2014英语二阅读真题Text1Whatwouldyoudowith$590m?ThisisnowaquestionforGloriaMacKenzie,an84-year-oldwidowwhorecentlyemergedfromhersmall,tin-roofedhouseinFloridatocollectthebiggestundividedlotteryjackpotinhistory.Ifshehopeshernew-foundfortunewillyieldlastingfeelingsoffulfilment,shecoulddoworsethanreadHappyMoneybyElizabethDunnandMichaelNorton.Thesetwoacademicsuseanarrayofbehavioralresearchtoshowthatthemostrewardingwaystospendmoneycanbecounterintuitive.Fantasiesofgreatwealthofteninvolvevisionsoffancycarsandextravaganthomes.Yetsatisfactionwiththesematerialpurchaseswearsofffairlyquickly.Whatwasonceexcitingandnewbecomesold-hat;regretcreepsin.Itisfarbettertospendmoneyonexperiences,sayMsDunnandMrNorton,likeinterestingtrips,uniquemealsorevengoingtothecinema.Thesepurchasesoftenbecomemorevaluablewithtime—asstoriesormemories—particularlyiftheyinvolvefeelingmoreconnectedtoothers.Thisslimvolumeispackedwithtipstohelpwageslavesaswellaslotterywinnersgetthemost“happinessbangforyourbuck.”Itseemsmostpeoplewouldbebetteroffiftheycouldshortentheircommutestowork,spendmoretimewithfriendsandfamilyandlessofitwatchingtelevision(somethingtheaverageAmericanspendsawhoppingtwomonthsayeardoing,andishardlyjollierforit).Buyinggiftsorgivingtocharityisoftenmorepleasurablethanpurchasingthingsforoneself,andluxuriesaremostenjoyablewhentheyareconsumedsparingly.ThisisapparentlythereasonMcDonald’srestrictstheavailabilityofitspopularMcRib—amarketingtrickthathasturnedtheporksandwichintoanobjectofobsession.ReadersofHappyMoneyareclearlyaprivilegedlot,anxiousaboutfulfilment,nothunger.Moneymaynotquitebuyhappiness,butpeopleinwealthiercountriesaregenerallyhappierthanthoseinpoorones.Yetthelinkbetweenfeelinggoodandspendingmoneyonotherscanbeseenamongrichandpoorpeoplearoundtheworld,andscarcityenhancesthepleasureofmostthingsformostpeople.Noteveryonewillagreewiththeauthors’policyideas,whichrangefrommandatingmoreholidaytimetoreducingtaxincentivesforAmericanhomebuyers.Butmostpeoplewillcomeawayfromthisbookbelievingitw...
