Something That Surprised You and Made You Happy

Part 3 追问

这些是考官在该题卡之后提出的讨论题，已编写范文的题目附有参考答案。

1. 1. Should governments focus more on happiness than economics?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The closing two sentences state the priority as a simple sequence: 'Economics should come first, and happiness should be the goal after that.'结尾的两句话把优先顺序陈述为一个简单的先后关系:'Economics should come first, and happiness should be the goal after that.'

   I think governments should focus on both, not just economics. For example, a small riverside park in my district cost the city very little, but it changed how thousands of people spend their evenings. This was good for happiness, and it was also good economics, because healthier and calmer people cost less and work better. I think governments should measure what people actually need, not just economic growth. But in poorer countries, growth is still needed first, so people have enough to live on. Economics should come first, and happiness should be the goal after that.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为政府应该两者兼顾,而不只是关注经济。比如说,我所在区一个小小的滨江公园,市政府几乎没花什么钱,却改变了成千上万人度过晚上时光的方式。这对幸福感有好处,同时也是不错的经济账,因为更健康、更平静的人所需的开支更少,工作效率也更高。我认为政府应该衡量人们真正需要的东西,而不只是经济增长。但在较贫穷的国家,增长仍然是首先需要的,这样人们才有足够的东西可以维持生计。经济应该放在前面,而幸福则应该是之后追求的目标。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“This was good for happiness, and it was also good economics, because healthier and calmer people cost less and work better.” — The two claims (happiness, economics) are joined with 'and... also', a basic additive link. The 7.5 answer instead fuses them with a semicolon and 'since', letting one claim justify the other more tightly.两个论断(幸福、经济)用'and... also'连接,这是一种基础的加法式衔接。7.5答案则用分号和'since'把它们融合在一起,让一个论断更紧密地支撑另一个。
   • LR“governments should measure what people actually need” — Plain, generic phrasing. The 7.5 answer's 'governments should measure what they're actually for' is a more compact and slightly abstract reformulation of the same idea.朴素、笼统的措辞。7.5答案中的'governments should measure what they're actually for'是同一想法更简洁、略带抽象色彩的重新表述。
   • GRA“Economics should come first, and happiness should be the goal after that.” — A simple coordinated sentence with 'and' — plain and safe. The 7.5 answer condenses the identical idea into a semicolon-joined aphorism, a far more compact structure.一个用'and'连接的简单并列句——朴素而稳妥。7.5答案把同样的想法浓缩成一句用分号连接的格言,结构紧凑得多。

   7.0 分

   'I don't think they're as separate as the question suggests' reframes the question itself rather than just answering it."I don't think they're as separate as the question suggests"重新定义了问题本身,而不只是回答问题。

   Honestly, I'd say governments should focus on both, and I don't think they're as separate as the question suggests. A small riverside park in my district, for example, cost the city almost nothing, and it changed how thousands of people spend their evenings — that was a happiness policy, but it was also good economics, since healthier, calmer people cost less and work better. To be fair, people don't really want growth for its own sake; they want secure, connected lives, which growth is supposed to provide. The caution, though, is that happiness is hard to measure, and poorer countries genuinely need growth before anything else.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我想说政府应该两者兼顾,而且我不认为它们像问题所暗示的那样彼此分离。比如说,我所在区一个小小的滨江公园,市政府几乎没花什么钱,却改变了成千上万人度过晚上时光的方式——这是一项关于幸福的政策,但同时也是不错的经济账,因为更健康、更平静的人所需的开支更少,工作效率也更高。说句公道话,人们其实并不是为了增长本身而想要增长;他们想要的是安全、有联系的生活,而增长本应提供这些。不过要谨慎的是,幸福很难衡量,而较贫穷的国家确实需要把增长放在首位。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, people don't really want growth for its own sake; they want secure, connected lives, which growth is supposed to provide.” — 'To be fair' pivots from the policy example to a broader claim about what people want, a more developed transition than the flat 'I think' statements at 6.5.'To be fair'把话题从政策例子转向一个关于人们究竟想要什么的更宽泛的论断,这是一种比6.5分平淡的'I think'陈述更成熟的过渡。
   • LR“that was a happiness policy, but it was also good economics” — 'A happiness policy' is a compact, slightly technical noun phrase. The 6.5 answer instead states the same idea as two separate plain clauses without this label.'A happiness policy'是一个简洁、略带专业色彩的名词短语。6.5答案则用两个独立的朴素分句表达同样的想法,没有使用这个标签。
   • GRA“A small riverside park in my district, for example, cost the city almost nothing, and it changed how thousands of people spend their evenings” — Two coordinated clauses joined by 'and' carry the example in one sentence, a standard structure, less compact than the semicolon version used at 7.5 for the same content.两个用'and'连接的并列分句在一句话内承载了这个例子,这是一种标准结构,不及7.5答案中用来表达同样内容的分号版本紧凑。

