翻译专业资格一级笔译模拟试题（九）

We have scrutinized the American dream of achieved wealth and well-being by comparing rich and unrich countries, and rich and unrich people. That leaves the final question Over time, does happiness rise with affluence

Typically not. Lottery winners appear to gain but a temporary jolt of joy from their winnings. Looking back, they feel delighted to have won. Yet the euphoria doesn't last. In fact, previously enjoyed activities such as reading may become less pleasurable.

On a smaller scale, a jump in our income can boost our morale, for a while. But in the long run notes Inglehart, neither an ice cream cone nor a new car nor becoming rich and famous produces the same feelings of delight that it initially did... Happiness is not the result of being rich, but a temporary consequence of having recently become richer. Ed Diener's research confirms that those whose incomes have increased over a 10-year period are not happier than those whose income has not increased. Wealth, it therefore seems, is like health Although its utter absence can

breed misery, having it does not guarantee happiness. Happiness is less a matter of getting what we want than of wanting what we have.

(摘自 Does Economic Growth Improve Human Morale by David G. Myers)

参考译文

通过比较富裕和贫穷的国家、富有和贫困的人，我们细察了追求财富和幸福的美国梦。最后，我们不禁要问随着时间的推移，快乐会随着财富的增长而增加吗

通常不会。彩票中奖者得到的看来只是短暂的意外惊喜。回想起来，他们会因为中彩而欣喜。但是这种陶醉并不能持续多久。事实上，以前热衷的一些活动，比如读书，可能还会变得不那么令人愉快了。同中了100万美元的兴奋相比，普通的乐趣会显得黯然失色。

从近处看，薪水的增长可以暂时昂扬我们的工作士气。但英格勒哈特指出：从长远看，一份蛋卷冰激凌，或是一辆新车，或是出名致富，都不能带来最初的那种快乐感受……。快乐并非富裕之结果，而是刚刚变富后带来的短暂效应。艾德?迪纳尔的研究同样证明，那些10年间加过薪的人并不比那些没有加薪的人更快乐。因此，财富看来如同健康一样没有钱可能酿成痛苦，但有了它并不等于拥有了快乐。与其说幸福在于得到我们想要的，还不如说幸福在于珍惜我们已有的。