综合类考试C级：阅读理解Wealth
If your sense of well-being fluctuates with stock market， you might be comforted to know that money can’t buy you happiness anyway.
In one American study conducted in 1993， level of income was shown to have an inverse relation to happiness： The group whose income had declined was happier overall than the group whose income had increased. A soon-to-be published review of the hundreds of studies on this subject supports the 1993 findings.
In developed countries， the correlation between income and happiness is close to zero and sometimes negative.
With a correlation between level of income and happiness somewhere between 0.12 and 0.18， the United States is near the bottom of the list; that， factors other than income are overwhelmingly more important in explaining happiness.
Also， as our material wealth increases， the gap between income and satisfaction with life seems to be widening. Predictably， money has its most positive effect on the poor， but once a person has achieved a minimal standard of living level of income has almost nothing to do with happiness.
Close relationship， rather than money， is the key to happiness. Indeed， the number of one’s personal friends is a much better indicator of overall satisfaction with life than personal wealth. One stands a better chance of achieving a satisfying life by spending time with friends and family than by striving for higher income. Incidentally， in the US， as people become richer， the probability of divorce increases.
Our need for companionship is partly biological. All primates respond with pleasure to demonstrations of affection and with pain to loss of companionship. Isolated monkeys will sacrifice food just for the glimpses of another monkey. By ignoring our biologically programmed need for each other， we risk physical and mental distress.
A recent cross-national study of mental depression in the US found that in advanced countries， there is a rising tide of major depression. Teenage suicides have increased in recent decades in almost all advanced countries. Moreover， in the US since World War II， there has been an actual decline in the proportion of people who report themselves to be “very unhappy.”
You can easily test the claim that companionship exceeds wealth as a source of happiness. Ask yourself which has a greater influence on your satisfaction with life： your income or the affection of your intimate companions and the well-being of your children？ Conversely， which would make you more depressed： a reduction in salary or a divorce and isolation from your friends？
Capitalism succeeds in creating material riches， but it is less successful in building companionable societies and protecting family integrity. But developing countries still have much work to do in pursuing material wealth， where a rise in productivity still greatly increases happiness. For poorer countries， the time is not yet ripe for a shift in priorities from wealth accumulation to companionship.
Can we afford to believe that the pursuit of material gain will lead to self-fulfillment？ We should continue to enjoy our wealth in good company， or else we may find that it is not satisfying.
1. According to the 3rd paragraph， which of the following is true in developed countries？
A. the more money one has， the unhappier he becomes.
B. income and happiness are closely related
C. the richer one is， the happier he is
D. more money does not necessarily make one happy
2. Which of the following statements best describes the situation in the US， according to the 1993 study？
A. most people think personal wealth can make them happy
B. most people do not think wealth has much to do with happiness
C. money is an important factor in making one happy
D. happiness can only be explained in terms of income
3. In the author’s opinion， which of the following statements is not true？
A. wealth means differently to the poor and the rich
B. money makes the poor and the rich equally happy
C. money means less to a person as he achieves a higher standard of living
D. money means more to the poor than to the rich
4 According to the author， which of the following is most likely to share our biological need for companionship besides the monkey？
A. a swallow
B. a pig
C. an ape
D. a dog
5. Which of the following is the least likely cause of one’s unhappiness in advanced countries？
A. loss of friends
B. Reduction of income
C. Death of a family member
D. Divorce
在线作业参考答案：
1. D. 分析： 问题问“根据第3段的内容来看， 下列哪种说法是发达国家中存在的情况？”。从语意上看A和C都太绝对， 因此肯定不是答案； 根据文章开头的句子(提示： 文章开头的句子常常起着直接点明文章主题的作用)： If your sense of well-being fluctuates with stock market， you might be comforted to know that money can’t buy you happiness anyway.(你会意识到钱不能买来快乐)，判断D很可能是答案。 而实际上第3段中只有一句话： In developed countries， the correlation(A 级) between income and happiness is close to zero and sometimes negative. 该句说“在发达国家里， 收入和快乐之间的关系接近零， 而有时候还成为了负数”， 因此否定了B(收入和快乐相关)， 所以答案是D.