   7.5 分

   The closing semicolon-joined aphorism 'Economics first while people are hungry; happiness as the test once they aren't' compresses the whole argument into one balanced sentence.结尾用分号连接的格言'Economics first while people are hungry; happiness as the test once they aren't'把整个论证浓缩进一句对称的话里。

   On both, I'd argue, and I'd say they're less separate than the question suggests. A small riverside park in my district cost the city almost nothing and changed how thousands of people spend their evenings; that was a happiness policy, and it was also good economics, since healthier and calmer people cost less and work better. Governments should measure what they're actually for — people don't want growth for its own sake, they want secure, healthy, connected lives, which growth is supposed to buy. A country chasing numbers while people grow lonelier has confused the means with the end. The caution is that happiness is hard to measure and easy to manipulate, and poor countries need growth before anything else. Economics first while people are hungry; happiness as the test once they aren't.

   查看中文翻译

   我想说两者都要兼顾,而且我认为它们并不像问题所暗示的那样彼此分离。我所在区一个小小的滨江公园,市政府几乎没花什么钱,却改变了成千上万人度过晚上时光的方式;这是一项关于幸福的政策,同时也是不错的经济账,因为更健康、更平静的人所需的开支更少,工作效率也更高。政府应该衡量自己真正存在的目的是什么——人们并不是为了增长本身而想要增长,他们想要的是安全、健康、有联系的生活,而增长本应带来这些。一个只追逐数字、却任由人们越来越孤独的国家,是把手段和目的搞混了。需要谨慎的是,幸福很难衡量,也很容易被操纵,而贫穷国家仍然需要把增长放在首位。在人们还饥饿时,经济优先;等他们不再饥饿时,幸福才是检验的标准。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“A country chasing numbers while people grow lonelier has confused the means with the end.” — This sentence draws a general conclusion using a compact metaphor ('confused the means with the end') rather than a plain restatement, doing more cohesive work than the simpler concluding sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.这句话用一个简洁的比喻('confused the means with the end')得出一个普遍性的结论,而不是简单地重述,比6.5和7.0分较简单的结尾句承担了更多的衔接功能。
   • LR“Governments should measure what they're actually for” — This abstract, slightly philosophical phrasing is more precise and compact than the plainer 'measure what people actually need' at 6.5.这种抽象、略带哲理色彩的措辞比6.5分那句更朴素的'measure what people actually need'更精确、更简洁。
   • GRA“Economics first while people are hungry; happiness as the test once they aren't.” — A semicolon joins two elliptical fragments (no repeated verb) into a tight, aphoristic final sentence, a considerably higher-risk structure than the coordinated 'and' sentence used to close the 6.5 answer.一个分号把两个省略了动词的片段连接成一句紧凑、格言式的结尾句,这是一种风险明显更高的结构,远超6.5答案结尾所用的、用'and'连接的并列句。

