WORKSHEET 1

Talking About Happiness

Reflect upon the following questions:

● Many people around the world say they want to be happy, but what do they mean by happiness?
● Does happiness mean the same thing to everyone?

Before Reading

First exercise - Vocabulary

Choose the correct word and write it into each sentence or question. Complete all the items.

1. A simple thing like _____ with others, having lunch with a friend, or chatting with a
neighbor can lead to happiness.

● socializing

● enterprising

● randomizing

2. In some countries, protection of ________________ is highly valued and the government

rarely interferes in the personal lives of its citizens, but this does not mean that the people
are happier.

● freedom

● fear

● risk
 3. When people feel protected and _____________, they have a positive outlook and are
more content with life.
.
● secure

● secret

● secular

4. In wealthy countries, it is sometimes assumed that the higher ____________ makes

people happier.

● Standard of living

● Standard on living

● Standard in living

5. Those who live in __________ and have little money, food, or education are not
necessarily unhappy people.

● happiness

● wealth

● poverty

6. Some argue that it is the government’s responsibility to _________ free health care and
unemployment benefits to its citizens.

● report

● install

● provide
7. The ____________ situation of the average Vietnamese family compared to that of the
average American family is much lower.

● balance

● work

● financial

8. Because they tend to focus on the positive side of things, __________ people are
generally happier in life.

● caustic

● confident

● careful

9. The poor rarely have __________ to bank accounts because they cannot afford the fees
required to open one.

● access

● dividend

● interest

10. Some people only have the ________________ ; in other words, they just have a simple
roof over their heads and the minimum amount of food to eat.

● bared necessities

● bear necessities

● bare necessities
Second exercise : Vocabulary
Complete each sentence with the proper word. Look at the part of speech in parentheses to
determine the context of the word in the sentence.

provide (v.) sociable (adj.)

finances (n.) necessity (n.)

free (adj.) standard (n.)

confident (adj.) poor (n.)

access (n.) security (n.)

1. Brazilians are quite ______ and consider it very important to meet with friends and
family as much as possible.
2. Electricity is not a ____ because not everyone in the world has it!
3. In Singapore, people are _____ to go wherever they want whenever they want, but
they cannot litter the streets.
4. Mexicans generally feel quite _____ about the future because they have a positive
outlook on life.
5. Singapore has little crime and therefore has peace and _____.
6. Not all of the ______ base their happiness on material wealth.
7. Many European nations offer _____ to free health care.
8. Comparing your _____ to others is a quick way to destroy your happiness.
9. Life does not _____ us with a single recipe for happiness; there are many ways to be
happy.
10. With over 50% of the population living below the poverty line, Malawi does not have
a high ____ of living.
While reading
Read the text Is there a recipe for happiness?

Read the text here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P40ilgOoerG_Tk_gdm_gka6N1tsIrtHU/view?usp=sharing

Listen to the text here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VCAnTThEVYajbVn8zjj-7RtGezM9GQju

Then, decide if the following sentences are true of false:

SENTENCE TRU FALS

E E
A world survey found that people in Singapore are happier than in
any other country

Singapore has some laws that restrict personal freedom.

There is no unemployment in Singapore

Poor people in Singapore receive money from the government.

A high percentage of older Singaporeans live alone.

Like Singaporeans, all Mexicans enjoy a safe and secure life.

Unlike Singaporeans, not all Mexicans have access to education and

employment

One reason that Mexicans feel happy is because they socialize

frequently.

Most people in Mexico live near people with the same level of
income.

People in Singapore and Mexico have different reasons for being

happy.
Reading Skill: Identifying the main idea.
Read the paragraphs about happiness. Highlight the sentence in the paragraph that
expresses the main idea.

“There has been a lot of research on happiness in recent years. The results of these
studies are surprising. Money can make people forget simple pleasures in life, like
watching a sunset or reading a book in the park. Money can make people bored with
the things they have, so they want to buy something better. Money can cause a lot of
stress if the person is spending a lot of time trying to make more money. Evidence
shows that money is bad at making people happy.”

“Happy husbands and wives spend time together to keep their marriage strong.
Happy parents make time for their children by talking with them, showing them
affection, and teaching them. Happy friends simply pass the time together doing
things that they both like. Happy people are generous and give a lot of their time
and energy to others. This is especially true among friends and family.”

