Question

Does being rich make you happy? Many studies on happiness give negative answers. Here are some points in being happy.

Basic Human Needs Must Be Met

People whose basic needs for shelter, clothing and food are not met will find it very difficult to feel happy. Of course, there are exceptions, but for most of us, we can only be happy once our basic needs are met.

The Joneses Cannot Be Escaped

People’s happiness is not determined by how much they have, but by how much people around them have. So, we tend to feel happy once our basic needs are met and we have more than the people surrounding us.

This means that while keeping up with the Joneses could be destructive if we let it go too far. It is also part of humana nature to want to feel at least on the same level, financially, as those surrounding us.

You Should Escape The Rat Race

We should know the importance of staying out of the rat race. So yes, you need to work hard, get the education you need to land a good job and work long enough and hard enough to get to a place where you can easily meet your basic needs. What are basic needs? For most middle or upper middle class Americans, basic needs are not very basic anymore.

For most of us, once our basic needs have been met, happiness is achieved when we engage in activities we like, spend time with friends and family and stay active. Making money for the sake of making money does not make people happy.

Ideally, these questions should be answered when you’re still young and just starting out. Don’t wait until your midlife crisis to realize that half your life has passed you by and you’re still unhappy.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．The research on happiness.               B．Key points on being happy.

C．What makes people feel unhappy.           D．Being rich makes people happy.

2.In the view of the author, we know that ______.

A．people need to have a place to live first of all

B．human basic needs are not necessary for being happy

C．human basic needs are fundamental for being happy

D．one will be happy if he has enough money

3.What does the underlined phrase”the Joneses” in Paragraph 4 probably stand for?

A．Expensive things.                       B．Neighbors.

C．Money.                               D．Richer people.

4.From the passage, what is the purpose of people probably to do in “the rat race”?

A．To enjoy their life with family.

B．To get high education for better jobs.

C．To work too hard for money only.

D．To work hard for basic needs.

5.What’s the attitude of the author towards the passage?

A．Money is a big problem, but money isn’t everything.

B．The love of money is the root of all evil.

C．Money doesn’t grow on trees.

D．Money is happiness.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.B

2.C

3.B

4.C

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文论述了人们对于幸福的不同的理解，满足人们的生活需要是幸福最基本的保证，其次，人们都愿意与周围的人相比，愿意比别人持平或者高于他们，再者，有的人辛辛苦苦的劳动为了挣钱，挣得钱很多，也不一定得到了幸福。作者指出钱是重要的，但不是万能的。

1.这是主旨大意题。根据Here are some points in being happy.故选B。

2.这是细节理解题。根据for most of us, we can only be happy once our basic needs are met.对于大多数人来说只要满足了最基本的需要，就是幸福的，故选C。

3.这是细节理解题。根据It is also part of humana nature to want to feel at least on the same level, financially, as those surrounding us.我们要和周围的人在经济上保持持平，才觉得可以，故选B。

4.这是细节理解题。根据Making money for the sake of making money does not make people happy.努力工作只是为了挣钱，故选C。

5.这是作者观点题。通读全文可知，为了生活我们必须满足日常消费，而不要拼命地为了挣钱而挣钱，钱不是一切。根据You Should Escape The Rat Race可知应选A。

考点：这是一篇议论文。

点评：文章的主旨大意即是文章的中心思想。做阅读理解题首先要明确文章的中心意思，只有明确了中心意思，那么做阅读理解的试题才能做到游刃有余。阅读理解的主旨大意题其实主要考查考生把握全文内容或理解文章中心思想的能力以及分析归纳文章段落大意、重要情节、人物特征和写作特点等方面的能力。文章的主旨大意明确了，若还具备分析长难句的能力，难的试题也会迎刃而解。