2. 2. Can people learn to be happy?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'he has built a life of small, repeated pleasures, like fixing a fan or eating with people he loves' is the most developed sentence here, using a simple 'like' list.'he has built a life of small, repeated pleasures, like fixing a fan or eating with people he loves'是这里最完整的一句话,用了一个简单的'like'列表。

   I think people can partly learn to be happy, but not by taking a course. My father has never read anything about happiness, and he is one of the most content people I know, because he has built a life of small, repeated pleasures, like fixing a fan or eating with people he loves. Some of happiness depends on personality and situation, which cannot really be changed. But things like gratitude, sleep, exercise and good friendships can be practised, and they do help. I think happiness usually comes while you are doing something else, not while chasing it directly.

   查看中文翻译

   我觉得人们在一定程度上可以学会快乐,但不是通过上课学会的。我父亲从没读过任何关于幸福的书,但他是我认识的最知足的人之一,因为他把生活建立在一些微小、反复出现的乐趣之上,比如修一台风扇,或者和自己爱的人一起吃饭。幸福有一部分取决于性格和处境,这些其实是很难改变的。但感恩、睡眠、锻炼和良好的友谊这些东西是可以练习的,而且确实有帮助。我觉得幸福通常是在你做别的事情的时候不期而至的,而不是在你直接去追求它的时候。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“I think happiness usually comes while you are doing something else, not while chasing it directly.” — A plain closing sentence states the paradox directly. The 7.5 answer instead extends the same idea into a final image tying it back to the father example, giving the conclusion more texture.一句朴素的结尾句直接陈述了这个悖论。7.5答案则把同样的想法延伸成一个与父亲的例子呼应的最终意象,使结论更有质感。
   • LR“one of the most content people I know” — Plain, common vocabulary. The higher bands use 'contented', a slightly more precise adjective form specifically associated with settled happiness.朴素、常见的词汇。较高分段使用'contented',这是一个略微更精确的形容词形式,专门与安稳的幸福感相关联。
   • GRA“Some of happiness depends on personality and situation, which cannot really be changed.” — A single relative clause attached to the main sentence — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer instead uses two parallel short clauses ('Some of happiness is temperament and some is circumstance') for the same idea.一个附加在主句上的单一关系从句——稳妥而清晰。7.5答案则用两个平行的短分句('Some of happiness is temperament and some is circumstance')来表达同样的想法。

   7.0 分

   'that's a habit rather than a discovery' reframes the father's contentment with a compact abstract contrast."'that's a habit rather than a discovery'用一个简洁的抽象对比重新定义了父亲的知足感。

   Honestly, I'd say partly, and the learning looks nothing like a course. My father has never read a word about happiness and is one of the most contented people I know, because he's built a life of small, repeated satisfactions — a tree staked, a fan fixed, a meal eaten with people he loves — and that's a habit rather than a discovery. To be fair, some of happiness is temperament and circumstance, and no amount of learning changes those. But the rest is practice: attention to what's good, gratitude, movement, sleep, and the refusal to compare yourself with strangers online. I'd say it arrives sideways, while you're doing something else entirely.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我想说部分可以,而且这种"学习"看起来根本不像上课。我父亲从没读过一个字关于幸福的东西,却是我认识的最知足的人之一,因为他把生活建立在一些微小、反复出现的满足感之上——支起一棵小树、修好一台风扇、和自己爱的人一起吃一顿饭——而这是一种习惯,而不是一种发现。说句公道话,幸福有一部分是性格和处境,再怎么学习也改变不了这些。但剩下的部分是可以练习的:留意美好的事物、心怀感恩、多运动、好好睡觉,还有拒绝在网上和陌生人比较。我想说,它是从侧面到来的,就在你完全在做别的事情的时候。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, some of happiness is temperament and circumstance, and no amount of learning changes those.” — 'To be fair' concedes the limits of learning before the answer turns to what can be practised, a clearer two-part argument than the single flat sentence at 6.5.'To be fair'先让步承认学习的局限,然后答案再转向可以练习的部分,这是一种比6.5分单一平淡句子更清晰的两段式论证。
   • LR“a tree staked, a fan fixed, a meal eaten with people he loves” — This three-item asyndetic list is more vivid and rhythmic than the 6.5 answer's plainer 'like fixing a fan or eating with people he loves', though it's identical to the list used at 7.5.这个不用连接词的三项列表比6.5答案更朴素的'like fixing a fan or eating with people he loves'更生动、更有节奏感,不过它与7.5所用的列表完全相同。
   • GRA“he's built a life of small, repeated satisfactions — a tree staked, a fan fixed, a meal eaten with people he loves — and that's a habit rather than a discovery” — A dash-set appositive list sits inside a longer sentence before the final contrastive clause, a more layered structure than the simple 'like' list at 6.5.一个用破折号隔开的同位语列表嵌在一个更长的句子里,位于最后的对比分句之前,这是一种比6.5分简单的'like'列表更有层次的结构。

