[originaltext]M: Hello Jessica.W: Hi Bob.M: Jessica, what’s wrong? You sound

M: Hello Jessica.
W: Hi Bob.
M: Jessica, what’s wrong? You sound a bit miserable.
W: Well Bob, I am. It’s raining again, and I’ve lost my wallet!
M: Hmm. Well, I’ve got some news today that might put a smile on your face. It’s about a new study that tells us how we can make ourselves happier.
W: Well, that sounds good and I’m feeling a lot happier already. Thank you, Bob!
M: So Jessica, what are the things that make you feel happy?
W: The finer things in life—good food, fine wine, things like that. And you Bob?
M: For me, it’s got to be... everything! Nothing worries me and I always look for the positive things even in a bad situation. There’s been some good news from Holland—that’s where the World Happiness Database is, at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
W: It’s been collecting the results of studies about happiness from all over the world.
M: Yes, and now all that information has been put together to produce some interesting results.
W: But Bob, happiness is a state of mind—so different things make different people happy, depending on their mood or situation at the time.
M: Yes, but this research has found some factors that we all share when we are searching for happiness. It also found what made people unhappy.
W: So, maybe things like not having enough money or not going on holiday?
M: Nothing like that, not materialistic values. Unhappy people are more aware of their life goals—things they want to achieve because they want to change their life for the better. Does that sound like you, Jessica?
W: Not me, Bob. I lead such a busy life that I don’t always get time to think about the future!
M: That’s good because the study found having an active life is most important for a happy and rewarding life. According to Professor Veenhoven, Director of the World Happiness Database, we can make ourselves happier because we see that happiness does change over time, and that these changes are not just a matter of better circumstances, but also better dealing with life. Elderly people tend to be wise and for that reason, happier.
W: OK, our happiness changes over time. It’s older people who are the happiest because, as he says, they are wiser. They understand things more and have learnt to deal with the problems in life.
M: That’s right. The study also says if you think you’re good looking, rather than if you actually are, makes you happier. So you might be really ugly but if you think you’re handsome then you’re happy.
W: That’s interesting.
M: Luckily for you, the study has also found that being sad for ten per cent of the time is actually good for you. Let’s face it—we can’t be happy all the time!
W: That’s comforting to know.
This is the end of Conversation One. Questions 1 to 5 are based on Conversation One.
1. Why is Jessica unhappy?
2. What makes Bob happy?
3. According to the research, what makes people unhappy?
4. According to Veenhoven, why are the elderly happier?
5. Being sad for how long is good for people?