2. B. 分析： 问题说“根据1993年进行的研究， 下列哪种说法能最好地陈述美国的状况？”。 选项中B的内容与文章主题贴近(大多数人不认为财富与快乐有很大的关系)，因此推测B很可能是答案。 利用问题句中的特征词1993 study作为答案线索，这样在文章中找到答案相关句：(第2段) In one American study conducted in 1993， level of income was shown to have an inverse(A) relation to happiness： the group whose income had declined was happier overall than the group whose income had increased. 该句说“1993年在美国进行的一项研究表明，收入的水平与快乐呈现出相反的关系： 收入下降的人总的来说比收入增加的人更快乐。”， 根据这句话的内容可以否定A， C和D， 因此与文章主题内容一致的B是答案。
3 B. 分析：问题句说“根据作者的观点来看， 下列哪种说法不正确？”被选项中多处提到了“富人”和“穷人”， 因此利用“the poor和 the rich”作为答案线索， 这样在文章中找到了答案相关句：(第5段)Predictably， money has its most positive effect on the poor， but once a person achieved a minimal standard of living， level of income has almost nothing to do with happiness. 该句说“可以预言的是，钱对穷人有最大的影响” 从该句内容可以推出这样的语意： “钱对穷人和富人的影响是不同的(A)”， “钱对穷人具有的意义比对富人更大(D)”， 该句还说“ 但是一旦人达到了最低生活水平，他的收入水平与快乐就几乎没有什么关系了。”该部分内容与C一致(当一个人达到了更高一些的生活水平， 钱对他来说所具有的意义就更小些)， 因此答案是B.
4.C. 分析： 问题句说“根据作者的说法，除了猴子以外，下列哪种动物最有可能具有我们对友谊的需要？”根据常识来看，因为猿猴(C)与猴子最接近， 所以推测C最可能是答案。 利用问题句中的特征词monkey和问题句中的新信息词companionship作为答案线索， 这样找到答案相关句： Our need for companionship is partly biological.该句说“我们对友谊的需要有部分原因是出于动物的天性。” (All primates (灵长目动物)respond with pleasure to demonstrations of affection and with pain to loss of companionship. (该句说“所有灵长目动物当其他动物对它表示出好感时，它会感到快乐， 它对友谊的失去会感到痛苦”)) Isolated monkeys will sacrifice food just for the glimpses of another monkey. 该句说“孤独的猴子会为了让其他的伙伴多看自己一眼， 可以拱手让出吃的食物。”结合段首句的内容来看， 这个句子是用作具体的例子例证“我们对友谊的需要有部分原因是出于动物的天性。”，判断该句前句中提到的灵长目(猴子也属于灵长目)也应该是用来例证的， 因此判断灵长目都应该具有对友谊的生理需要， 因此判断C(猿猴)是答案。
5 B.分析： 问题句说“下列拿个选项是最不可能造成生活在发达国家的人感到不快乐的原因？”。利用问题句中的新信息词advanced countries作为答案线索， 这样找到答案相关句： Capitalism(advanced countries) succeeded in creating material riches， but it is less successful in building companionable societies and protecting family integrity. (But developing countries still have much work to do in pursuing material wealth， where a rise in productivity still greatly increases happiness. For poor countries， the time is not yet ripe for a shift in priorities from wealth accumulation to companionship. 该句说“资本主义(制度)(借助后句中分别出现的‘发展中国家’和‘穷国’， 判断Capitalism是指“发达国家”)成功地创造了物质财富， 但是它在建立和谐社会和保护家庭的完整上就不太成功” ， 从这个句子可以推出结论：资本主义国家的不足之处： 不能很好地维持社会的和谐和家庭的完整应该是造成资本主义国家的人民不快乐的原因，选项A，C和D 都涉及到社会和家庭，因此判断B(收入的减少) 是答案。