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Hello Happiness Reading Answers

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Sayantani Barman

Experta en el extranjero | Updated On - Jan 7, 2023

Hello Happiness Reading Answers contains a write up about the ways to be happy and how happiness influences one’s life. Hello Happiness Reading Answers contains a total of 8 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. Hello Happiness Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Complete the sentence, choose the option and true/false and not given.

The passage contains how one can achieve happiness. Also, the feelings and habits that block happiness in life.

To answer the questions provided in the IELTS Reading passage,Applicants must attentively read each passage. Candidates to complete the sentence must grasp the concept and skim the passage for key terms. The answer should be complete or should not exceed more than two words. There might be some information missing which should be marked as not given. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Hello Happiness

Hello Happiness! Ask 100 people what would make them happy, and a sizeable majority would say “winning the lottery.” Yet, if they won a vast fortune, within a year they would be back to their previous level of happiness. The fact is that money has many uses, but more money does not mean more happiness. Surveys carried out in recent years by leading psychologists and sociologists all confirm that while individuals may increase their material wealth during the course of their lifetime, this has no bearing on their well-being. And what is true for individuals can be applied on a larger scale to the world population. Statistically, wealthier nations do not achieve higher scores on the happiness-ometer than developing or underdeveloped nations. Once the basic criteria of adequate shelter and nutrition are satisfied, increased wealth plays no significant role. So why the obsession with getting rich? The answer, say researchers, is simple. Call it jealousy, competitiveness, or just keeping up with the Joneses, however well we are doing, there is always someone else who is doing better. Just as we acquire a new $25,000 car, our neighbour parks his brand spanking new $40,000 set of wheels in his drive, causing us much consternation, but fuelling us with new aspirations in the process. And so the cycle continues. Money, or material wealth, may be a prime mover, but it is not the foundation of our wellbeing. If money isn’t the key to happiness, then what is? In all 44 countries surveyed by a prominent research centre, family life provided the greatest source of satisfaction. Married people live on average three years longer and enjoy greater physical and psychological health than the unmarried and, surprisingly, couples in a cohabitational relationship. Having a family enhances well-being, and spending more time with one’s family helps even more. Social interaction among families, neighbourhoods, workplaces, communities and religious groups correlates strongly with subjective well-being. In fact, the degree of individuals’ social connections is the best benchmark of their happiness. Friendship is another major factor. Indeed, to return to the dollar-equalshappiness equation, in one survey, having a friend converted into $50,000 worth of happiness, and confirms the well-known phenomenon that loneliness can lead to depression. Work is another area central to well-being, and certain features correlate highly with happiness. These include autonomy over how, where, and at what pace work is done, trust between employer and employee, fair treatment, and active participation in the making of decisions. Occupationally, happiness tends to be more common among professionals and managers, that is, people who are in control of the work they do, rather than subservient to their bosses, inequality implies less control for those who are in the weaker position, although there are more risks of losing their privileges for those in the stronger position. Control of one’s life in general is also key. Happiness is clearly correlated with the presence of favourable events such as promotion or marriage, and the absence of troubles or bad luck such as accidents, being laid off or conflicts. These events on their own signal the success or failure to reach one’s goals, and therefore the control one has. On a national level, the more that governments recognise individual preferences, the happier their citizens will be. Choice, and citizens’ belief that they can affect the political process, increase subjective well-being. Furthermore, evidence exists for an association between unhappiness and poor health: people from underdeveloped countries are among the unhappiest in the world, and their life expectancy has been falling steadily. People are more satisfied in societies which minimally restrict their freedom of action, in other words, where they are in control rather than being controlled. Happy people are characterised by the belief that they are able to control their situation, whereas unhappy people tend to believe that they are a victim of fate. Happy people are also more psychologically resilient, assertive and open to experience. But how good is the evidence for this alternative viewpoint then - that happiness, and not financial status, contributes to good health, and long life? A study of nuns, spanning seven decades, supports this theory. Autobiographies written by the nuns in their early 1920s were scored for positive and negative emotions. Nuns expressing the most positive emotions lived on average ten years longer than those expressing the least positive emotions. Happy people, it seems, are much less likely to fall ill and die than unhappy people. But what must we do to be happy? Experts cite the old maxim “be happy with what you’ve got.” Look around you, they say, and identify the positive factors in your life. Concentrating on the negative aspects of one’s life is a no-no, and so is worrying. Worrying is a negative thinking habit that is nearly always about something that lies in the future. It stems, apparently, from our cave dwelling days, when we had to think on a day-to-day basis about how and where to find food and warmth, for example. But in the modern world, worrying simply undermines our ability to enjoy life in the present. More often than not, the things we worry about never come to pass anyway. Just as important is not to dwell on the past - past mistakes, bad experiences, missed opportunities and so on. What else can we do? Well, engage in a loving relationship with another adult, and work hard to sustain it. Try to plan frequent interactions with your family, friends and neighbours (in that order). Make sure you’re not working so hard that you’ve no time left for personal relationships and leisure. If you are, leave your job voluntarily to become self-employed, but don’t get sacked — that’s more damaging to well-being than the loss of a spouse, and its effects last longer. In your spare time, join a club, volunteer for community service, or take up religion. If none of the above works, then vote for a political party with the same agenda as the King of Bhutan, who announced that his nation’s objective is national happiness

