第三篇:Gross National Happiness
In the last century, new technology improved the lives of many people in many countries. However, one country resisted these changes. High in the Himalayan mountains of Asia, the kingdom of Bhutan remained separate. Its people and Buddhistculture had not been affected for almost a thousand years. Bhutan, however, was a poor country. People died at a young age. Most of its people could not read, and they did not know much about the outside world. Then, in 1972, a new ruler named King Jigme Singye Wangchuck decided to help Bhutan to become modern, but without losing its traditions. King Wangchuck looked at other countries for ideas. He saw that most countries measured their progress by their Gross Natonal Product。 The GNP measures products and money. When the number of products sold increases, people say the country is making progress. King Wangchuck had a different idea for Bhutan. He wanted to measure his countrys progress by peoples happiness. If the peoples happiness increased, the king could say that Bhutan was making progress. To decide if people were happier, he created a measure called Gross National Happiness。
GNH is based on certain principles that create happiness. People are happier if they have health care, education, and jobs. They are happier when they live in a healthy, protected environment. They are happier when they can keep their traditional culture and customs. Finally, people are happier when they have a good, stable government.
Now these is some evidence of increased GNH in Bhutan. People are healthier and are living longer. More people are educated and employed. Teenty-five percent of the land has become national parks, and the country has almost no pollution. The Bhutanese continue to wear their traditional clothing and follow their ancient Buddhist customs. Bhutan has also become a democracy. In 2008, King Wangchuck gave his power to his son. Although the country still had a king, it held its first democratic elections that year. Bhutan had political parties and political candidates for the first time. Finally, Bhutan has connected to the rest of the world through television and internet.
Bhutan is a symbol for social progress. Many countries are now interested in Bhutans GNH. These countries are investigating their own ways to measure happiness. They want to create new policies that take care of their people, cultures, and land.
Brazil may be the nest country to use the principles of GNH. Brazilian leaders see the principles of GNH as a source of inspiration. Brazil is a large country with a diverse population. If happiness works as a measure of progress in Brazil, perhaps the rest of the world will follow.
41. Who was Jigme Singye Wangchuck?
A. A president.
B. A Buddhist priest.
C. A general.
D. A king.
42. Apart from modernizing Bhutan, what else did Wangchuck want to do for Bhutan?
A. To make its population grow.
B. To keep it separate from the world.
C. To encourage its people to get rich.
D. To keep its tradition and customs.
43. A country shows its progress with GNP by
A. selling more products.
B. spending more money.
C. spending less money.
D. providing more jobs.
44. According to GNH, people are happier if they
A. have new technology.
B. can change their religion.
C. have a good, stable government.
D. have more money.
45. Today, many countries are
A. using the principles of GNH to measure their progress.
B. working together to develop a common scale to measure GNH.
C. taking both Bhutan and Brazil as symbols for social progress.
D. trying to find their own ways to measure happiness.
参考答案:
41.Who was Wangchuck?答案为D. king相关句:anew ruler called king Wangchuck
42. Apart from modernization modernizing Bhuta, whatelse did Wangchuck want to do for Bhuta?答案为D. keep its traditions and customs.相关句:Wangchuck decided to helpBhuta to become modern, but without losing itstraditions.
43. A country shows its progress with GNPby ___.答案为A. selling more products相关句:The GNP measures products and money. When thenumber of products sold increases people say the country is making progress.
44. According to GNH, people are happier ifthey ___.答案为C. have a good stable government
45. Today many countries are ___.答案为D. trying to find their ownways to measure happiness.相关句:Many countriesare interested in Hutans GNH. These countriesare investigating their own ways to measure happiness.
Off the hook 脱身
It takes two to tango 一个巴掌拍不响
You're pulling my leg! 你在愚弄我!
Until I'm blue in the face 任凭你磨破嘴皮
Cyclists make Olympic history, 400-year-old shark 英国自行车运动员创英奥运历史,400岁格陵兰鲨鱼
IOC on Russian doping and hot June 奥委会就涉俄兴奋剂事件报告进展,六月高温破纪录
White / blue-collar worker 白领,蓝领
To make a monkey out of me 捉弄我
Going forward 从今往后
One good turn deserves another 以德报德,礼尚往来
California wildfires and cloned animals 加利福尼亚州野火,克隆动物衰老过程正常
To turn something upside down 把……翻个底朝天
A bitter pill to swallow 不得不吞的苦药
Cheap and cheerful 物美价廉
Close, but no cigar 几近成功
Canada wildfire and NASA discovery 加拿大林火,美国国家航空航天局发现系外行星
To make a mountain out of a molehill 小题大做
There's method to my madness 我有一个不合常理的办法
Glass-bottomed bridge, cancer risk for HRT and 120-year-old man 世界最长玻璃桥开放,荷尔蒙替代疗法增患癌风险,印度教120岁僧人
Burn a hole in your pocket 有钱不花难受
Barefaced 厚颜无耻的
Axe to grind 别有用心
Brexit and Hockney's art 英国脱欧公投后进展,大卫·霍克尼艺术展
World's longest tunnel and a strange kind of race 世界最长铁路隧道,扛羊毛袋比赛
Hot potato 棘手的问题“烫手山芋”
Knee-jerk reaction 本能反映
It's on the cards 这件事十有八九会发生
India's sewer workers and British school standards 印度下水道工人施工安全,英国在校生学习成绩下降
In good nick 品质好、没有损坏
In the blink of an eye 一眨眼之间