Recently, CCTV journalists have approached pedestrians with their cameras, held a microphone to their mouth and asked a simple question: “Are you happy?”
The question has caught many interviewees off guard. Even Mo Yan, who recently won a Nobel Prize, responded by saying: “I don’t know”.
While the question has become a buzz phrase and the Internet plays host to heated discussions, we ask: What exactly is happiness? And how do you measure it?
In the 1776 US Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson set in writing the people’s unalienable right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. Last year, 235 years on, China’s Premier Wen Jiabao told the nation: “Everything we do is aimed at letting people live more happily.” At last year’s National People’s Congress, officials agreed that increasing happiness would be a top target for the 12th five-year plan.
US psychologist Ed Diener, author of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, describes happiness as “a combination of life satisfaction and having more positive than negative emotions”, according to US broadcasting network PBS. This may sound straightforward enough, but it still doesn’t explain what determines people’s happiness.
Many argue that happiness is elusive and that there is no single source. It also means different things to different people. For some, happiness can be as simple as having enough cash.
Researchers believe happiness can be separated into two types: daily experiences of hedonic(享乐的) well-being; and evaluative well-being, the way people think about their lives as a whole. The former refers to the quality of living, whereas the latter is about overall happiness, including life goals and achievements. Happiness can cross both dimensions.
Li Jun, a psychologist and mental therapy practitioner at a Beijing clinic, says: “Happiness can mean both the most basic human satisfaction or the highest level of spiritual pursuit. It’s a simple yet profound topic.”
Chen Shangyuan, 21, a junior English major at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said his idea of happiness always evolves. “At present it relates to how productive I am in a day,” he said. “It might be linked to job security or leisure time after I graduate.”
Then there is the question of measuring happiness. Does it depend on how many friends we have, or whether we own the latest smart phone? Is it even quantifiable?
Economists are trying to measure happiness in people’s lives. Since 1972, Bhutan’s GDP measurement has been replaced by a Gross National Happiness index. It is calculated according to the peoples’ sense of being well-governed, their relationship with the environment, their satisfaction with economic development, and their sense of national belonging.
In 2009, US economist Joseph Stiglitz proposed “to shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being”. But is well-being more easily measured?
1. In the second paragraph, the writer gave an example to .
A. support his idea that being famous is the reason to be happy
B. introduce his topic to be discussed
C. tell people winning a Nobel Prize is a great honour
D. show that the question was quite difficult
2.From what Thomas Jefferson and Wen Jiabao mentioned in the passage, we know .
A. people’s happiness is determined by great people
B. people’s happiness is an important target for the development of a country
C. people in all countries have the right to ask the government for a happy life
D. People both in China and America are living a happy life
3.According to the passage, the writer may most likely agree that _________.
A. CCTV journalists are concerned about people’s happiness out of sympathy.
B. the question has led to heated discussions about who are the happiest people in China
C. Bhutan’s new index shows that people there are the happiest in the world
D. it is not easy for us to decide what determines people’s happiness
4.What does the underlined word “elusive” in the sixth paragraph mean?
A. Available. B. Easy to get.
C. Hard to describe. D. Unimaginable.
5.The best title of the passage is .
A. Are You Happy?B. The Measurement of Happiness
C. GDP and HappinessD. The Secret of Happiness
The aims of the Illustrators’ (插图画家的) Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23to 26 December 2011, are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
•Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended for use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly
or through publishing houses or schools.
•Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
•Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
•The confirmation (确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2011.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline. To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed (超过) the following dimensions:
Fiction: 32×42 cm (or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction: 50 ×70 cm (70 × 50cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2mm (for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group (whose decision is final), including five members (from publishing house and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues(场馆) in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions (条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2013.
1.Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is true?
A. It will last five days in all in July every other year.
B. It is intended for college students who are good at painting.
C. It is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere.
D. It can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers.
2.The illustrators of the Illustrators Exhibition __________.
A. should be at least 16 and no more than 25
B. may re-enter their artwork after it is returned
C. should state the category of their artwork clearly
D. may choose to attach a photo to the application form
3.What is BolognaFiere responsible for?
A. Paying for the delivery costs
B. Late arrival of artwork
C. Confirmation of ISBN number
D. Returning the illustrators’ works
4.The illustrators’ works will not be considered if they .
A. are received after the day of 15 October 2011
B. are smaller than the required size
C. have already been published abroad before
D. don’t meet the demands of the international experts
Katharine Meyer Graham was once described as “the most powerful woman in America.” She was not a government official or elected representative. She owned and published The Washington Post. Under her leadership, it became one of the most important newspapers in the country.
Katharine Meyer was born in New York City in 1917. 
Her father was a successful investment banker and became an important financial official. Her family was very rich. Katharine grew up in large houses in New York and Washington. Her parents were often away from home, traveling and working, Katharine was often lonely. Katherine Meyer graduated from the University of Chicago in Illinois in 1938. In 1933, her father bought a failing newspaper, The Washington Post. It was the least successful one of five newspapers in Washington.
Katharine Graham returned to Washington and got a job editing letters to the editor of her father's newspaper. She married Philip Graham. He was a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter but soon accepted a job at his wife's father's newspaper. Mr. Graham improved The Washington Post. He bought Newsweek and several television stations. He also established close ties with important political leaders. However, Mr. Graham treated his wife badly. He had an affair with a young reporter. For many years, Mr. Graham suffered from mental illness. He killed himself in 1963.
