they were not punished. They were with their parents. As Faith Lapidus tells us, it was Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day.

 The Ms. Foundation for Women started the program seventeen years ago, in 1993. At first it was just called Take Our Daughters to Work. Gloria Steinem and other foundation leaders pointed to studies showing that self-image suffers as girls become teenagers. They can lose trust in their abilities and intelligence, especially in areas like science, math and technology. So the Ms. Foundation planned a day for parents in New York City to show girls all the possibilities for them in the professional world. But there was so much interest, the organizers decided to make it national.

At first, girls mostly followed their mom or dad around at work to learn about their jobs. Later, employers and schools began to offer organized activities. But from the beginning there were protests(反对) from parents and others about the exception of boys. So in 2003 the day was renamed Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work.

2007 was the last year that the Ms. Foundation for Women headed the program. Now, the event is run by a twelve-person group called the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Foundation.

The event is connected with Mattel, the company that makes Barbie dolls.

Carolyn McKecuen is president of the foundation. She says a total of about thirty-three million children and adults are involved in the program. About one-third of the adults work at large companies or nonprofit organizations. Another third are in small businesses. The rest work in education.

Carolyn McKecuen says the numbers from this year's event are not final yet. But early reports suggest that participation was up at least ten percent from last year. And she says the foundation is hoping to find support to expand the program internationally. She says there are lots of requests from other countries for information about how to set up similar programs.

1.It was called Take Our Daughters to Work at first because ______.

A. girls are considered to be clever than boys  

B. girls are considered to be more foolish than boys

C. girls aren’t confident in some areas as they becomes older

D. girls don’t want to learn some science subjects

2.Why was the day renamed as Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day later?

A. Because some parents were against only girls’ having the chance.

B. Because some parents wouldn’t like to take their daughters to work.

C. Because some employers were against parents’ taking their children to work.

D. Because some schools didn’t want to give any students’ time to leave school.

3.How many years did the Ms. Foundation for Women head the program?

A. 17     B. 18       C. 14    D. 10

4.From this passage we can learn ______.

A. April twenty-second is a day for some American children to stay out of school for punishment 

B. the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is a national in America

C. Mattel is the president of the foundation whose company makes Barbie dolls

D. Lots of other countries want to set up similar programs for parents and children

5.The last paragraph shows that ______.

A. the program becomes more and more welcome

B. the program will come an end without international support

C. the program has been copied by many other countries

D. Carolyn McKecuen wants more and more children to take part in the program

 

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 desire-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(差距). 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 times 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.”

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

2.Some actors would like to accept poorly-paid jobs because the jobs ____________.

A.make them feel much better

B.provide chances to make friends

C.improve their social position

D.satisfy their professional interests

3.Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more _________.

A.optimistic

B.successful

C.practical

D.emotional

4.Professor Alex Michalos found that people feel less happy if __________.

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

 

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