快乐的秘密 The secret of happiness

Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I’m Rob and with me today is Finn.
大家好，欢迎收听本期BBC六分钟英语。我是Rob，这是我的搭档Finn。
(sounding glum) Hi Rob.
（闷闷不乐的声音）你好，Rob。
Finn you’re sounding a bit down in the dumps – you know, a bit miserable.
Finn，听起来你不太高兴啊。
Well Rob I am. It’s raining again… I’ve got no money… and I’m feeling unfit too – just look at me!
是啊。外面又下雨，我兜里没钱，身上还不舒服。你看看我！
Oh, yes. Hmm. Well I’ve got some news today that might put a smile on your face.It’s about a new study that tells us how we can make ourselves happier. And we’ll be using some words about happiness too.
呃，原来是这样。我可以告诉你些新闻，让你开心一下哦。话说这条新闻与某项新研究有关。稍后我们会讨论让自己开心的方法，并学些有关快乐的词汇。
Well that sounds good and I’m feeling a lot happier already, thank you, Rob!
哇，听起来很不错，我现在开心多了。谢谢你，Rob！
Great. So Finn, what other things make you feel happy?
Finn，还有什么事让你感到快乐？
Hmm. Well probably the finer things in life – you know, good food, fine wine, things like that. And you Rob?
也许是生活中的美好事物吧，比如美酒和美食。你呢？Rob？
For me, it’s got to be… everything! Nothing worries me and I always look for the positive things even in a bad situation.You could say I’m happy-go-lucky! And to keep you happy, let’s see if you know the answer to today’s question.The World Happiness Database has ranked countries in order of how happy their people are – or to be more precise - their ’satisfaction with life’.So do you know which country came top of the list? Was it: a) Finland b) Canada c) Costa Rica
恩，什么都行。我不担心任何事情，就算情况糟糕，我也会往积极方面想。所以你可以叫我乐天派哦~好了，为了让你开心，先来看看今天的问题吧。世界幸福数据库将各个国家按照人民幸福度（具体来说，人民对生活的满意度）做了排名。请问，排在首位的是哪个国家？A.芬兰 B.加拿大 C.哥斯达黎加
Well, I think Finland has a high quality of life but let’s say the happiest nation is Canada.
芬兰的生活质量应该很高，但我还是选B吧，加拿大。
Canada, ok. We’ll find out if you are right at the end of the programme. So, let’s talk more about happiness.There’s been some good news from Holland – that’s where the World Happiness Database is – at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
加拿大，好的。节目最后我会揭晓答案。现在咱们来谈谈幸福与快乐。荷兰鹿特丹市伊拉兹马斯大学（世界幸福数据库所在地）有些好消息要分享。
It’s been collecting the results of studies about happiness from all over the world.
多年来，它一直在收集各地的幸福研究结果。
Yes, and now all that information has been put together to produce some interesting results.
而今所有信息终于被整合到一起，产生了有趣结论。
Ok. But surely, Rob, happiness is a state of mind – so different things make different people content – or happy – depending on their mood or situation at the time?
一点不错。可Rob，幸福是种心理状态。不同事会让不同人感到开心、满足，这主要取决于自己心情和当时情形，是吧？
Yes, but this research has found some factors that we all share when we are searching for happiness. It also found what made people unhappy.
是的，但这项研究发现了几个共同幸福因素和让大家不开心的事情。
So, maybe things like not having enough money or not going on holiday?
你是指钱不够花、没法度假等情况？
Nothing like that, not materialistic values.Unhappy people are more aware of their life goals – things they want to achieve because they want to change their life for the better. Does that sound like you Finn?
不是，我说的不是物质主义价值观。不快乐的人更加明确自己的目标，因为他们想让生活更美好。Finn，你是这样吗？
Well, actually not me Rob. I lead such a hectic – or busy – life that I don’t always get time to think about the future!
其实不是。我的生活狂热而忙碌，根本没有思考未来的时间！
Ok. That’s good because the study found having an active life is most important for a happy and rewarding life – that means a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure.There are other reasons too as we can hear from the Director of the World Happiness Database, Professor Veenhoven.When in life does he say we are happiest?
那很好啊。因为研究发现积极向上对拥有快乐充实的生活很重要。在这里，rewarding是满意、愉悦的意思。其他因素也很重要。下面请听世界幸福数据库主任Veenhoven教授的话语，看他认为我们何时最幸福。
Research has shown that we can make ourselves happier because we see that happiness does change over time,and that these changes are not just a matter of better circumstances but also better dealing with life.Elderly people tend to be wise and for that reason, happier.
研究表明，我们可以让自己更快乐，因为快乐会随着时间而改变。这些变化与良好环境无关，而是与处理生活的方式紧密相连。越年老的人越明智，因此越加幸福。
OK, our happiness changes over time. It’s older people – the elderly - who are happiest because, he says, they are wiser. They understand things more and have learnt to deal with the problems in life. So Rob, you’re old so you should be happy, right?
Veenhoven教授说，幸福会随时间变化。年纪越大，人越幸福，因为他们更明智。他们了解的事情更多，并知道怎样处理生活中的问题。这样说来，Rob，你那么老，应该高兴才对吧？
Wrong, Finn! The study has also found having children – which I do - lowers your happiness level.
才不是呢，Finn！研究还发现拥有孩子会减低幸福水平。
I see. But it does say your happiness increases when they grow up, your children grow up, and leave home.
我明白了。但研究确实说幸福会随着年龄增长。再说你的孩子也终会长大、离家而去嘛。
That’s good to hear. The study also says if you think you’re good looking, rather than if you actually are, it makes you happier.So you might be really ugly but if you think you’re handsome then you’re happy. Isn’t that right Finn?
这回听着好多了。研究还发现，认为自己长相好看比实际真美更让人快乐。也就是说就算长的丑，但若认为自己帅气，也会感到开心。是吧，Finn？
Right yeah, I guess that makes me the happiest man on the planet, Rob!
没错！我想就凭这点，我会是世界上最幸福的男人！
Did you also know, being in a long-term relationship and going out for dinner a lot also makes you happier.
你知道吗？处于长期关系、经常出去吃饭也会让你更快乐。
Oh, so are you saying I need to do these things to be happy?
你的意思是，我要做这些事情保持愉悦吗？
Yes Finn. But luckily for you, the study has also found that being sad for ten percent of the time is actually good for you.Let’s face it – we can’t be happy all the time!
是的。不过研究还表明，花10%的时间伤心是有好处的。哎，还是面对现实吧，毕竟我们不可能一直开心！
That’s comforting to know – but Rob you can cheer me up – or make me happier - by telling me that I answered today’s question correctly.
这话听着还舒服点。但Rob，你可以让我更高兴啊，告诉我今天的答案吧。
Ok. We’ll see! Shall we? Earlier I asked you which country did The World Happiness Database rank as having the greatest ’satisfaction with life’?
好的。最开始我问你哪个国家的人民对生活满意度最高？
And I said Canada.
我选的是加拿大。
I’m sure the Canadians are very happy people, but you’re wrong. All those countries are in the top ten but Costa Rica is at number one.Hopefully this programme has put you in a good mood. Join us again soon for 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
我确信加拿大人很快乐，但答案并不是它。三个选项国家都排在前十名，但第一位的是哥斯达黎加。希望本期节目能让你心情愉悦~记得收听下一期BBC六分钟英语哦。
Bye.
拜拜~