The Pursuit of Happiness

"New research uncovers some anti-intuitive insights into how many people are happy - and why."

Compared with misery, happiness is a relatively unexplored terrain for social scientists. Between
1967 and 1994, 46,380 articles indexed in Psychological Abstracts mentioned depression, 36,851 anxiety,
and 5,099 anger. Only 2,389 spoke of happiness, 2,340 life satisfaction, and 405 joy.
joy.
Recently we and other researchers have begun a systematic study of happiness. During the past two
decades, dozens of investigators throughout the world have asked several hundred
thousand Representative sampled people to reflect on their happiness and satisfaction with life or what
psychologists call "subjective well-being". In the US the National Opinion Research Center at the
University of Chicago has surveyed a representative sample of roughly 1,500 people a year since 1957; the
Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan has carried out similar studies on a less regular
basis, as has the Gallup Organization. Government-funded efforts have also probed the moods of
European countries.
We have uncovered some surprising findings. People are happier than one might expect, and happiness
does not appear to depend significantly on external circumstances. Although viewing life as a tragedy has
a long and honorable history, the responses of random samples of people around the world about their
happiness paints a much rosier picture. In the University of Chicago surveys, three in
10 Americans say they are very happy, for example. Only one in 10 chooses the most negative description
"not too happy". The majority describe themselves as "pretty happy", ...
How can social scientists measure something as hard to pin down as happiness? Most researchers
simply ask people to report their feelings of happiness or unhappiness and to assess how satisfying their
lives are. Such self-reported well-being is moderately consistent over years of retesting. Furthermore,
those who say they are happy and satisfied seem happy to their close friends and family members and to
a psychologist-interviewer. Their daily mood ratings reveal more positive emotions, and they smile more
than those who call themselves unhappy. Self-reported happiness also predicts other indicators of well-
being. Compared with the depressed, happy people are less self-focused, less hostile and abusive, and less
susceptible to disease.
We have found that the even distribution of happiness cuts across almost all demographic classifications
of age, economic class, race and educational level. In addition, almost all strategies for assessing subjective
well-being - including those that sample people's experience by polling them at random times with
beepers - turn up similar findings. Interviews with representative samples of people of all ages, for
example, reveal that no time of life is notably happier or unhappier. Similarly, men and women are equally
likely to declare themselves "very happy" and "satisfied" with life, according to a statistical digest of 146
studies by Marilyn J, Haring, William Stock and Morris A, Okun, all then at Arizona State University.
Wealth is also a poor predictor of happiness. People have not become happier over time as their
cultures have become more affluent. Even though Americans earn twice as much in today's dollars as they
did in 1957, the proportion of those telling surveyors from the National Opinion Research Center that they
are "very happy" has declined from 35 to 29 percent.
Even very rich people - those surveyed among Forbes magazine's 100 wealthiest Americans - are
only slightly happier than the average American. Those whose income has increased over a 10-year period
are not happier than those whose income is stagnant. Indeed, in most nations the correlation between
income and happiness is negligible - only in the poorest countries, such as Bangladesh and India, is income
a good measure of emotional well-being.
Are people in rich countries happier, by and large, than people in not so rich countries? It appears
in general that they are, but the margin may be slim. In Portugal, for example, only one in 10 people reports
being very happy, whereas in the much more prosperous Netherlands the proportion of very happy is
four in 10. Yet there are curious reversals in this correlation between national wealth and well-being -the
Irish during the 1980s consistently reported greater life satisfaction than the wealthier West Germans.
Furthermore, other factors, such as civil rights, literacy and duration of democratic government, all of
which also promote reported life satisfaction, tend to go hand in hand with national wealth, As a result, it
is impossible to tell whether the happiness of people in wealthier nations is based on money or is a by-
product of other felicities.
 Although happiness is not easy to predict from material circumstances, it seems consistent for
those who have it, In one National Institute on Aging study of 5,000 adults, the happiest people in 1973
were still relatively happy a decade later, despite changes in work, residence and family status.

[ From "The Pursuit of Happiness" by David G, Myers and Ed Diener. Copyright © May 1996 by Scientific American, Inc.
All rights reserved. ]

A - Reading Comprehension

A1 Answer the following questions.

1 What point are the writers making in the opening paragraph?

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2 What do the writers say about their research findings?

