Happiness

 

Happiness is something we all strive for in life. However, what makes  happiness varies greatly from person to person. A new study into the state of being happy shows that our contentment depends on the interaction of a wide variety of factors. Emorie Beck, assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, led an investigation into what makes us happy. Understanding this could help mental health professionals to provide better treatments for people struggling with depression and anxiety. Professor Beck wrote: "We have to understand the sources of happiness to build effective interventions." Her study has been published in the journal "Nature Human Behaviour".

Professor Beck suggested that happiness can come from external circumstances (like income, job satisfaction, and possessions) or internal feelings. Beck wrote about three models of happiness. The first is the "bottom-up" point of view. This is based on our overall satisfaction with factors like wealth, jobs and relationships. This framework is the one used for the World Happiness Report. The second model is a "top-down" perspective. This suggests happiness comes from internal attitudes towards life. People can control this through things like meditation or therapy. The final model is a bidirectional one. This is where the bottom-up and top-down models interact to create happiness.


1. DIFFICULT: Students A strongly believe it's difficult to be happy in today's world and that it was much easier to be happy in the past.; Students B strongly believe  the opposite. Explain.  
2. HAPPINESS IS..: How do these things affect your happiness? When was the last time these things made you happy? Complete this table .

 

My Happiness

The Last Time

A good meal

 

 

Listening to music

 

 

A walk in the countryside or a hike up a mountain

 

 

Being with friends

 

 

Going shopping

 

 

Doing exercise

Something else ?

 

 

 

3.Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1.

strive for

a.

Try very hard to get or do something.

      2.

intervention

b.

A strong and deep feeling of sadness for a long time.

      3.

contentment

c.

Taking action on something in order to have an effect on its outcome

      4.

treatment

d.

Having a hard time doing something.

      5.

struggling

e.

A feeling of quiet happiness.

      6.

depression

f.

Something done to help someone get better when they are sick or sad.

      7.

journal

g.

A book or magazine that has writing about one subject.

    Paragraph 2

      8.

circumstances

h.

In general; when looking at everything.

      9.

possessions

i.

A basic plan or idea that helps you understand or do something.

      10.

 interact

j.

The things or facts around a situation or person’s life.

      11.

framework

k.

A quiet time when you sit still and try to relax or think deeply or try not to think at all.

      12.

overall

l.

The things a person owns.

      13.

meditation

m.

Act in such a way as to have an effect on each other.

     


4. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. strive for
  2. varies
  3. contentment
  4. treatments
  5. effective
  6. circumstances
  7. frame of mind
  8. overall
  9. attitudes
  1. happiness
  2. mood
  3. successful
  4. points of view
  5. factors
  6. aspire to
  7. general
  8. differs
  9. therapies


5.Role play

Role  A – Friends
You think friends make you happiest. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things can't make people as happy. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these things to make people happy (and why):  

Role  B – Good Food
You think good food makes you happiest. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things can't make people as happy. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these things to make people happy (and why):  

Role  C – Nice Clothes
You think nice clothes make you happiest. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things can't make people as happy. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these things to make people happy (and why): 

Role  D – A Good Book
You think a good book makes you happiest. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things can't make people as happy. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these things to make people happy (and why):  

OR

·         Social media

·         Watching sport

·         Sleeping

·         Shopping


6. Discussion - Happiness

  1. What affects your levels of happiness?
  2. How much do you strive to be happy?
  3. What constitutes happiness for you?
  4. When are the happiest years of our life?
  5. What can we do to help people with depression?
  6. Have you ever suffered from anxiety?
  7. Can money buy happiness?
  1. How happy are you with your job?
  2. To what degree do your possessions make you happy?
  3. How can meditation affect your happiness?
  4. How happy would your friends say you are?
  5. Should all governments have a department of happiness?
  6. What would make you happier in life?
  7. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?
7. We Have Many Idoms  in English  About Happiness And Being Happy About Something: 

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