雅思阅读材料之联合国全球幸福指数报告

The first-ever World Happiness Report, from the Earth Institute, was released Monday in time for the UN’s Conference on Happiness, and it shows that the world’s happiest countries are all in northern Europe -- Denmark, Finland, Norway and the Netherland took up the top four spots, in that order. Canada came in fifth, well ahead of the United States at eleventh place.

本周一，联合国在幸福主题的大会上发布全球幸福指数报告，该报告由纽约哥伦比亚大学地球研究所共同发布。报告显示，世界上最幸福的国家大多在北欧：丹麦、芬兰、挪威和荷兰依次占据了前四席。加拿大位列第五，于位列11名的美国。

While the happiest countries tend to be wealthy, and the poorest tend to be least happy (Togo, Benin, Central African Republic and Sierra Leone bottomed out the list), the report is quick to note that happiness is not just about money.

最幸福的国家大多富足，最贫穷的国家大多不幸福（例如非洲的多哥、贝宁、中非共和国和塞拉利昂等国就在排名中垫底），但报告也一针见血地指出幸福不只是关于金钱。

Among some of the happiness report’s highlights:

如下是2012全球幸福报告中的重点内容：

Happier countries tend to be richer countries. But more important for happiness than income are social factors like the strength of social support, the absence of corruption and the degree of personal freedom. Over time as living standards have risen, happiness has increased in some countries, but not in others (like for example, the United States). On average, the world has become a little happier in the last 30 years.

较幸福的国家都倾向于较富裕，但比收入更重要的幸福影响因素还有：社会支持的力量、杜绝贪腐以及个人自由度。随着时间的发展人民的生活标准提高，在一些国家幸福感也有所提升，但在有些国家却没有（比方说在美国）。全世界的人比过去30年平均都要幸福一些。

Unemployment causes as much unhappiness as bereavement or separation. At work, job security and good relationships do more for job satisfaction than high pay and convenient hours. Mental health is the biggest single factor affecting happiness in any country. Yet only a quarter of mentally ill people get treatment for their condition in advanced countries and fewer in poorer countries.

失业带来的不幸福与丧亲和分离一样难受。工作时的职业安全感和良好的同事关系比高收入和灵活工作时间带来的满足感要更强。心理健康是影响各国幸福感最主要的因素。但在发达国家只有四分之一的精神病患者接受治疗，在较贫穷的国家比例就更低。

In advanced countries, women are happier than men, while the position in poorer countries is mixed. Happiness is lowest in middle age.

发达国家女性比男性幸福，发展中国家情况比较复杂。中年人幸福指数在不同年龄阶层得分。

The World’s Happiest Countries

全球最幸福的国家前十名：

1. Denmark 丹麦

2. Finland 芬兰

3. Norway 挪威

4 The Netherlands 荷兰

5. Canada 加拿大

6. Switzerland  瑞士

7. Sweden 瑞典

8. New Zealand 新西兰

9. Australia  澳大利亚

10. Ireland 爱尔兰