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-3

Choose THREE letters A-H.
Circle the correct letters, A-H, below
NB, Your answers may be given in any order.
Which THREE of the following statements are true, according to the text?

  1. Money can bring misery.
  2. Wealthier nations place more emphasis on happiness than poorer ones.
  3. Securing a place to live is a basic human need.
  4. The desire for social status is a global phenomenon.
  5. An unmarried couple living together is less likely to be happy than a married couple.
  6. The less responsibility one has, the happier one is.
  7. Involvement in policy-making can increase well-being.
  8. Our prehistoric ancestors were happier than we are.

Question 1)

Answer: C
Supporting Statement: Once the basic criteria of adequate shelter and nutrition are satisfied, increased wealth plays no significant role.
Keywords: Adequate shelter and nutrition
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: Paragraph 1 implies that having a place to live is a basic need, and it is clear from the lines in the passage that this point is being made. However, the wealthy will not play a significant role if one is unable to get shelter and the right tuition. Si, the correct answer is C as per the explanation provided.

Question 2)

Answer: E
Supporting Statement: Married people live on average three years longer and enjoy greater physical and psychological health than the unmarried and, surprisingly, couples in a cohabitation relationship.
Keywords: Married people, physical and psychological health
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: The paragraph 2 implies that married couples are happier than single or cohabiting couples, who are less likely to be happy. Thus, the passage makes this point. OIt has been mentioned that married couples enjoy and have better physical and psychological health. While on the other hand, unmarried couples suffer physically and psychologically. So, the correct answer is E.

Question 3)

Answer: G
Supporting Statement: Work is another area central to well-being, and certain features correlate highly with happiness.
Keywords: Work, happiness
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3
Explanation: Paragraph 3 includes the freedom to choose how, where, and when work is done; trust between the employer and the employee; equitable treatment; and active involvement in decision-making. This implies that one's happiness is inversely correlated with how passionately and enthusiastically they make decisions or formulate policies. So, the correct answer is G.

Questions 4-7

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-I, below.

Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 4-7 on your answer sheet.

Money can buy you just about anything, but not, it seems happiness. Whether on a personal or national 4……………………………, your bank balance won’t make you happier. Once the basic criteria of a roof over your head and food on the table have been met, money ceases to play a part. One of the most important factors in achieving happiness is the extent of our social 5…………………………… – our relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and so on. Equally important is the amount of 6…………………………….. we have, either in our personal life, working life, or even in our ability to influence the political 7…………………………. that our country embarks on.

  1. episode
  2. interaction
  3. cooperation
  4. control
  5. number
  6. level
  7. course
  8. conflict
  9. limit

Question 4)

Answer: F
Supporting Statement: Surveys carried out in recent years by leading psychologists and sociologists all confirm that while individuals may increase their material wealth during the course of their lifetime, this has no bearing on their well-being.
Keywords: surveys, material wealth
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: Paragraph 1 holds true for one person can be generalized broadly to the entire world's population. This blatantly suggests that money cannot purchase happiness, either on a personal or a societal basis. So, the correct answer is F.

