IliveinthelandofDisney,Hollywoodandyear-roundsun.Youmaythinkpeopleinsuchaglamorous,fun-filledplacearehappierthanothers.Ifso,youhavesomemistakenideasaboutthenatureofhappiness.

Manyintelligentpeoplestillequatehappinesswithfun.Thetruthisthatfunandhappinesshavelittleornothingincommon.Funiswhatweexperienceduringanact.Happinessiswhatweexperienceafteranact.Itisadeeper,moreabidingemotion.

Goingtoanamusementparkorballgame,watchingamovieortelevision,arefunactivitiesthathelpusrelax,temporarilyforgetourproblemsandmaybeevenlaugh.Buttheydonotbringhappiness,becausetheirpositiveeffectsendwhenthefunends.

IhaveoftenthoughtthatifHollywoodstarshavearoletoplay,itistoteachusthathappinesshasnothingtodowithfun.Theserich,beautifulindividualshaveconstantaccesstoglamorousparties,fancycars,expensivehomes,everythingthatspells“happiness”.Butinmemoiraftermemoir,celebritiesrevealtheunhappinesshiddenbeneathalltheirfun:depression,alcoholism,drugaddiction,brokenmarriages,troubledchildrenandprofoundloneliness.

Askabachelorwhyheresistsmarriageeventhoughhefindsdatingtobelessandlesssatisfying.Ifhe’shonest,hewilltellyouthatheisafraidofmakingacommitment.Forcommitmentisinfactquitepainful.Thesinglelifeisfilledwithfun,adventureandexcitement.Marriagehassuchmoments,buttheyarenotitsmostdistinguishingfeatures.

Similarly,couplesthatchoosenottohavechildrenaredecidinginfavorofpainlessfunoverpainfulhappiness.Theycandineoutevertheywantandsleepaslateastheywant.Coupleswithinfantchildrenareluckytogetawholenight’ssleeporathree-dayvacation.Idon’tknowanyparentwhowouldchoosethewordfuntodescriberaisingchildren.

Understandingandacceptingthattruehappinesshasnothingtodowithfunisoneofthemostliberatingrealizationswecanevercometo.Itliberatestime:nowwecandevotemorehourstoactivitiesthatcangenuinelyincreaseourhappiness.Itliberatesmoney:buyingthatnewcarorthosefancyclothesthatwilldonothingtoincreaseourhappinessnowseemspointless.Anditliberatesusfromenvy:wenowunderstandthatallthoserichandglamorouspeopleweweresosurearehappybecausetheyarealwayshavingsomuchfunactuallymaynotbehappyatall.

1.Whichofthefollowingistrue?

A.Funcreateslong-lastingsatisfaction.

B.Funprovidesenjoymentwhilepainleadstohappiness.

C.Happinessisenduringwhereasfunisshort-lived.

D.Funthatislong-standingmayleadtohappiness.

2.Totheauthor,Hollywoodstarsallhaveanimportantroletoplaythatisto__.

A.ritememoiraftermemoirabouttheirhappiness.

B.tellthepublicthathappinesshasnothingtodowithfun.

C.teachpeoplehowtoenjoytheirlives.

D.bringhappinesstothepublicinsteadofgoingtoglamorousparties.

3.Intheauthor’sopinion,marriage___.

A.affordsgreaterfun.

B.leadstoraisingchildren.

C.indicatescommitment.

D.endsinpain.

4.Coupleshavinginfantchildren___.

A.areluckysincetheycanhaveawholenight’ssleep.

B.findfunintuckingthemintobedatnight.

C.findmoretimetoplayandjokewiththem.

D.derivehappinessfromtheirendeavor.

5.Ifonegetthemeaningofthetruesenseofhappiness,hewill__.

A.stopplayinggamesandjokingwithothers.

B.makethebestuseofhistimeincreasinghappiness.

C.giveafreehandtomoney.

D.keephimselfwithhisfamily.