   7.5 分

   'the people who chase it directly tend to be the least happy of all' closes with an ironic twist that neither lower band reaches."'the people who chase it directly tend to be the least happy of all'以一个反讽的转折收尾,这是两个较低分段都没有达到的。

   Partly, I'd say, and the learning looks nothing like a course. My father has never read a word about happiness and is one of the most contented people I know, because he's built a life of small, repeated satisfactions — a tree staked, a fan fixed, a meal eaten with people he loves — and that's a habit, not a discovery. Some of happiness is temperament and some is circumstance, and no amount of learning changes those. But the rest is practice: attention to what's good, gratitude, movement, sleep, friendships kept, and the refusal to compare yourself with strangers online. What can't be learned is happiness as a goal; the people who chase it directly tend to be the least happy of all. It arrives sideways, usually while you're busy planting something else.

   查看中文翻译

   我想说部分可以,而且这种"学习"看起来根本不像上课。我父亲从没读过一个字关于幸福的东西,却是我认识的最知足的人之一,因为他把生活建立在一些微小、反复出现的满足感之上——支起一棵小树、修好一台风扇、和自己爱的人一起吃一顿饭——而这是一种习惯,不是一种发现。幸福有一部分是性格,有一部分是处境,再怎么学习也改变不了这些。但剩下的部分是可以练习的:留意美好的事物、心怀感恩、多运动、好好睡觉、维系友谊,还有拒绝在网上和陌生人比较。学不来的是把幸福当作一个目标;那些直接追逐幸福的人往往是最不快乐的一群人。它是从侧面到来的,通常就在你忙着种别的东西的时候。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“What can't be learned is happiness as a goal; the people who chase it directly tend to be the least happy of all.” — A semicolon links a general claim to its ironic consequence in one sentence, a tighter and more pointed piece of cohesion than the plain closing sentence at 6.5.一个分号在一句话内把一个普遍性的论断和它带有讽刺意味的后果连接起来,这是一种比6.5分平淡的结尾句更紧凑、更犀利的衔接。
   • LR“It arrives sideways, usually while you're busy planting something else.” — 'Arrives sideways' is a genuinely idiomatic, image-based phrase, considerably more figurative than the plain 'comes while you are doing something else' at 6.5.'Arrives sideways'是一个真正地道、以意象为基础的短语,比6.5分朴素的'comes while you are doing something else'更具比喻色彩。
   • GRA“Some of happiness is temperament and some is circumstance, and no amount of learning changes those.” — Two parallel short clauses ('is temperament... is circumstance') are joined before the main point, a more balanced structure than the single relative clause used for the same idea at 6.5.两个平行的短分句('is temperament... is circumstance')在主要论点之前连接在一起,这是一种比6.5分用来表达同样想法的单一关系从句更平衡的结构。

3. 3. Is happiness good for a person's health?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The two-directional claim ('it seems to work both ways') is stated plainly, then supported with one example.这个双向的论断('it seems to work both ways')被平铺直叙地陈述出来,然后用一个例子来支撑。

   Yes, I think happiness is good for health, and it seems to work both ways. My grandmother's doctor once told her, half joking, that her blood pressure dropped the month her great-grandson was born. Happy people usually sleep better, have less stress, and recover from illness faster. Happiness also affects behaviour, because content people often exercise more and drink less. At the same time, good health makes happiness easier, and being in pain makes it very hard. I wouldn't say happiness cures illness, but I think doctors should pay attention to whether a patient is lonely or content.

