① GDP growth is not a good indicator of how well a country is performing, and should not be the primary goal of governments. Unlimited growth is not sustainable, and economic thinking is moving toward the idea that we should aim for sustainability in our economic models. But while a sustainable economy is vital to our future, it is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
② The idea that governments should focus on happiness has its crities. There are concerns about how happiness can be measured. Is happiness not a fleeting and subjective psychological state? Don’t different people experience different levels of happiness? Even on the broadest interpretation of “happiness” as prosperity or “life satisfaction”, people want different things.
③ Of course, governments cannot impose life satisfaction on citizens. But our happiness relies on collaborative efforts as a society. A government’s obligation lies in creating conditions that promote prosperity. And there is good reason to suppose that such conditions exist, are globally applicable, and are discoverable through research.
④ In a recently published article, philosopher Julian Baggini suggests we should focus on “real wealth” for citizens, which does not depend on GDP growth. Access is key: people do not need to own, but rather access things that enable them to live well. Technological advances and changes in social behavior enable us to make more efficient use of the assets that we already have. And focusing on access to the resources people need to live better lives could help reduce inequality.
⑤ As far as it goes, this has much in common with proposals tabled by “happiness” advocates. But it sets the bar far too low for what governments can and should be doing for their citizens.
⑥ For example, it’s not clear how a “real wealth” economy would remedy the epidemic of mental ill-health that plagues our society. In Western countries, at least—poor mental health is more detrimental to wellbeing than poverty. Over and above a vastly improved provision of therapeutic mental healthcare, there are preventative measures for improving mental health that governments could and should adopt. The WHO recommends establishing institutions that facilitate community participation—educational programs and interventions that provide skills for promoting mental wellbeing. It says a lot, however, that the WHO feels the need to appeal to the economic benefits of improving mental health to persuade governments that the cost of taking proposed measures is justified. As long as the economy is their priority, governments need go no further than ensuring citizens’ continued productivity.
⑦ To demand that governments set the “happiness” of citizens as their highest priority is to demand that they view citizens as ends in themselves.
1.1. What does the passage say is the more recent thinking of economic growth?
A It should be made sustainable.
B It is vital to the future of humanity.
C It should be governments’ chief concern.
D It is an indicator of government performance.
解析：选A。
A细节理解题。文章开篇明确指出，GDP增长并非衡量国家发展水平的良好指标，也不应成为政府的主要目标，并提出经济理念正转向追求经济模式的可持续性。选项A是文章的核心观点——从追求增长转向追求可持续性，故为正确答案。选项B是可持续经济的特点，但非最新观点；选项C与文中“不应成为政府的主要目标”相矛盾；文中明确否定了选项D这一传统观点，故排除这三项。故选A。
2.2. Why are some people opposed to the idea that governments should focus on happiness?
A Governments cannot impose happiness on citizens.
B People’s happiness is built upon their own endeavor.
C Happiness means different things to different people.
D Happiness depends on sustainable economic growth.
解析：选C。
C细节理解题。文章第二段列出了反对理由：一、幸福难道不是转瞬即逝的主观心理状态吗？二、不同个体的幸福水平体验难道不是千差万别吗？三、即便将“幸福”最广义地理解为繁荣或“生活满意度”，人们的追求也各不相同。这三点都说明选项C“幸福对不同人群意义不同”，该项准确概括了反对者质疑的原因，即幸福的主观性和个体差异性使其难以成为政策目标，故为正确答案。文中虽提及政府无法将幸福强加于民众，但这不是反对的主要理由，故排除选项A。原文未提及幸福是否建立在个人努力之上，故排除选项B。选项D也不是文章列出的反对理由，故排除。故选C。
3.3. What does philosopher Julian Baggini suggest governments do in a recently published article?
A Try to reduce inequality between the rich and the poor.
B Provide people with access to resources for a better life.
C Change people’s behaviors to put social wealth to better use.
D Make use of advanced technologies to improve people’s lives.
解析：选B。B细节理解题。第四段阐述了巴吉尼的观点，即应关注公民的“真实财富”，关键在于可获得性；人们无需占有，只需获取能改善生活的资源。关注人们改善生活所需的资源获取途径将有助于减少不平等现象。选项B“为民众提供改善生活的资源获取途径”与巴吉尼的建议相符，故为正确答案。选项A是附带效果而非建议的内容；选项C，文中提到的“改变行为”指社会行为自然变革。非政府干预重点；选项D“利用技术”是手段而非政府直接行动建议，故排除这三项。故选B。
4.4. Why does the WHO feel the need to appeal to the economic benefits of improving mental health to justify its recommendations?
A Mental health programs cannot be executed without GDP growth.
B Psychological interventions are conducive to people’s wellbeing.
C Poor mental health is detrimental to a nation’s economic system.
D Governments still take economic development as their priority.
解析：选D。
D细节理解题。定位解析第六段最后两句指出，世界卫生组织不得不通过强调改善心理健康的经济效益来说服各国政府其建议措施的投入物有所值——这一事实本身就说明了很多问题。只要经济仍是政府的首要关注点，他们就只需确保民众保持持续的生产力，无需更进一步。选项D“政府仍以经济发展为优先关注点”与此相符，故为正确答案。选项A与文中批判GDP的观点相悖；选项B虽是事实，但非题目所问原因；选项C，文中未提及对国家经济体系的损害，故排除这三项。故选D。
5.5. What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?
A Governments’ goal should be prosperity-driven.
B Governments’ goal should be people-oriented.
C Governments should consider citizens’ views in decision-making.
D Governments should set sustained productivity as their top priority.
解析：选B。B推理判断题。文章结尾的表述具有高度概括性：要求政府将民众幸福作为最高优先级，实质是要求政府将民众本身视为终极目标。这句话包含两个关键点：将民众幸福作为最高优先级；将民众视为终极目标。选项B“政府目标应以人为本”与此相符，故为正确答案。选项A是作者批判的传统模式，故排除。选项C虽然也符合事实，但不是作者在文末讲的内容。选项D正是作者反对的经济发展优先思维。故选B。