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3 Why do you think the income is a factor of happiness in India and Bangladesh?
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4 Do you agree that money doesn’t alter significantly the happiness of people? Justify your answer.
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A2 According to the passage, which of the findings below is quoted by which Investigative
Body? (There are more Investigative Bodies than findings, so you do not have to use all of them.)

1 Happiness is not gender related.

2 Over fifty percent of people consider themselves to be 'happy'.
3 Happiness levels are marginally higher for those in the top income brackets.
4 'Happy' people remain happy throughout their lives.

Investigative Bodies
A The National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago
B Arizona State University
С The Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
D Forbes Magazine
E The National Institute on Aging
F The Gallup Organization
G The Government
 A3 Complete the summary of Reading Passage. There are more words than spaces so you will
not use them all. You may use any of the words more than once.

HOW HAPPY ARE WE?

Example : Answer
Our happiness levels are ... ...... by relatively few factors. Affected

For example, incomes in the States have .................. over the past forty years but happiness levels
have ...................... over the same period. In fact, people on average incomes are only slightly .....................
happy than extremely rich people and a gradual increase in prosperity makes ....................... difference to
how happy we are. In terms of national wealth, populations of wealthy nations are ....................... happier
than those who live in poorer countries. Although in some cases this trend is ...................... and it appears
that other factors need to be considered.

List of Words
Stopped Slightly too great
Doubled Significant similar some
Stabilized Remarkably reversed dropped
No Less much affected
Crept up Slowed down more clearly

A4 Match the definitions to the meanings.

a) I respect myself and I am confident about my

abilities.
1. Self-sacrifice b) We all work together and share the same
2. Commitment aims.
3. Discipline c) I have one aim and I am determined to
4. Self-esteem achieve it.
5. Self-reliance d) I can keep exercising even if I’m tired.
6. Single-mindedness e) I give all my time and hard work to the team.
7. Sportsmanship f) I always put the needs of the group before
8. Stamina my own.
9. Team Spirit g) I have a very strict lifestyle. I always eat
healthy food and train regularly.
h) I don’t depend on others, only on myself.
i) I respect my oponents. I don’t behave badly if
I lose.

A5 Complete the following table.

Noun Adjective Adverb

kind
respect
happiness
sad
beauty
generously
necessary
memorably
 A6 Complete the following sentences.
1. It’s very unlikely that you’re suffering from angina – it’s not _____________ in
Self-diagnosis
young people.
Infection
2. I’m ____________ of seeing lack of sportsmanship in football games.
Stiff
3. You should only take antibiotics if you are sure you have an ________________.
Sensible
4. Yesterday I moved to my new house and carried a lot of heavy boxes and my
Common
back feels very ____________ today.
Linked to
5. Have you never thought your headaches might be ____________ the amount of
coffee you drink? Weary
6. Click here for more _____________ of English exercises. Printouts
7. We hope you’ll be _______________ with this money and don’t spend it all at Appalled
once. Astonished
8. Don’t rely on __________________ and go see a doctor. Cross
9. Drivers get __________________ when other drivers steel the parking space they were going for.
10. I was _________________ when I heard of the violent murders there were on my street when I was
travelling.
11. I was ___________________ when I saw my boyfriend. I was only expecting him to come back for
Christmas. Instead, he came back from the army in the middle of November!

B - Grammar

B1 Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1. Mother: I want to prepare dinner. __________________(you / wash) the dishes yet?
2. Daughter: I _____________ (wash) the dishes yesterday, but I (have / not) ____________ the
time yet to do it today.
3. Mother: ________________________(you / do / already) your homework?
4. Daughter: No, I __________________(come / just) home from school.
5. Mother: You (come) _________________ home from school two hours ago!
6. Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy _____________ (call) when I ____________(arrive) and I
_______________ (finish / just) the phone call.
7. Mother: ________________(you / see / not) Lucy at school in the morning?
8. Daughter: Yes, but we _________________(have / not) time to talk then.

