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墨慧强2011年6月研究生英语复习资料希望对你有所帮助扎西德勒云南昆明2011.6.12墨慧强摄READINGSELECTIONADoesEconomicGrowth(development)ImproveHumanMorale?ByDavidG.Myers注黄字体为课后生词[1]Duringthemid-1980smyfamilyandIspentasabbaticalyearinthehistorictownofSt.Andrews,Scotland.ComparinglifetherewithlifeinAmerica,wewereimpressedbyaseemingdisconnectionbetweennationalwealthandwell-being(happiness).TomostAmericans,ScottishlifewouldhaveseemedSpartan.Incomeswereabouthalfthat(income)intheU.S.AmongfamiliesintheKingdomofFifesurrounding(around)St.Andrews,44percentdidnotownacar,andwenevermetafamilythatownedtwo.CentralheatinginthisplacenotfarsouthofIcelandwas,atthattime,stillaluxury.[2]Inhundredsofconversationsduringouryearthereandduringthreehalf-summerstayssince(sincethen),werepeatedlynoticedthat,despite(=inspiteof)theirsimplerliving,theScotsappearednolessjoyful(happy)thanAmericans.WeheardcomplaintsaboutMargaretThatcher,butneveraboutbeingunderpaidorunabletoafford(payfor)wants(necessities).Withlessmoneytherewasnolesssatisfactionwithliving,nolesswarmthofspirit,nolesspleasure(happiness)inoneanother'scompany.ArerichAmericanishappier?[accompanysb.tosomewhere][3]Withinanycountry,suchasourown,arerichpeoplehappier?Inpoorcountries,suchasBangladeshandIndia,beingrelativelywelloff(rich)doesmakefor(cause/bringabout)somewhat(alittle)greaterwellbeing(happiness).Psychologicallyaswellas(=and)materially,itismuchbettertobehighcastethanlowcaste.Wehumansneedfood,rest,warmth,andsocialcontact.[4]Butinaffluent(rich)countries,wherenearlyeveryonecanaffordlife'snecessities,increasingaffluencematters(vi.)surprisinglylittle.IntheUSA,Canada,andEurope,thecorrelationbetweenincomeandhappinessis,asUniversityofMichiganresearcherRonaldIngle-hartnotedin1980s16-nationstudy,surprisinglyweak[indeed,virtually(actually)negligible.Happinessisloweramongtheverypoor.Butonce(theyare)comfortable,moremoneyprovidesdiminishingreturns.Thesecondpieceofpie,orthesecond$50,000,nevertastesasgoodasthefirst.So(As)farashappinessisconcerned,ithardlymatters(vi.)whetheronedrivesaBMWor,likesomanyoftheScots,walksorridesabus.[5]Evenveryrichpeople--theForbes'100wealthiest(richest)AmericanssurveyedbyUniversityofIllinoispsychologistEdDiener--areonlyslightlyhappierthanaverage(theordinarypeople).Withnet(-gross)worthallexceeding(surpassing)$100million,providingample(enough)moneytobuythingstheydon'tneedandhardlycareabout,4in5ofthe49peoplerespondingtothesurveyagreedthatMoneycanincreaseORdecreasehappiness,dependingonhowitisused.Andsome(people)wereindeedunhappy.Onefabulously(extremely)wealthymansaidhecouldneverrememberbeinghappy.Onewomanreportedthatmoneycouldnotundo(correct)miserycausedbyherchildren'sproblems.Doeseconomicgrowthimprovehumanmorale?(netweight-grossweight)[6]Wehavescrutinized(examined)theAmericandreamofachievedwealthandwell-being墨慧强2011年6月研究生英语复习资料希望对你有所帮助扎西德勒云南昆明2011.6.12墨慧强摄(happiness)bycomparingrichandunrichcountries,andrichandunrichpeople.That(analysis)leavesthefinalquestion:Overtime(inthelongrun),doeshappinessrise(increase)withaffluence(wealth)?[7]Typically(Absolutely)not.Lotterywinnersappear(seem)togain(get)but(only)atemporaryjoltofjoy(happiness)from(becauseof)theirwinnings.Lookingback,theyfeeldelighted(happy)tohavewon.Yettheeuphoriadoesn'tlast(vi.).Infact,previouslyenjoyedactivitiessuchasreadingmaybecomelesspleasurable(pleasant).Comparedtothehigh(highspirit)ofwinningamilliondollars,ordinarypleasures(become)pale.[8]Onasmallerscale,ajumpinourincomecanboost(promote/increase)ourmorale,forawhile(ashorttime).Butinthelongrun,notesInglehart,neitheranicecreamconenoranewcarnorbecomingrichandfamousproduces（bringabout）thesamefeelingsofdelightthatitinitiallydid.Happinessisnottheresultofbeingrich,butatemporaryconsequence(result)ofhavingrecentlybecomericher.EdDiener'sresearchconfirmsthatthosewhoseincomeshaveincreasedovera10-yearperiodarenothappierthanthosewhoseincomehasnotincreased.Wealth,itthereforeseems,islikehealth:Althoughitsutter(complete)absencecanbreed(produce/leadto)misery,havingitdoesnotguaranteehappiness.Happinessislessamatterofgettingwhatwewantthanofwanting(enjoy)whatwehave.Arewehappiertoday?[9]Wecanalsoaskwhether,overtime,ourcollective(total/comprehensive)happinesshasfloatedupward(increase)withtherisingeconomictide.Arewehappiertodaythanin1940,whentwooutoffivehomes(families)lackedashowerorbathtub,heatoftenmeantfeedingafurnacewoodorcoal,and35percentofhomeshadnotoilet?Orconsider1957,wheneconomistJohnGalbraithwasabouttodescribetheUnitedStatesasTheAffluentSociety.Americans'perpersonincome,expressedintoday'sdollars,waslessthan$8,000.Todayitismorethan$16,000,thankstoincreasedrealwagesintothe1970s,increasednonwageincome,andthedoublingofmarriedwomen'semployment.Comparedto1957,wearethereforethedoublyaffluentsociety—withdoublewhatmoneybuysincludingtwiceasmanycarsperperson,nottomentionmicrowaveovens,bigscreencolorTVs,homecomputers,and$200billionayearspentinrestaurantsandbars--twoandahalftimesour1960inflation-adjustedrestaurantspendingperperson.From1960to1990,thepercentageofuswith·dishwasherszoomedfrom7to45percent,(zoomin=enlarge-