The Pursuit of Happiness Reading Answers with Explanations

IELTS Reading Passage: The Pursuit of Happiness

A. We would never understand the full range of human capabilities, only if we knew as much about mental wellness as we do about mental illness, as per the University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman, he encouraged peers to research optimal moods with the identical enthusiasm they had for so long examined pathologies. A new generation of psychologists accumulated a considerable collection of data on virtues and activities that increase pleasure. Meanwhile, advances in neuroscience gave us fresh insights into what makes us joyful and how it manifests in the brain. Self-proclaimed experts profited on the fad by promising to get rid of anxiety, stress, dejection, and even dullness. Psychologists have voiced strong opposition to the happiness movement because they believe that people's attempts to exclude sorrow, an important emotion, from their emotional repertoire have been unsuccessful. Young people who are naturally teary following breakups are frequently encouraged to medicate themselves rather than work through their pain, argues Allan Horwitz of Rutgers. The desire for happiness, according to Eric Wilson of Wake Forest University, who also says that “The joyful person is a hollow person”, which leads to a "craven disregard" for the melancholy viewpoint that has inspired the finest works of art.

B. Humans are, admittedly, extremely adaptable. No matter what occurs to us, we always return to our prior level of happiness after a varied adaptation period. (There are a few exceptions that have been scientifically verified, such as losing a spouse or a job unexpectedly. Both incidents frequently cause people to take a lasting step back.) Our capacity for adaptation has two sides. We quickly adjust to a lot of the life achievements we aspire to, such as gaining a big job or getting married, according to Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University of California. We begin to feel as though something is missing shortly after reaching a milestone. We start eyeing a social breakthrough or wanting a new material object. However, this method keeps us bound to a treadmill where happiness is always just a gadget or a step away. By concentrating on tasks that are dynamic, surprising, and attention- consuming, which are less likely to dull us than, for example, collecting flashy new gadgets, it is possible to completely exit the treadmill.

C. Therefore, happiness is not a prize for avoiding suffering. Popular ideas about happiness are harmful, according to The Happy Trap author Russ Harris, since they prepare individuals for a "battle against reality." They refuse to realise that real life is filled with setbacks, grief, and hardships. According to Harris, "you're going to feel a whole spectrum of emotions if you're going to have a rich and meaningful life." People become happy when they work towards objectives other than happiness. The most satisfying part of a task is not finishing it, but rather anticipating success. Richard Davidson, a neurologist at the University of Wisconsin, discovered that setting goals and working hard to achieve them not only triggers happy emotions but also diminishes negativity like anxiety and depression.

D. We make decisions all the time about things like what to wear, who to marry, and which ice cream flavour to indulge in. Many of our choices are based on whether we believe they will improve our well-being. We appear to be convinced irrationally that the more options we have, the better equipped we will be in the long run. However, our environment of limitless opportunity more often bounds us than liberates us. Barry Schwartz, a psychologist at Swarthmore, coined the phrase "the paradox of choice," which describes how being presented with several options makes us anxious and far less delighted with our choices. Too many options keep us thinking about all the chances we've lost.

E. In addition, not everyone can fake happiness. Professor of psychology Barbara Held at Bowdoin College resents "the tyranny of the positive mindset." She maintains that for certain people, it is impossible and even destructive to take a positive approach.“The existing bitter feelings, by making them feel like failure, can be amplified by pressuring people to thrive in ways that aren't appropriate for them, which also doesn't help the author write. Professor Julie Norem, author of The Positive Power of Negative Thought, agrees that the one-size-fits-all strategy for handling emotional life is wrong. According to her research, anxious people can use their defensive optimism to their advantage by using it to get things done, which in fact makes them joyful. For instance, a typically pessimistic architect can lower her expectations for a forthcoming presentation and consider every potential failure so that she can plan properly and improve her chances of success.

F. A person who is not living in accordance with their principles, however, will not be happy, regardless of how much they accomplish. Nonetheless, some individuals are unsure of what their values are. Harris asks an excellent question in this situation: "If I could wave a magic wand and make sure you would have the respect and adoration of everyone on the earth, everlasting. What would you decide to do with your life in that circumstance? Once you've answered this question truthfully, you can start moving in the direction of the ideal version of yourself. The correct response is irrelevant as long as you're leading an aware life. Happiness itself isn't an emotion whatsoever. This continuous personal experiment continues.

Questions for Reading Passage: The Pursuit of Happiness

Questions 1-6

Six paragraphs (A–F) comprise the Reading Passage.

Which passage refers to the following?

On the answer sheet, fill in boxes 1-6, using the appropriate letter (A–F).

1. The requirement that people comprehend what is truly important to them.

2. Tension brought on by a large number of choices.

3. The use of success as a technique of coping with negative emotions.

4. Those who identify as specialists.

5. Humans' capacity to adapt to change

6. Doing activities that are fascinating in and of themselves.

Questions 7 and 8

Pick TWO letters from A-E.

Fill in boxes 7 and 8 on the answer sheet with the appropriate letters.

Which TWO of the following individuals are opposed to pursuing continuous happiness?

A. Martin Seligman

B. Eric Wilson

C. Sonja Lyubomirsky

D. Russ Harris

E. Barry Schwartz

Questions 9 and 10

Pick TWO letters from A-E.

Fill in boxes 9 and 10 on the answer sheet with the appropriate letters.

Which TWO of the following beliefs are pointed out in the text as being false?

A. Wealth that is inherited is less happy-making than wealth that is earned.

B. Our assessment of our level of happiness is influenced by our social standing.

C. An optimistic mindset guarantees success.

D. Unhappiness is avoidable and ought to be.

E. Emotional extremes are common among young people.

Questions 11-13

Complete the sentences listed below.

For each response, pick NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage.

Fill in the blanks on your answer sheet, 11-13, with your responses.

Martin Seligman proposed that science should closely investigate our most 11__ as it does our psychological issues to get a complete grasp of how people's minds operate.

Soon after reaching a 12__ in their lives, people grow habituated to what they have accomplished and feel as though something is missing.

People who are 13__ by instinct are more inclined to succeed if they put a lot of thought into their presentation.