B2 Present Perfect Simple or Present Perfect Continuous

1. I ___________________ (not / do) the housework yet.
2. They ___________________ (study) very hard recently.
3. She ___________________ (promise) to help many times.
4. He ___________________ (clean) the kitchen. Everything is sparkling clean.
5. She ___________________ (write) her essay and ___________________ (send) it to her professor.
6. He ___________________ (see) the film ‘The King’s Speech’ about six times.
7. We ___________________ (paint) our living room. I think it looks a lot better.
8. She ___________________ (take) French lessons lately.
9. It ___________________ (not / rain) for three hours! Only about one hour.
10. Lucy ___________________ (already / leave).
11. How many times ___________________ (you / visit) Scotland?
12. I ___________________ (call) John for hours and hours and he hasn’t answered. I’m really angry
with him!
13. I ___________________ (be) in London for three years.
14. We ___________________ (know) James for ages.
15. It’s really smelly in here. ___________________ (somebody / smoke)?
16. How much petrol ___________________ (she / buy)?
17. She ___________________ (eat) chocolate all morning, so she feels sick.
18. I ___________________ (paint) my house all day, but it’s not finished yet.
19. Julie ___________________ (be) at the office since 6 am.
20. The writer ___________________ (deserve) this award for a long time.
 B3 Fill in with the present perfect, present perfect progressive and the past simple

1. Rafael _________________(go) shopping for me yesterday.

2. Sandra _________________(lend) her brother `£200 so far.
3. The policeman ________________(drive) away ten minutes ago
4. The biscuit factory _________________ close) down last year.
5. She's very red. I think she _________________ (lie) in the sun.
6. Ron__________________(just/ pass) his driving test.
7. Karen ___________________ (study) Italian for three years now and is still studying.
8. The Headmaster _________________(come) to this school in 2004.
9. Jack ___________________(try) to get a job for six months, but is still unemployed.
10. The teacher___________________ (already / tell) him to be quiet.
11. Tim ____________________(not/take) many photos yet.
12. Oh no! I _______________(leave) my purse at home.
13. They __________________(fall) in love with each other at first sight 2 years ago.
14. I don't want to have a bath because I _________________(just / have) a shower.
15. I'm sorry I__________________ (forget) your name. What did you say it was?

C - Writing

Write a letter to a friend telling him your news or a recent activity you have started. Don’t forget to
use the Past Simple, Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous. Use sentence, manner and
degree adverbs as well.

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 Texto Answer:
28 С 29 D 30 В 31 В 32 A 33 D 34 E 35 doubled 36 dropped 37 less 38 no 39 slightly 40 reversed

B1 Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or present perfect simple).
1. Mother: I want to prepare dinner. Have you washed the dishes yet?
2. Daughter: I washed the dishes yesterday, but I have not had the time yet to do it today.
3. Mother: Have you already done your homework?
4. Daughter: No, I have just come home from school.
5. Mother: You came home from school two hours ago!
6. Daughter: Well, but my friend Lucy called when I arrived and I have just finished the
phone call.
7. Mother: Didn't you see Lucy at school in the morning?
8. Daughter: Yes, but we did not have time to talk then.

B3 1. Rafael went (go) shopping for me yesterday.

2. Sandra has lent (lend) her brother `£200 so far.
3. The policeman drove (drive) away ten minutes ago.
4. The biscuit factory closed(close) down last year.
5. She's very red. I think she has been lying (lie) in the sun.
6. Ron has just passed (just/ pass) his driving test.
7. Karen has been studying (study) Italian for three years now and is still studying.
8. The Headmaster came (come) to this school in 2004.
9. Jack has been trying (try) to get a job for six months, but is still unemployed.
10. The teacher has already told (already / tell) him to be quiet.
11. Tim has not taken (not/take) many photos yet.
12. Oh no! I have left (leave) my purse at home.
13. They fell (fall) in love with each other at first sight 2 years ago.
14. I don't want to have a bath because I have just had (just / have) a shower.
15. I'm sorry I have forgotten (forget) your name. What did you say it was?

B2
Answers: 1. I haven’t done the housework yet.
2. They have been studying very hard recently.
3. She has promised to help many times.
4. He has cleaned the kitchen. Everything is sparkling clean.
5. She has written her essay and has sent it to her professor.
6. He has seen the film ‘The King’s Speech’ about six times.
7. We have painted our living room. I think it looks a lot better.
8. She has been taking French lessons lately.
9. It hasn’t been raining for three hours! Only about one hour.
10. Lucy has already left.
11. How many times have you visited Scotland?
12. I’ve been calling John for hours and hours and he hasn’t answered. I’m really angry with him!
13. I’ve been in London for three years.
14. We have known James for ages.
15. It’s really smelly in here. Has somebody been smoking?
16. How much petrol has she bought?
17. She has been eating chocolate all morning, so she feels sick.
18. I’ve been painting my house all day, but it’s not finished yet.
19. Julie has been at the office since 6 am.
20. The writer has deserved this award for a long time.