决定幸福感的基因
It seems happiness is in your genes, according to research that shows the more people in a country who have a particular gene, the happier the nation will be. The DNA in question, the FAAH gene, makes a protein that affects feelings of pleasure and pain. People with a particular kind of it tend to be cheerier souls.
However, wealth and health were found to have little effect on happiness. The researchers said it could help explain why some of the world’s poorest nations are also the happiest. The team from Bulgaria and Hong Kong looked at whether there was a link between levels of the FAAH gene in a population and the number of people who said they were very happy in global study of life satisfaction. Sweden, one of the happiest countries in Europe and in the world, also had lots of happy DNA. Some 26.3 percent of Swedes have the happiness gene, compared to 23 percent of Britons, 21 percent of the French and 20 percent of Germans. The happiness gene is even rarer in Southern Europe where it is found in 18 percent of Greeks and just 12 percent of Italians. In contrast, the peoples of Jordan and Hong Kong were among the least likely to rate themselves as very happy and also had the lowest levels of the gene.
Study co-author Michael Minkov said, “We cannot fail to notice the high occurrence of the gene in hot and tropical environments in the Americas and Africa and the lower occurrence of it around the Mediterranean Sea than in Northern Europe.
1.The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph may refer to _________.
A the happy nation
B the FAAH gene
C the particular pleasure
D the cheerful soul
解析：选B。B 词意指代题。根据第一段第二句“The DNA in question, the FAAH gene, makes a protein that affects feelings of pleasure and pain.”可以得知，特 别的基因促使了一种特别蛋白质的产生，让人产 生兴奋的感觉。有这种基因的人会感觉更幸福。 故选 B。
2.Why are people in some poorest nations the happiest in the world?
A Because they have great wealth.
B Because they have a lot of special genes.
C Because they are all very healthy.
D Because they often fight with each other.
解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据第二段的“The researchers said it could help explain why some of the world’s poorest nations are also the happiest.”可以得知世 界上一些最贫穷的国家也是最幸福的，因为他们 有这种特别的基因。故选 B。
3.Which of the following people have the most happy DNA
A Chinese.
B French.
C Swedes.
D Germans.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第二段第五句“Some 26.3 percent of Swedes have the happiness gene...”可以 得知 26.5%的瑞典人有幸福基因，并且是几个当 中最高的。故选 C。
4.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A Climatic differences also bring about differences in happiness.
B The gene and happiness never always go hand in hand together.
C The water in the sea often makes people happier and happier.
D The tropical environment is able to make people less happy.
解析：选A。A 主旨大意题。根据文章最后一段“We cannot fail to notice the high occurrence of the gene in hot and tropical environments...”可以得知，该段描述了气 候的差异也会影响人们的幸福感，故选 A。