   查看中文翻译

   是的,我认为幸福对健康有好处,而且这似乎是双向的。我祖母的医生曾半开玩笑地告诉她,在她曾孙出生的那个月,她的血压下降了。快乐的人通常睡得更好,压力更小,病愈得也更快。幸福还会影响行为,因为知足的人往往锻炼更多,喝酒更少。与此同时,良好的健康也让人更容易感到幸福,而身处病痛之中则会让幸福变得非常困难。我不会说幸福能治愈疾病,但我认为医生应该关注病人是感到孤独还是知足。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“At the same time, good health makes happiness easier, and being in pain makes it very hard.” — 'At the same time' signals the reverse direction of the claim, a basic but clear transition. The 7.5 answer instead uses 'And the reverse is equally true', a slightly more confident and integrated version of the same pivot.'At the same time'标示出论断反方向的转折,这是一个基础但清晰的过渡。7.5答案则用'And the reverse is equally true',这是同一转折稍微更自信、更融合的版本。
   • LR“her blood pressure dropped the month her great-grandson was born” — Plain, literal reporting. The 7.5 answer adds 'and he wasn't entirely joking', extending the same fact with an evaluative aside that sharpens its credibility.朴素、直白的转述。7.5答案加上了'and he wasn't entirely joking',用一个带评价意味的旁白延伸了同一个事实,使其可信度更高。
   • GRA“Happy people usually sleep better, have less stress, and recover from illness faster.” — A simple three-item coordinated list — clear and safe. The 7.5 answer extends this to four items with more precise phrasing ('carry less stress hormone') inside a single longer sentence.一个简单的三项并列列表——清晰而稳妥。7.5答案把它扩展为四项,措辞更精确('carry less stress hormone'),放在一个更长的句子里。

   7.0 分

   'he probably wasn't entirely joking' hedges the claim about the doctor's remark rather than stating it as fact."'he probably wasn't entirely joking'对医生那句话的论断进行了缓冲处理,而不是把它当作事实来陈述。

   Honestly, I'd say it seems to be, and the direction runs both ways. My grandmother's doctor told her, half joking, that her blood pressure had dropped the month her great-grandson was born, and he probably wasn't entirely joking — happy people tend to sleep better, carry less stress hormone, and recover from illness faster. To be fair, happiness also drives behaviour, since contented people exercise more and drink less, so some of the effect is indirect. And the reverse holds too: health makes happiness easier, while chronic pain makes it very hard. I'd stop short of saying happiness cures anything, but a doctor who ignores it is probably missing something.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我想说似乎是这样的,而且这种关系是双向的。我祖母的医生曾半开玩笑地告诉她,在她曾孙出生的那个月,她的血压下降了,而他大概也不完全是在开玩笑——快乐的人往往睡得更好,体内压力荷尔蒙更少,病愈也更快。说句公道话,幸福还会驱动行为,因为知足的人锻炼更多、喝酒更少,所以有一部分效果是间接的。反过来也是成立的:健康让幸福更容易实现,而慢性疼痛则让幸福变得非常困难。我不会说幸福能治愈任何疾病,但一个忽视这一点的医生可能正在错过些什么。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, happiness also drives behaviour, since contented people exercise more and drink less, so some of the effect is indirect.” — 'To be fair' introduces a qualification about indirect causation, a more developed move than the flat listing of effects at 6.5.'To be fair'引出了一个关于间接因果关系的限定说明,这是一种比6.5分平铺直叙罗列效果更成熟的手法。
   • LR“carry less stress hormone” — 'Stress hormone' is a more precise, semi-technical term than the plain 'less stress' at 6.5, showing a slightly wider register.'Stress hormone'是一个比6.5分朴素的'less stress'更精确、略带专业色彩的术语,显示出稍宽的语域。
   • GRA“the reverse holds too: health makes happiness easier, while chronic pain makes it very hard” — A colon introduces the reverse claim, followed by a 'while' clause balancing two contrasting ideas — a more integrated structure than the 'At the same time... and' sentence used at 6.5.一个冒号引出反方向的论断,后面跟着一个用'while'平衡两个对立想法的分句——这是一种比6.5答案所用的'At the same time... and'句子更融合的结构。

