Old age may not sound exciting.But recent findings offer good news for older pepole and for people worried about getting older.
Researches found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty.In fact,they say by the age of eigh
ty—five,people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States.The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008.At that time,the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty—five.The searches asked questions about emotions like happiness,sadness and worry.They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study.His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty—two and twenty—five.The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties.Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies.The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
The study also showed that men and women had similar emotional patterns as they grew older.Hower,women at all ages reported more sadness,stress and worry than men.Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older.One theory is that,as people grow older,they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotion .They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
The researchers also considered pos
sible influences like having young children,being unemployed or being single.But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well—being related to age.
小题1: How did the researchers find older people happier?
A．They did a series of experiments.
B．They made a written survey about the old people.
C．They interviewed people of different ages face to face.
D．They telephoned people between the ages of 18 and 85.小题2:When do people feel happier according to the passage?
A．In their twenties
B．In their fifties
C．After their seventies
D．When they were born小题3:Which one is NOT related to the happiness of old people?
A．Less stress
B．Away from working
C．Controlling of emotions
D．More thankfulness小题4:Which is the best title for the passage?
A．No Worrying about Getting Older
B．Older Men are Happier than Older Women
C．The Factors Affecting the Happiness of Old people
D．For Lots of people,Getting Older Means Getting Happy
