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¡¡¡¡Text 4

¡¡¡¡The upstart science of happiness mixes psychology with economics. Its adherents start with copious survey data, such as those derived from the simple, casual question concerning happiness put to thousands of Americans every year or two since 1972. Some of the results are unsurprising: the rich report being happier than do the poor. But a paradox emerges that requires explanation: affluent countries have not got much happier as they have grown richer. From America to Japan, figures for wellª²being have barely changed.

¡¡¡¡The science of happiness offers two explanations for the paradox. Capitalism, it notes, is adept as turning luxuries into necessities¡ªbringing to the masses what the elites have always enjoyed. But the negative aspect of this genius is that people come to take for granted things they once coveted from afar. Ornaments they never thought they could have become essentials that they can¡¯t do without. People are stuck on a treadmill: as they achieve a better standard of living, they become insensitive to its pleasures.

¡¡¡¡Capitalism¡¯s ability to take things downª²market also has its limits. Many of the things people most prize¡ªsuch as the top jobs, the best education, or an exclusive home address¡ªare luxuries by necessity. An elite schooling, for example, cease to be so if it is provided to everyone. These ¡°luxuries¡± as they are called, are in fixed supply: you can enjoy them only if others do not. The amount of money and efforts required to grab them depends on how much your rivals are putting in.

¡¡¡¡Take work, for instance. In 1930 John Maynard Keynes imagined that richer societies would become more leisured ones, liberated from toil to enjoy the finer things in life. Yet most people still put in a decent shift. They work hard to afford things they think will make them happy, only to discover the fruits of their labor sour quickly. They also aspire to a higher place in this fierce society, but in so doing force others in the rat race to run faster to keep up. So everyone loses.

¡¡¡¡Yet it is not selfª²evident that less work would mean more happiness. In America, when the working week has shortened, the gap has been filled by endless TVª²watching. As for wellª²being, other studies show that elderly people who stop working tend to die sooner than their peers who labor on. Indeed, another side of happiness economics busies itself studying the nonª²monetary rewards from work: most people enjoy parts of their work, and some people love it.

¡¡¡¡36. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?

¡¡¡¡[A] The science of happiness is based on the yearly survey results.

¡¡¡¡[B] Turning luxuries to necessities no longer brings great pleasure.

¡¡¡¡[C] The increase of wealth is inevitable in making people happy.

¡¡¡¡[D] The American masses can only dream what the elites have enjoyed.

¡¡¡¡37. What does the author mean by ¡°People are stuck on a treadmill¡±( Last sentence Paragraph 2)?

¡¡¡¡[A] A better life standard brings about American indifference to happiness.

¡¡¡¡[B] The rising living standard provides people with increasing pleasures.

¡¡¡¡[C] It is human nature to get tired of necessities that can easily be won.

¡¡¡¡[D] People take for granted that wellª²being is dependent on wealth.

¡¡¡¡38. Which of the following statement is True according to the text?

¡¡¡¡[A] Figures for happiness have changed in some developed countries.

¡¡¡¡[B] An elite schooling means what most people can enjoy but you can¡¯t.

¡¡¡¡[C] Most Americans can obtain the top jobs and the best education.

¡¡¡¡[D] Capitalism plays a role in affecting people¡¯s attitude toward happiness.

¡¡¡¡39. In the last two paragraphs the author uses the example of ¡°work¡± to

¡¡¡¡[A] praise the benefits of richer and more leisured societies.

¡¡¡¡[B] stress the importance of hard work in our life.

¡¡¡¡[C] illustrate the topic of what may make people happier.

¡¡¡¡[D] explain why competition is essential in our modern world.

¡¡¡¡40. The author ends the passage with the implication that

¡¡¡¡[A] less work provides people with happiness.

¡¡¡¡[B] more TV¨Cwatching diverts Americans most.

¡¡¡¡[C] work can bring people more rewards besides money.

¡¡¡¡[D] work is more inclined to make elderly people die sooner.