   7.5 分

   'a doctor who never asks whether a patient is lonely or content is missing something the body already knows' closes with a compact, layered final clause."'a doctor who never asks whether a patient is lonely or content is missing something the body already knows'以一个简洁、有层次的结尾分句收尾。

   It seems to be, and the direction runs both ways. My grandmother's doctor told her, half joking, that her blood pressure had dropped the month her great-grandson was born, and he wasn't entirely joking; happy people sleep better, carry less stress hormone, recover from illness faster and, in the studies I've seen, tend to live longer. Happiness also drives behaviour — contented people exercise more and drink less — so some of the effect is indirect rather than magical. And the reverse is equally true: health makes happiness easier, and chronic pain makes it very hard indeed. I'd stop short of claiming happiness cures anything. But a doctor who never asks whether a patient is lonely or content is missing something the body already knows.

   查看中文翻译

   似乎确实如此,而且这种关系是双向的。我祖母的医生曾半开玩笑地告诉她,在她曾孙出生的那个月,她的血压下降了,而他并不完全是在开玩笑;快乐的人睡得更好,体内压力荷尔蒙更少,病愈更快,而且根据我看过的研究,他们往往活得更长。幸福还会驱动行为——知足的人锻炼更多、喝酒更少——所以有一部分效果是间接的,而不是什么魔法。反过来也同样成立:健康让幸福更容易实现,而慢性疼痛则实实在在地让幸福变得非常困难。我不会声称幸福能治愈任何疾病。但一个从不询问病人是否孤独或知足的医生,可能正在错过身体早已知道的东西。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“And the reverse is equally true: health makes happiness easier, and chronic pain makes it very hard indeed.” — 'And the reverse is equally true' pivots the argument with more confidence and compression than the plainer 'At the same time' used at 6.5, doing the same job in fewer words.'And the reverse is equally true'用比6.5分较朴素的'At the same time'更自信、更凝练的方式转折论证,用更少的词做了同样的事。
   • LR“carry less stress hormone, recover from illness faster and, in the studies I've seen, tend to live longer” — This four-part list, ending with the precise hedge 'in the studies I've seen', is more developed and evidence-based than the plain three-item list at 6.5.这个四项列表以精确的缓冲语'in the studies I've seen'收尾,比6.5分朴素的三项列表更完整、更有证据支撑。
   • GRA“a doctor who never asks whether a patient is lonely or content is missing something the body already knows” — This final sentence nests a 'whether' clause inside a relative clause ('who never asks...') ending in 'the body already knows', a considerably more complex closing structure than the simpler final sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.这最后一句话把一个'whether'分句嵌套进一个关系从句('who never asks...')里,以'the body already knows'收尾,这是一种比6.5和7.0分较简单的结尾句复杂得多的收尾结构。

4. 4. Can shopping make people happy?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'but then it just became a normal bicycle' states the fading of excitement in a short, plain clause."'but then it just became a normal bicycle'用一个简短、朴素的分句陈述了兴奋感的消退。