“A good meal is made from a good recipe, good ingredients, and by a good cook!
In a way, this is very similar to happiness. Many good things in life have to come
together to make happiness too. This includes work, play, and time with family
and friends. There are other contributing factors as well, like attitude, diet, and
exercise.”

“Happiness is only a condition of the mind. People can be happy if they make up
their minds to be. Happiness and unhappiness are opposite viewpoints about
your life situation. If you see your life situation as bad for you, that's unhappiness.
If you see your life situation as good for you, that's happiness.”

“What is happiness? The definition of happiness is different from one person to

another. To one person, happiness may mean having lots of money. To another
person, happiness may mean being very successful at work. To still another
person, happiness may simply mean being healthy and having a happy family.
What is happiness for you?”
After reading
Exploring additional Information

Watch the video here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1M-aV02HX-Jkf0nwZvF_qvAVXMeB_SOna

Complete the following items with the possible words.

Increasing Elderly humans

By the year 2050, there will be more ______________ people in the world. In the United States,
China, and Europe, the population is getting older at a fast rate. The world's aging populations are
______________ because people are living longer. Generally speaking, _____________ can live
for a long time. In some countries, people live longer and healthier lives than in others. Sardinia
and Okinawa are good examples of this.

Support healthy processed foods

Centenarians young medical

disease

Both places have a large number of __________ . Their lifestyles are similar. They stay active,
have a lot of hobbies, and eat __________ foods. They also have access to medical care and the
_________ of their family and friends. Many ____________ people nowadays do not have
active lifestyles and eat a lot of ___________ . Some people are turning to _________ science to
live longer. Doctors are treating aging as a ___________. Hopefully, if people eat well and stay
active, we will see more centenarians in the future.
Put into practice your skills for the tests!

Multiple choice questions:

Read the text and watch the video here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QKHxMURw2mDaaUthQ_RN6zhOb39YT5-r

Choose the correct option for each statement.

1.In stating that "We will see aging populations all over the world in the 21st century," the
narrator means that _______.

a. there will be more old people than young people

b. the number of old people will increase
c. everyone will be older than they are now

2. In asking “But how old is old?” the narrator means ____________________.

a. What is your age?

b. How long do humans live?
c. At what age does old age begin?

3. The word centenarian in the video refers to all except ____________________.

a. a man or woman of 99
b. someone who is 105 years old
c. a person who lives for 100 years

4. The word longevity in the video refers to ____________________.

a. a lengthy life
b. someone's age
c. a short life

5. In stating “Younger people are eating more processed foods,” the narrator means that the
young today eat ____________________.

a. pre-packaged food
b. home-cooked food
c. fresh healthy food
Look at the picture and read the sentence below it. Then, answer the question.

In order to collect data on people's levels of happiness, researchers may

conduct personal interviews and have people complete surveys.

The word researchers in the sentence does NOT mean __________.

a. scientists
b. investigators
c. Inspectors

Focusing on long-term goals and carefully planning for the future does not
guarantee happiness.

The word long-term in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. temporary
b. ending
c. Continuing

Arguments sometimes affect a person’s mood and even lead to

depression.

The word mood in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. health
b. luck
c. attitude

Having high self-esteem is a key factor to being happy.

The word factor in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. part
b. concern
c. Thought
A person's well-being can be lowered by negative feelings and symptoms of
depression.

The word well-being in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. good health
b. safety
c. financial situation

Belonging to a community of supportive and caring people can

raise a person's mood.

The word community in the sentence does NOT mean

__________.
a. neighborhood
b. group
c. Family

Providing love and support in times of need is a unique way that

family brings us happiness.

The word support in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. comfort
b. poverty
c. Responsibility

Making time for hobbies like gardening and sports can improve a
person's health and well-being.

The word hobbies in the sentence is closest in meaning to

__________.
a. work
b. interests
c. Chores
Writing exercise

Visit the website https://www.worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ to learn more about the topic.

Read the essay question.
Plan and type your 80-word response in a paragraph. Revise and edit as necessary.
Remember to use a strong topic sentence. Write your text below:

Why are people in some countries happier than in others? Give two examples of
countries that you know well.

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Retrieved from: Pathways 2: Reading, writing and Critical Thinking.