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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: It might not come as a surprise that China fell behind Western countries in a recent UN report on global happiness. China was only ranked 112th happiest country out of 156 in the UN's World Happiness Report in April. The happiest country, it seems, is Denmark, closely followed by three more northern European countries- Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands. But apart from income and lifestyle differences, there are also cultural reasons for this divide. They show that Chinese people and Westerners have different perceptions of happiness. According to a survey conducted by CCTV, income levels most affected Chinese people's sense of well- being (55.5 percent), followed by health (48.9 percent) and quality of marriage or love life (32 percent). It seems that all these criteria are lagging in China, and that the obvious explanation for greater happiness in the West is higher incomes. But not so, says Professor John Helliwell, an American economist at the University of British Columbia and coauthor of the UN report. According to Helliwell, low-income individuals may experience an initial jump in happiness when their money increases, but this feeling decreases as they adapt to their new circumstances. He stresses the example of the US, where, despite GDP figures rising consistently for the past 50 years, happiness has been steadily declining. This is because people desire more than money and material wealth. "To be happy, we need to feel connection, trust and meaningful relationships," explains Helliwell. Dr Deborah Swallow, a UK expert on cultural diversity however, believes there are some differences in the perceptions of happiness in the West and China. "For North Americans and Europeans, happiness tends to be defined in terms of personal achievement, and is best predicted by self-esteem" she says. "For East Asians, happiness tends to be defined in terms of interpersonal connectedness, and is best predicted by how well involved the self is in a social network." Living standards are not necessarily the last... Question: You might read the passage in a _ column of a newspaper. Options: A: Society B: Education C: Medicine D: Culture
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A

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: When I was seven, my father gave me a Timex, my first watch. I loved it, wore it for years, and haven't had another one since it stopped ticking a decade ago. Why? Because I don't need one. I have a mobile phone and I'm always near someone with an iPod or something like that. All these tell the time -- which is why, if you look around, you'll see lots of empty wrists ; sales of watches to young adults have been going down since 2007. But while these wise people have realized that they don't need them, others -- including some distinguished ones of our time -- are spending total fortunes on them. Brands such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Breitling command shocking prices, up to PS 250.000 for a piece. This is ridiculous. Expensive cars go faster than cheap cars. Expensive clothes hang better than cheap clothes. But these days, all watches tell the time as well as all other watches. Yes, you may say expensive watches will come with some extra functions -- but who needs them? How often do you dive to 300 metres into the sea to test its function of waterproof, or need to find your direction in the area around the South Pole by using its compass? So why pay that much of five years' school fees for watches that allow you to do these things? If justice were done, the Swiss watch industry should have closed down when the Japanese discovered how to make accurate watches for a five-pound note. Instead, the Swiss re-invented the watch, with the aid of millions of pounds' worth of advertising, as a message about the man ---- usually a famous star, wearing it. Rolexes are for those who spend their weekends climbing icy mountains; a Patek Philippe is for one from a rich or noble family; a Breitling suggests you like to pilot planes across the world. Watches are classified as "investment items" now. A 1994 Philippe recently sold for nearly PS 350, 000, while 1960s Rolexes have gone from 15, 000 to 30, 000 plus in a year. But, to some wealthy people, a watch is more than an investment. It's a valuable toy for... Question: What can be learnt about Swiss watch industry from the passage? Options: A: It targets rich people as its potential customers. B: It seems hard for the industry to beat its competitors. C: It wastes a huge amount of money in advertising. D: It is easy for the industry to re-invent cheap watches.
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A

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Read the article and select the best answer. Article: Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may _ for you than you think. High technology, some predicted, would make team work a thing of the past. That's happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers. But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations---often thousands of miles apart---can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results. Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient. Of course, computer-assisted team effort doesn't end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. "Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions," explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. "Interdisciplinary teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network." Sometimes a computer-aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high-technology team work, the future seems limitless. Question: According to the passage, the writer believes that _ . Options: A: teamwork requires more use of computers than that of human beings B: teamwork will be completely replaced by computers C: the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past D: high technology would make teamwork a thing of the past
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C