| A．Which countries are similar? | B．How to fix things? |
| C．How to keep fit? | D．Who are facing these problems? |
2 . The idea that richer countries are happier may seem obvious. However, in 1974, research by economist Richard Easterlin found otherwise. He discovered that while individuals with higher incomes were more likely to be happy, this did not hold at a national level. In the United States, for example, average income per person rose steadily between 1946 and 1970, but reported happiness levels showed no positive long-term trend; in fact, they declined between 1060 and 1970. These differences between nation-level and individual results gave rise to the term “Easterlin paradox”: the idea that a higher rate of economic growth does not result in higher long-term happiness.
Recent research has challenged the Easternlin paradox, however. In 2013, sociologists Ruut Veenhoven conducted a study using statistics from the World Database of Happiness. Their analysis revealed a positive correlation between economic growth and happiness. Another study found that there is no maximum wealth threshold at which more money ceases to bring you happiness: “If there is a satiation point, we are yet to reach it.” The study’s findings suggested that every extra dollar you earn makes you happier.
According to psychologists Selin Kesebir, happiness also depends on how your income compares to the people around you. They argue that a country’s economic growth only makes its citizens happier if wealth is evenly distributed. In emerging countries with high income inequality—where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer—average happiness tends to drop because only relatively few people benefit from the economic prosperity. This suggests that governments should consider implementing policies to ensure equal distribution of wealth. The happier people are, the more productive they are likely to become, thus leading to improved economic outcomes at the individual and national levels.
There is continuing debate about the link between wealth and happiness, with arguments both for and against the notion that richer countries are happier. However, it is clear that wealth alone isn’t enough to make us happy. The effect of income inequality on happiness shows that happiness is a social responsibility. We need to remember the positive effects of generosity and building social connections. Perhaps our focus should be less on how much money we have, and more on how we use it.
1. According to the passage, Easterlin Paradox refers to ________.| A．The fact that the more money people have, the happier they will feel |
| B．The suggestion that money should be given the top priority |
| C．The question how economic outcomes are distributed nationwide |
| D．The opinion that higher income doesn’t necessarily bring happiness |
| A．satisfaction | B．controversial | C．central | D．sensitive |
| A．Money not enough. | B．Money not fairly distributed. |
| C．Money not legally earned. | D．Money not properly used. |
| A．What brings happiness | B．Easternlin paradox |
| C．Wealth and Happiness | D．Rising income, rising happiness |
| A. significant B. collection C. safe D. controversy E. tolerance F. majority G. restored H. colonized I. diverse J. negotiated K. shared |
When we visit museums, we see cultural artifacts -from everyday household items to precious carvings and statues, that give us glimpses into the
By the 18th and 19th centuries, European countries such as Britain, France and the Netherlands had
In 2017, the Government of Benin in West Africa
The debate regarding this issue took a turn in 2018 when under President Emmanuel Macron a report was released that directed that all heritage objects brought to French museums (without the permission of their original countries) be
Those who propose returning these objects to their original homes argue that with technology enabling virtual museum tours, returning these artifacts to their homeland does not take away the opportunity to learn about them. Furthermore, the country of origin will receive a
| A．Misunderstanding of family life. |
| B．Rapid economic development in Britain. |
| C．The liberation movement of British women. |
| D．Reasons for changes in family life in Britain. |
| A．Because millions of men died in the war. |
| B．Because women had proved their worth. |
| C．Because women were more skillful than men. |
| D．Because factories preferred to employ women. |
| A．The attitudes towards religion. |
| B．The effective way of birth control. |
| C．The concepts of authority and tradition. |
| D．The idea of “the family” as a social unit. |
| A．$10,000. | B．$30,000. | C．$20,000. | D．$5,000. |
| A．Mary applied for the loan from a bank. |
| B．Mary did a very good job at university. |
| C．Mary’s uncle found a good job for her. |
| D．Mary’s uncle assisted her in college education. |
| A．The man likes the woman’s new job. | B．The man hopes to be a math teacher. |
| C．The woman likes math and science. | D．The woman is the man’s teacher. |
I joined a crowd that ran from terminal to terminal in search of a flight out. Eventually, I found six strangers willing to rent a van with me. We drove through the night to Washington, where I took a train the rest of the way to Providence.
The real problem, of course, is that incidents like this happen every day, to everyone who flies, more and more often. It really gets to me, though, because for eight years I was on the other side, as a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines(TWA).
I know the days are gone when attendants could be written up if we did not put the lines napkins with the TWA logo in the lower right-hand corner of the first-class diners’ trays. As are the days when there were three dinner options on flights from Boston to Los Angeles in economy class. When, once, stuck on a tarmac (机场停机坪) in Newark for four hours, a planeload of passengers got McDonald’s hamburgers and fries by thoughtfulness of the airline.
I have experienced the decline of service along with the rest of the flying public. But I believe everything will change little by little, because I remember the days when to fly was to soar (翱翔). The airlines, and their employees, took pride in how their passengers were treated. And I think the days are sure to come back one day in the near future.
1. Many people crowded the terminal because ________.| A．they were ready to board on the planes |
| B．something was wrong with the terminal |
| C．the flights to the Northeast were canceled |
| D．the gate agent wouldn’t help the passengers |
| A．by air | B．by van | C．by train | D．by underground |
| A．Incidents happened to those who fly quite often. |
| B．The writer used to be a flight attendant for Trans-World Airlines. |
| C．Even a small mistake might cause complaints from passengers in the past. |
| D．McDonald’s hamburgers and fries were among regular dinner options. |
| A．The writer lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. |
| B．The writer thought the service was not as good as it used to be. |
| C．The writer with other passengers waited to be picked up patiently. |
| D．Passengers would feel proud of how they were treated on the plane. |