Question 5)

Answer: B
Supporting Statement: Social interaction among families, neighbors, workplaces, communities, and religious groups correlates strongly with subjective well-being. In fact, the degree of individuals’ social connections is the best benchmark of their happiness.
Keywords: social interaction, benchmark of their happiness
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2
Explanation: As per paragraph 2, the best indicator of someone's happiness is actually how connected they are to others. This demonstrates unequivocally that social interaction makes one happier. As a result, social engagement is a factor in determining happiness. So, the correct answer is B.

Question 6)

Answer: D
Supporting Statement: Control of one’s life, in general, is also key. Happiness is clearly correlated with the presence of favorable events such as promotion or marriage, and the absence of troubles or bad luck such as accidents being laid off, or conflicts.
Keywords: Happiness, bad luck
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: Paragraph 4 states these events alone indicate whether one has control and has succeeded in achieving their objectives. This demonstrates the significance of control and how it affects one's level of happiness in life. Therefore, having control over your life is crucial for happiness. So, the correct answer is D.

Question 7)

Answer: G
Supporting Statement: On a national level, the more the governments recognize individual preferences, the happier their citizens will be. Choice, and citizens’ belief that they can affect the political process, increase subjective well-being.
Keywords: national level, subjective well-being
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: Paragraph 4 states the subjective well-being is boosted by choice and citizens' conviction that they can influence politics. This implies that one's level of happiness and freedom in life may also depend on one's ability to influence national affairs or the political course. So, the correct answer is G.

Questions 8-13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE – if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE – if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN – if there is no information on this

  1. People from underdeveloped nations try to attain the same standard of living as those from developed nations. …………………………………..

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided related to the question statement in the paragraphs. So the correct answer is Not Given.

  1. Seeing what others have makes people want to have it too. ………………….

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: Call it jealousy, competitiveness, or just keeping up with the Joneses, however, well we are doing, there is always someone else who is going better. Just as we acquire a new $25,000 car, our neighbor parks his brand
spanking new $40,000 set of wheels in his drive, causing us much consternation, but fueling us with new aspirations in the process.
Keywords: competitiveness, consternation
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: Paragraph 1 implies that people want what others have out of a sense of envy and competition, supporting the truth of the statement. Even if they are not directly copying the other person, there is always a feeling of jealousy seeing the other person achieve. It raises the feeling of getting what others want. Hence, the statement is True.

  1. The larger the family is, the happier the parents will probably be. …………………..

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided related to the question statement in the paragraphs. So the correct answer is Not Given.

  1. One’s attitude to life has no influence on one’s health. ………………………….

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: Nuns expressing the most positive emotions lived on average ten years longer than those expressing the least positive emotions. Happy people, it seems, are much less likely to fall ill and die than unhappy people.
Keywords: Nuns, happy people
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5
Explanation: As per paragraph 5 It appears that cheerful people have significantly lower mortality and illness rates than unhappy persons. This demonstrates the obvious relationship between happiness and length of life. As a result, the given statement is False because happiness has an impact on one's health.

  1. Instinct can be a barrier to happiness. ……………………

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: Concentrating on the negative aspects of one’s life is a no-no, and so is worrying. Worrying is a negative thinking habit that is nearly always about something that lies in the future.
Keywords: negative aspects, worrying
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: Paragraph 6 implies that one should not dwell on the bad aspects of life or continue to speculate about the future. This suggests that one shouldn't be instinctual and that it is no longer necessary in today's world. As a result, instincts create uncertainty, which makes people worry, which in turn makes them miserable. So, the statement is True.

  1. Family and friends rank equally as sources of happiness. ………………..

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: Try to plan frequent interactions with your family, friends, and neighbors (in that order).
Keywords: frequent interactions
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7
Explanation: As per paragraph 7 the priority/ranking order is stated here quite clearly. Therefore, the assertion is untrue because none of the three of them are of the same rank. So, the statement is False, as per explanation provided.

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