   I think shopping can make people happy, but only for a short time. I was happy for about two weeks after buying a new bicycle, but then it just became a normal bicycle. My father's small tree, which cost nothing, actually makes him happier every year because it keeps growing. Shopping gives a quick feeling of excitement, like choosing something new, but this feeling fades fast. People who shop to feel better often need to shop again soon, which can cause debt. I think spending on experiences or other people usually makes people happier for longer.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为购物能让人快乐,但只能维持很短的时间。我买了一辆新自行车后开心了大概两个星期,但后来它就变成了一辆普普通通的自行车。而我父亲那棵不花钱的小树,却因为它一直在生长,每年都让他更加快乐。购物会带来一种短暂的兴奋感,比如挑选一件新东西,但这种感觉消退得很快。那些靠购物来让自己感觉更好的人,常常很快又需要再买点什么,这可能会导致债务。我认为把钱花在体验或他人身上,通常能让人快乐得更久。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Shopping gives a quick feeling of excitement, like choosing something new, but this feeling fades fast.” — 'But' signals the turn from pleasure to fading directly, a basic contrast. The 7.5 answer instead builds a list of three specific pleasures before the same contrast, giving the fading more to be measured against.'But'直接标示出从愉悦到消退的转折,这是一种基础的对比。7.5答案则在同样的转折之前先列出三种具体的愉悦,让消退有了更多可供比较的参照。
   • LR“it just became a normal bicycle” — Plain and literal. The 7.5 answer's 'it became a bicycle' (without 'normal') implies the same flattening more economically, and pairs with a far more vivid closing image.朴素而直白。7.5答案中的'it became a bicycle'(没有'normal'一词)以更经济的方式暗示了同样的平淡化,并与一个生动得多的结尾意象相呼应。
   • GRA“My father's small tree, which cost nothing, actually makes him happier every year because it keeps growing.” — A single relative clause ('which cost nothing') plus a 'because' clause — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer instead separates the bicycle and sapling examples with a semicolon, a tighter contrastive structure.一个单独的关系从句('which cost nothing')加上一个'because'分句——稳妥而清晰。7.5答案则用一个分号把自行车和小树苗的例子分开,是一种更紧凑的对比结构。

   7.0 分

   'and then it simply became a bicycle' echoes the plain fact but frames it with the hedge 'simply'."'and then it simply became a bicycle'呼应了这个朴素的事实,但用缓冲词'simply'为它添加了框架。

   Honestly, briefly, and then the thing just arrives and sits there. I was genuinely happy for about a fortnight after buying a new bicycle, and then it simply became a bicycle, whereas my father's little sapling, which cost nothing, seems to make him happier every year, because it keeps growing. To be fair, shopping does produce a real lift — the anticipation, the pleasure of choosing, the small thrill of something new — and for some people even the browsing is relaxing. But the happiness from objects fades quickly, and people who shop to feel better tend to need to shop again soon, which is often how debt and clutter happen.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,短暂而已,然后那件东西就到手了,静静地摆在那里。我买了一辆新自行车后,真的开心了大概两个星期,但后来它就单纯变成了一辆自行车,而我父亲那棵不花钱的小树苗,却似乎每年都让他更加快乐,因为它一直在生长。说句公道话,购物确实能带来真实的振奋感——期待、挑选的乐趣、拥有新东西的小小刺激感——对有些人来说,光是逛街浏览本身就令人放松。但物品带来的快乐消退得很快,那些靠购物让自己感觉更好的人,往往很快又需要再买点什么,这常常就是债务和杂物堆积的由来。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, shopping does produce a real lift — the anticipation, the pleasure of choosing, the small thrill of something new — and for some people even the browsing is relaxing.” — 'To be fair' introduces a genuine concession about shopping's real pleasures before the answer returns to its limits, a more balanced structure than the single contrast sentence at 6.5.'To be fair'先真诚地让步,承认购物确实有真实的乐趣,然后答案再回到它的局限性,这是一种比6.5分单一对比句更平衡的结构。
   • LR“the small thrill of something new” — 'Thrill' is a more vivid noun than the plain 'excitement' at 6.5, and it's part of a three-item list rather than a single phrase.'Thrill'是一个比6.5分朴素的'excitement'更生动的名词,而且它是三项列表的一部分,而不是单一短语。
   • GRA“I was genuinely happy for about a fortnight after buying a new bicycle, and then it simply became a bicycle, whereas my father's little sapling, which cost nothing, seems to make him happier every year, because it keeps growing.” — A 'whereas' clause links the bicycle and sapling examples within one long sentence, more ambitious than the two separate sentences at 6.5, though not as compact as the semicolon fusion at 7.5.一个'whereas'分句在一个长句内把自行车和小树苗的例子连接起来,比6.5分的两个独立句子更有野心,不过还不及7.5分用分号融合的版本紧凑。

