Read the passage given below.
Happiness doesn't mean just to feel good. A review of hundreds of studies have
found compelling evidence that happier people have better overall health and
live longer than their less happy peers. Anxiety, depression, pessimism and a
lack of enjoyment of daily activities have all been found to be associated with
higher rates of disease and shorter life spans.
Having a network of social connections or high levels of social support has
been shown to increase our immunity to infection, lower our risk of heart
disease and reduce mental decline as we get older. Our emotions affect our
long- term wellbeing. Research shows that experiencing positive emotions 8 in
a 3-to-1 ratio with negative ones leads to a tipping point beyond which we
naturally become more resilient to adversity and better able to achieve things.
Harvard School of Public Health examined 200 separate research studies on
psychological wellbeing and cardiovascular health. Optimism and positive
emotion were found to provide protection against cardiovascular disease, to
slow progression of heart disease and reduce risk, by around 50%, of
experiencing a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack.
Recent research has shown that an 8-week mindfulness meditation class can
lead to structural brain changes including increased grey-matter density in the
hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in
structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection-People
who are optimistic tend to be happier, healthier and cope belter in tough times.
Our happiness influences the people we know and the people they know.
Western neuroscience has now confirmed what Eastern wisdom has known for
a long time. Happiness is a skill we can learn. Happiness, compassion and
kindness are the products of skills that can be learned and enhanced through
training, thanks to the neuroplasticity of our brains.When we give to others it activates the areas of the brain associated with
pleasure, social connection and trust. Altruistic behaviour releases endorphins
in the brain and boosts happiness for us as well as the people we help. Studies
have shown that giving money away tends to make people happier than
spending it on themselves.
Most people think that if they become successful, then they'll be happy. But
recent discoveries in psychology and neuroscience show that this formula is
backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. When we're
positive, our brains are more motivated, engaged, creative, energetic, resilient,
and productive.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY TEN
questions from the twelve that follow (1X10 = 10)
(i) Experiencing positive emotions in a 3-to-1 ratio with negative ones
increases:
a) our ability to withstand adversities
b) mental decline
c) heart diseases
d) depression
(ii) Our happiness influences ……..
a) only ourselves
b) only others
c) The people we know.
d) no one.
(iii) Cardiovascular disease and heart attacks can be reduced by around
50% through:
a) Optimismb) positive emotions
c) Psychological wellbeing
d) All the above
(iv) Which of the following is NOT true when we engage our brain in
positive act?
a) Motivated
b) Creative
c) Resilient
d) Unproductive
(v) Studies show people are happier when they ………….
a) Spend money on themselves
b) give money away
c) have no money
d) have money
(vi) Find the word in the passage which means the same as ‘a person able
to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions’
a) Positive
b) Depression
c) Resilient
d) Wellbeing
(vii) ___________ Weeks of mindfulness meditation can help us.
a) 5
b) 8
c) 2
d) 4(viii) What is the importance of Altruistic behaviour?
a) using clear and sound reasoning
b) taking time to do things right
c) May doubt everything around him or her
d) performed unselfishly and without any expectations
(ix) Find synonym for the word ‘sympathetic’ from the passage.
a) Creative
b) Compassion
c) Energetic
d) Productive
(x) What is the thing that is NOT associated with higher rates of disease
and shorter life span?
(a) Pessimism
(b)Immunity
(c) Depression
(d)Anxiety
(xi) What is neuroscience?
a) It deals with the structure or function of the nervous system and brain.
b) The way in which a living organism or bodily part functions.
c) A study of the structure or internal workings of something.
d) The study of the mechanics of body movements.
(xii) ___________ is a complex brain structure and has a major role in
learning and memory.
a) Nostalgia
b) HallucinationHippocampus
d) RetentionRetention
Answers
The answers to the given questions are as follows:-
(i) Experiencing positive emotions in a 3-to-1 ratio with negative ones increases:
a) our ability to withstand adversities
(The more happy and optimistic a person is, the greater is tolerance to adversities)
(ii) Our happiness influences ……..
c) The people we know.
(if we are happy, we influence other people we know, who in turn influence other people they know)
(iii) Cardiovascular disease and heart attacks can be reduced by around 50% through:
d) All the above
(emotional and mental wellbeing can cure diseases to a great extent)
(iv) Which of the following is NOT true when we engage our brain in positive act?
d) Unproductive
(When we are thinking positively, our brain functions better as well as our heart and other organs. We are healthier in general and more efficient and productive)
(v) Studies show people are happier when they ………….
b) give money away
(philanthropic activities give us mental peace)
(vi) Find the word in the passage which means the same as ‘a person able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions’
c) Resilient
(resilient is someone tolerant of adverse conditions)
(vii) ___________ Weeks of mindfulness meditation can help us.
b) 8
(meditation can help in brain development, as an increase in grey matter)
(viii) What is the importance of Altruistic behaviour?
d) performed unselfishly and without any expectations
(altruistic behaviour focuses on being selfless)
(ix) Find synonym for the word ‘sympathetic’ from the passage.
b) Compassion
(compassion is the passion we feel for another when they are suffering)
(x) What is the thing that is NOT associated with higher rates of disease and shorter life span?
(b)Immunity
(immunity is resilience to diseases and better health functioning)
(xi) What is neuroscience?
a) It deals with the structure or function of the nervous system and brain.
(the study of brain and neurons and everything else related to it)
(xii) ___________ is a complex brain structure and has a major role in learning and memory.
c) Hippocampus
Answer:
What is the answer of question no 1