Thewaypeopleholdtothebeliefthatafun-filled.doc

The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled, painfree life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
     As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, and self-improvement.
     Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
     Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night's sleep or three-day vacation. I don't know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children ever know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
     Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.

1. According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because ________.
A . he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
B . he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C . he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
D . he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
提交的答案:he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
正确答案:he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
题目详解:根据第三段的第三句(For commitment is in fact quite painful 因为承担责任实际上是很痛苦的)的提示，判断出与选项中的"he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities"含义相符。

2. Raising children, in the author's opinion, is_____.
A . a source of inevitable pain
B . a moral duty
C . a thankless job
D . a rewarding task
提交的答案:a rewarding task
正确答案:a rewarding task
题目详解:依据第四段(…But couples who decide not to have children ever know the joys…抚养孩子有很多痛苦，但没有孩子的人决体会不到和孩子一起生活的天伦之乐)的提示，判断出与选项中的"a rewarding task"含义相符。

3. From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems form ________.
A . hatred
B . misunderstanding
C . prejudice
D . ignorance
提交的答案:misunderstanding
正确答案:misunderstanding
题目详解:根据最后一段的最后一句中( it liberates us from envy: 并且把我们从妒嫉中解脱出来了。'it'指的就是'Understanding and accepting')的提示，判断出与选项中的"misunderstanding"含义相符。

4. To understand what true happiness is one must _________.
A . be able to distinguish happiness from fun
B . make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
C . put up with pain under all circumstances
D . have as much fun as possible during one's lifetime
提交的答案:be able to distinguish happiness from fun
正确答案:be able to distinguish happiness from fun
题目详解:根据最后一段的第一句(Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations 认识到真正的幸福和快活无关才是一种真正地解脱)的提示，判断出与选项中的"be able to distinguish happiness from fun"含义相符。

5. What is the author trying to tell us?
A . It is pain that leads to happiness.
B . Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
C . One must know how to attain happiness.
D . It is important to make commitments.
提交的答案:Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
正确答案:Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
题目详解:根据第一段最后一句(things that lead to happiness involve some pain 带来幸福的东西中总是包含着一些痛苦)的提示，判断出与选项中的"Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain"含义相符。