C

Does money buy happiness? Not! Ah, but would a little more money make us a little happier? Many of us smirk(傻笑，假笑) and nod. There is, we believe, some connection between financial fitness and emotional fulfillment. Three in four American college students—nearly double the 1970 proportion— now consider it “very important” or “essential” that they become “very well off financially”. Money matters.

But a surprising fact of life is that in countries where nearly everyone can afford life’s necessities, increasing wealth matters surprisingly little. The connection between income and happiness is “surprisingly weak,” observed University of Michigan researcher Ronald Inglehart in one 16-nation study of 170,000 people. Once comfortable, more money provides diminishing returns(报酬递减). The second piece of pie, or the second $100,000, never tastes as good as the first. Even lottery winners and the Forbes’ 100 wealthiest Americans surveyed by University of Illinois psychologist Ed Diener have expressed only slightly greater happiness than the average American. Making it big brings temporary joy. But in the long run wealth is like health: its complete absence can create suffering, but having it doesn’t guarantee happiness. Happiness seems less a matter of getting what we want than of wanting what we have.

Has our happiness, however, floated upward with the rising economic tide? Are we happier today than in 1940s, when two out of five homes lacked a shower or tub? Actually, we are not. Since 1957, the number of Americans who say they are “very happy” has declined from 35 to 32 percent. Meanwhile, the divorce rate has doubled, the teen suicide(自杀) rate has increased nearly three times, the violent crime rate has gone up nearly four times, and depression has mushroomed. Economic growth has provided no boost to human morale. When it comes to psychological well being, it is not the economy.

I call this soaring wealth and shrinking spirit “the American paradox.” More than ever, we have big houses and broken homes, high incomes and low confidence, secured rights and reduced civility. We are good at making a living but often fail at making a life. We celebrate our prosperity(繁荣) but longfor a purpose. We treasure our freedoms but long for connection. In an age of plenty, we feel spiritual hunger.  

28. Which of the following statements best expresses the author’s view?

A. The more money we earn, the less returns we have.

B. The more money we earn, the happier we would be.

C. In the long run, money cannot guarantee happiness.

D. In the long run, happiness grows with economy.

29. “The second $100,000 never tastes as good as the first” because _____.

A. it is not so fresh as the first $100,000

B. it is not so important as the first $100,000

C. profit brought by it is less than that from the first $100,000

D. happiness brought by it is less than that from the first $100,000

30. According to the passage, people do well in making a living but don’t _____.

A. have any primary aim B. know how to spend money

C. know how to enjoy life  D. keep in touch with other people

31. The things that happened after 1957 are given to show that _____.

A. people’s spiritual needs cannot be fulfilled by wealth

B. family problems become more and more serious

C. young people are not happy about their life

D. social crimes have increased significantly
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