Katharine Graham had four children to raise and a newspaper to operate. At first, she was only concerned about finding a way to keep control of The Washington Post until her sons were old enough. She did not think she had the ability to do an important job. She had no training in business or experience in operating a large company. In those days, it was unusual for a woman to be the head of a business. Women were expected to look after their homes and children.
Katharine Graham met with officials of The Washington Post. She was elected president of The Washington Post Company. She had no idea about how to operate a newspaper. So she decided to learn. She began by hiring Benjamin C.Bradlee. He later became chief editor. Mr. Bradlee improved the newspaper. He hired excellent reporters and editors. They began doing important investigative reporting. In 1969, Mrs. Graham became publisher as well as president of The Washington Post Company. In the 1970s, The Washington Post became famous around the world because of two major successes.
1.Katharine Graham is considered powerful because ____________.
A. she was born of a very rich family
B. she had the most important newspaper
C. she was in charge of the The Washington Post
D. she gained much money from newspapers
2.We can infer from the second paragraph that Katharine Graham _____________.
A. was one of the top students at university
B. helped her father in purchasing the paper
C. didn’t take interest in managing a bank
D. lived a rich life when she was young
3. After Katharine Graham got married ___________.
A. her husband gave up his previous job
B. she got a job editing letters for the editor
C. she made The Washington Post improved
D. her husband wanted to be a political leader
4.Faced with the death of Mr. Graham ____________.
A. Katharine Graham had confidence to operate the newspaper well.
B. Katharine Graham made up her mind to raise the kids.
C. Katharine
Graham thought more about gaining experience.
D. Katharine Graham seemed to be trapped in the dark world.
5. What do you think of Benjamin C. Bradlee?
A. He was an expert when it came to earning money.
B. He brought The Washington Post back to life.
C. He intended to buy The Washington Post.
D. He should have given more help to Katharine Graham.
My father was a self-taught mandolin（曼陀林琴）player. He could not read, but if he heard a tune several times, he could play it. Occasionally, he ______ play for the local radio station.
Dad loved playing the mandolin for his family. He knew we enjoyed his playing. If he could give ______ to others, he would, especially for his family. He was always ______ his time and efforts to making sure his family had enough in their life.
Later, I matured into a man and had my own children. Whenever coming home, I would ask Dad to play the mandolin, for nobody played the mandolin like him. He could ______ your soul with tunes coming out of that old mandolin. He seemed to ______ when playing, taking pride in his ability to play so well.
Unfortunately, in 1977. Dad was ______ in an accident, leaving his third finger of his left hand wounded seriously. ______ he didn’t lose enough of the finger where it would stop him picking up anything, it did affect his ______ to play the mandolin. After the accident, he was ______ to play and felt unable to play as well as before. Every time we asked him to play, he would make excuses. ______, we could persuade him and he would say “Okay. But I can’t hold down on the strings and play as well as before.” For the family it made no ______. When he played the old mandolin, it would carry us back to a cheerful, happier time.
In August 1993, Dad was ______ with serious disease. He chose not to receive any chemotherapy（化疗）treatments ______ he could live out his rest life in dignity(尊严). A week before his death, we asked Dad if he would play the mandolin for his family. First he made the usual ______ again but later said “Okay.”, ______ it was likely to be the last chance for u
s to hear him playing. He tuned up the old mandolin and 
played. ______, I found everyone in the family ______. We saw before us a quiet humble man with an inner ______ that lives with him in his life.
Dad would never play the mandolin for us again, but we still ______ the most valuable gift we gained from him, ______ he had done all his life, giving.
1.A. mightB. shouldC. wouldD. must
2.A. pleasureB. adviceC. helpD. favor
3.A. applyingB. payingC. attachingD. devoting
4.A. touchB. discoverC. deliverD. possess
5.A. escapeB. shineC. existD.
calm
6.A. includedB. absorbedC. buriedD. involved
7. A. AlthoughB. If C. WhetherD. Because
8.A. courageB. faithC. abilityD. energy
9. A. desperateB. unwillingC. worthwhileD. sensitive
10.A. EventuallyB. SuddenlyC. GraduallyD. Consequently
11. A. senseB. differenceC. contactD. progress
12.A. combinedB. burdenedC. carriedD. diagnosed
13. A. so thatB. in caseC. even ifD. as though
14.A. planB. apologyC. reasonD. excuse
15.A. promisingB. noticingC. requestingD. knowing
16.A. Looking aroundB. Turning upC. Looking intoD. Speeding up
17.A. happyB. tearfulC. anxiousD. delighted
18.A. preference B. advantageC. strengthD. courage
19.A. treasureB. adoptC. considerD. approve
20.A. anythingB. everythingC. nothing D. something
--- It seems that Ann doesn't like the bag you bought for her the other day.
--- _______? I have been told she is desperate for one of that style.
A. If soB. How come
C. So what D. What if
—Have you got any job offers?
—No. I ________. Hopefully, I will get one by the end of this month.
A. waited B. had been waiting
C. have waited D. am waiting
