Would you be happier if you spent more time discussing the state of the world and the meaning of life--and less time talking about the weather
It may sound
counterintuitive(违反直觉的), but people who spend more of their day having deep discussions and less time engaging in small talk seem to be happier, said Matthias Mehl, a psychologist at the University of Arizona who published a study on the
(47) .
"We found this so interesting, because it could have gone the other way--it could have been, ’Don’t worry, be happy’--as long as you surf on the
(48) level of life you’re happy, and if you go into the essential depths you’ll be unhappy," Dr.Mehl said.
But, he
(49) , deep conversation seemed to hold the
(50) to happiness for two main reasons: both because human beings are driven to find and create
(51) in their lives, and because we are social animals who want and need to
(52) with other people.
"By engaging in meaningful conversations, we manage to impose meaning on a(n)
(53) pretty chaotic world," Dr. Mehl said. "And interpersonally, as you find this meaning, you bond with your interactive partner, and we know that interpersonal connection and integration is a core
(54) foundation of happiness."
Dr. Mehl’s study was small and doesn’t
(55) a cause-and-effect relationship between the kind of conversations one has and one’s happiness. But that’s the
(56) next step, when he will ask people to increase the number of deep conversations they have each day and cut back on small talk, and vice versa.
- A) proposed
- B) contact
- C) otherwise
- D) shallow
- E) calculated
- F) subject
- G) prove
- H) planned
- I) connect
- J) love
K) fundamental L) nevertheless M) meaning N) fantastic O) key