单选题 New research shows that when people"s minds drifted from the task or activity at hand, they reported being less happy than when they were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.
The human mind is uniquely capable of wandering—that is, to ponder things that have happened, to anticipate things that will happen, and to plan for things that might happen, explained study author Matthew Killingsworth, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard University. The ability is one of the traits that makes human beings human, he noted.
Yet, cognitive wandering comes at a cost, which is that when people are thinking about something other than what they"re doing, they feel less happy, the researchers discovered.
"Human beings seem to have this unique capacity to focus on the non-present. They have the ability to reflect on the past, plan for the future and imagine things that might never occur," Killingsworth said. "But at the same time, human beings are clumsy (不得当的) users of this capacity and it tends to decrease, rather than increase, happiness."
In the study, 2,250 participants were prompted at random times throughout the day using an iPhone Web application. They were asked how they were feeling, what they were doing, if they were thinking about something other than what they were doing and whether whatever they were contemplating was pleasant (say, daydreaming about a vacation), unpleasant (perhaps worrying about a relationship or finances) or neutral in nature.
According to the study, participants spent nearly 47 percent of their waking hours with their mind in a wandering state. "This study shows that our mental lives are pervaded, to a remarkable degree, by the non-present," Killingsworth said.
That is, with one notable exception. When describing what they were doing, participants could choose from 22 activities, including walking, eating, shopping, watching TV, commuting and working.
Generally, people also reported being the happiest when exercising or conversing. They said they were least happy when resting or sleeping, working or using a home computer.
When it came to what they were thinking about, 42.5 percent thought of pleasant topics, 26.5 percent thought of unpleasant topics, while 31 percent were thinking neutral thoughts.
And while people who were thinking of pleasant things were happier than people thinking of unpleasant things, even those thinking happy thoughts were less happy than people who were fully engaged in whatever they were doing.
Barbara Becker Holstein, a psychologist and "happiness coach" in Long Branch, N.J., said the findings speak to the importance of doing things that provide a sense of purpose and meaning. Such activities make it easier to stay focused, Holstein explained.
"This research is incredible and fascinating," Holstein said. "But long before the research, psychologists and many educators recognized that in order to feel a sense of wellbeing, you need to feel you have purpose and meaning in life. That means you are containing the mind around certain projects and activities, and are forcing the mind not to be all over the place all day long."
单选题 What did the researchers discover according to the passage?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[考点] 细节判断
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容进行细节判断的能力。问题问：根据文章内容，研究人员发现了什么?文章第一段提出，新的研究表明，当人们胡思乱想，而不是专注于手边工作时感到最不快乐。文章第二段和第三段提出，人类头脑非常独特，它可以胡思乱想，但研究人员发现，当人们在胡思乱想而不是在做事情时，他们感到不是那么快乐。由此可以判断，如果人们不专心致志做事，就不会很快乐。所以，本题正确答案是C。
干扰项A：人的头脑可以胡思乱想。这是事实，不是研究人员的发现。干扰项B：人的头脑非常复杂。这一内容原文没有提及。干扰项D：人的思绪经常从手头所的事情上移开。这是事实，不是研究人员的发现。
单选题 What is the attitude of Matthew Killingsworth toward human ability to wander?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[考点] 观点态度
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容判断观点态度的能力。问题问：马修·柯林沃斯怎么看待人类的胡思乱想?文章第四段提到，哈佛大学心理学教授马修·柯林沃斯认为，人类关注‘非当前事情’的能力可谓独一无二——他们回顾过去、展望未来，甚至设想那些完全不可能发生的事情。但人类对这一能力的使用不当往往会减少而不是增加他们的快乐。根据上下文可以推断出，“对这一能力使用不当”指的是人类的胡思乱想。由此可以判断，马修·柯林沃斯对人类胡思乱想的能力持否定态度。所以，本题正确答案是D。
干扰项A：赞同的；干扰项B：怀疑的；干扰项C：不关心的。
单选题 The word "contemplating" (Para. 5) most probably means ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[考点] 词语含义
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容判断词语含义的能力。问题问：文章第五段中“contemplating”一词是什么意思?第五段提出，在马修·柯林沃斯所做的调查中，研究人员不仅仅询问参与调查者在做什么，他们目前“contemplating”的事情是愉快的(比如梦想一个假期)，还是不愉快的(如为某种关系或自己的经济状况而担忧)，抑或是介于两者之间等；除此之外，研究人员还询问他们心情如何、在做什么、是否在想事情等。根据上下文可以判断，“contemplating”的意思与“thinking”相同，与“dreaming about”和“worrying about”意思相通，而文章中使用括号连接的同位成分也帮助解释了“contemplating”的含义。由此可以判断，“contemplating”意思是“思考、遐想”。所以，本题正确答案是A。
干扰项B：困惑；干扰项C：担心；干扰项D：规划。
单选题 Which of the following is TRUE according to Matthew Killingsworth"s study?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[考点] 正误判断
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容进行正误判断的能力。问题问：关于马修·柯林沃斯所做的调查，四个选项中哪个选项的说法正确?文章第五段到第九段对修·柯林沃斯所做的调查进行了详细描述，第十段对调查结果进行了说明：人们想开心的事情比想不开心的事情要快乐，但即使是在想开心的事情，也不如全心去做事情快乐。由此可以推断，根据调查结果，当人们胡思乱想、无所事事时会感到不是很快乐。所以，本题正确答案是B。
干扰项A：人们在想开心的事情时最快乐；干扰项C：人们在想不开心的事情时最不快乐；干扰项D：人们做太多的运动时不是很快乐。选项A和选项C的内容与原文不符；选项D的内容原文没有提及。
单选题 What does the phrase "speak to" (Para. 11) mean in the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[考点] 词组含义
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容判断词组含义的能力。问题问：文章第十一段中的词组“speak to”是什么意思?文章第三段谈到，当人们胡思乱想时感到不是很快乐。文章第四段至第九段都是介绍马修·柯林沃斯所做的调查以及调查结果。调查发现，当人们在想事情而不是全身心在做事情时，不会感到很快乐。由此可以推断，人们专心做事对于保持快乐很重要，也就是说，柯林沃斯的调查结果证明了这一点。文章第十一段提出，心理学家巴巴拉·贝克·霍尔斯坦恩认为，柯林沃斯的调查结果______做一些有目的、有意义的事情的重要性。可以推断出，speak to的意思是“证明”。所以，本题正确答案是D。
干扰项A：提到；干扰项B：解释；干扰项C：建议。
单选题 According to Barbara Becker Holstein, the findings of Killingsworth"s study help to demonstrate the importance of
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[考点] 细节推断
此题考查考生根据文章具体内容进行细节推断的能力。问题问：巴巴拉·贝克·霍尔斯坦认为，柯林沃斯的调查结果证明了______的重要性。文章第十一段提出，心理学家巴巴拉·贝克·霍尔斯坦恩认为，柯林沃斯的调查结果证明了做一些有目的、有意义的事情的重要性。第十二段提出，霍尔斯坦说道，在柯林沃斯做研究之前，许多心理学家和教育家就提出，如果想要有幸福感，就需要能感受到生活的目的和意义。由此可以推断，柯林沃斯的调查结果证明了生活的目的和意义的重要性。所以，本题正确答案是A。
干扰项B：想开心的事情；干扰项C：感受到幸福；干扰项D：想象未来将发生的事情。这三个选项的内容与原文不符。