英语听力精选进阶版 6251

Britain's Happiness is to be Measured in a Survey 英国人将调查他们的快乐指数

What makes you happy?

That's a question British Prime Minister David Cameron is asking the nation in a survey this year, as part of a drive to improve Britons' lives beyond pure financial gain.

As the global recession continues, Mr Cameron says he is seeking a better measure of progress than GDP alone. He claims economic studies often focus too much on standard of life rather than quality of life.

The problem is that assessing happiness is a slippery subject. It is easier to measure something concrete like a person's income than a subjective¹, less tangible² factor like wellbeing.

BBC journalist Mark Easton having his smile measured

Is it possible to measure happiness?

Critics say the ￡2m (20m yuan) scheme will not produce any meaningful results. Others suggest it is unwise to carry out a survey into the nation's happiness just as the government launches the biggest public spending cuts in decades.

Mr Cameron himself admits that it is easy to brand his scheme "woolly" and "impractical³", but it is not without precedent⁴.

Canada has an Index of Wellbeing which looks at how things like money and education affect health and the sense of community. And the Kingdom of Bhutan has used its index of Gross National Happiness (GNH) since the early 1970s as a tool to help policy-making.

So what kind of answers is he likely to get? While the full survey begins later this year, respondents to an initial consultation⁵ have already listed their top priorities.

Job security, good health and relationships with family members are what matter most to people in the UK, according to the findings. In fact, having a job was listed as more important than being paid a high salary.

So perhaps there is truth in the old adage⁶ that 'money can't buy happiness'. An idea David Cameron may find solace⁷ in as he tries to find a way out of the recession.

Glossary 词汇表

drive  运动

financial gain  钱财增加

global recession 全球经济衰退

measure of progress  衡量进步的尺度

slippery subject  棘手的课题

concrete  具体的

subjective  主观的

tangible  有形的、可触摸的

wellbeing  健康、幸福

unwise  不明智的

public spending cuts  削减公共开支

brand  给 … 加以罪名

woolly  像羊毛的、含糊的

precedent  前例

sense of community  社区意识

policy-making  政策的制定

initial consultation  初期阶段的咨询

job security  工作的保障

old adage  老话、谚语

find solace  找到慰籍

1 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

2 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

3 impractical   

adj.不现实的，不实用的，不切实际的

参考例句：

• He was hopelessly impractical when it came to planning new projects.一到规划新项目，他就完全没有了实际操作的能力。
• An entirely rigid system is impractical.一套完全死板的体制是不实际的。

4 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

5 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

6 adage   

n.格言，古训

参考例句：

• But the old adage that men grow into office has not proved true in my experience.但是，根据我的经验，人们所谓的工作岗位造就人材这句古话并不正确。
• Her experience lends credence to the adage " We live and learn!"她的经验印证了一句格言: 活到老，学到老！

7 solace   

n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和

参考例句：

• They sought solace in religion from the harshness of their everyday lives.他们日常生活很艰难，就在宗教中寻求安慰。
• His acting career took a nosedive and he turned to drink for solace.演艺事业突然一落千丈，他便借酒浇愁。