听美文故事记6级单词01-02

2. What price happiness?

You don’t need millions to be happy. At The Happiness Institute in Australia, a couple of hundred dollars may do the trick（获得成功）. Since the institute opened its doors this year, men and women of all ages have been paying A$200 an hour (US$140) for lessons in how to feel great. Businesses are spending as much as A$6,000 on half-day happiness workshops for their staff.

“You can actually increase your happiness levels. That’s what we teach,“ said Timothy Sharp, founder¹ of institute, which also offers group sessions from A$30 a head. “We take people from zero and try to put a positive in their happiness bank account. You don’t have to settle just for OKness. It’s no more OK than having a zero bank balance. You can have a lot more.“ Sharp said.

Experts say only about 15 percent of happiness comes from income, assets and other financial factors. As much as 90 percent comes from elements such as attitude, life control and relationships. “If you’re not a natural in any of these areas you can learn to get a lot better at them.“ Sharp said.

The Happiness Institute is part of what U.S. economist² Paul Zane Pilzer calls the “Wellness Revolution。“ In his book of the same name, Pilzer says the next trillion-dollar industry after cars and information technology will be in preventative businesses that help people find peace, health and happiness.

While most of us are significantly better off financially than our parents and grandparents, happiness levels haven’t changed to reflect that. Studies show that once the basic needs of shelter and food are met, additional wealth adds very little to happiness. Even investment banker Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein has warned not to “equate money with happiness."

"A vast array of individuals seriously overrate the importance of money in making themselves, and others, happy," said strategist James Montier in a recent memo³ to clients. “Since the 1950s, people’s happiness levels have been remarkably⁴ constant despite a massive growth in income-per-head over the same time horizon." he said.

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

4 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。