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, Some scientists suggest
older people may expect life to be harder and learn to live with it, or they’re more
realistic about their 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.”
57．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
58．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
59．Aged people are more likely to feel happy because they are more A．optimistic B．successful C．practical D．emotional
60．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
第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）