   7.5 分

   The closing simile 'the way sugar can make them full: reliably, briefly, and not in a way you'd want to live on' extends a single image across the whole final sentence.结尾的明喻'the way sugar can make them full: reliably, briefly, and not in a way you'd want to live on'把一个单一的意象贯穿了整个最后一句话。

   Briefly, and then the thing arrives. I was genuinely happy for about a fortnight after buying a new bicycle, and then it became a bicycle; my father's sapling, which cost nothing, makes him happier every year, because it keeps growing. Shopping produces a real lift — anticipation, the pleasure of choosing, the small thrill of newness — and for some people the browsing itself is a kind of rest. But the happiness from objects fades fast, and people who shop to feel better tend to need to shop again soon, which is how debt and clutter quietly accumulate. Spending on experiences and on other people seems to last longer. So shopping can make people happy the way sugar can make them full: reliably, briefly, and not in a way you'd want to live on.

   查看中文翻译

   短暂而已,然后那件东西也就到手了。我买了一辆新自行车后,真的开心了大概两个星期,后来它就变成了一辆自行车;而我父亲那棵不花钱的小树苗,却因为一直在生长,每年都让他更加快乐。购物确实能带来真实的振奋感——期待、挑选的乐趣、拥有新东西的小小刺激感——对有些人来说,光是逛街浏览本身就是一种放松。但物品带来的快乐消退得很快,那些靠购物让自己感觉更好的人,往往很快又需要再买点什么,这就是债务和杂物悄悄堆积起来的原因。而把钱花在体验和他人身上,似乎能让快乐维持得更久。所以购物能让人快乐,就像糖能让人吃饱一样:靠得住、来得快,但不是一种你会想要以此为生的方式。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“So shopping can make people happy the way sugar can make them full: reliably, briefly, and not in a way you'd want to live on.” — This closing sentence uses an extended simile with a colon-introduced three-part list, a considerably more developed piece of cohesion than the plain contrast sentences used to close the 6.5 and 7.0 answers.这句结尾用一个由冒号引出的三部分列表构成的延伸明喻,比6.5和7.0答案用来收尾的朴素对比句复杂得多,衔接手法也更成熟。
   • LR“how debt and clutter quietly accumulate” — 'Quietly accumulate' is a more precise, almost literary verb choice than the plainer 'can cause debt' at 6.5.'Quietly accumulate'是一个比6.5分较朴素的'can cause debt'更精确、近乎文学化的动词选择。
   • GRA“I was genuinely happy for about a fortnight after buying a new bicycle, and then it became a bicycle; my father's sapling, which cost nothing, makes him happier every year, because it keeps growing.” — A semicolon fuses the bicycle and sapling examples into one sentence without a connecting word like 'whereas', a tighter structure than the equivalent 7.0 sentence.一个分号把自行车和小树苗的例子融合进一句话里,不需要像'whereas'这样的连接词,比7.0答案对应的句子结构更紧凑。

5. 5. Will advances in science and technology make society happier in the future?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'So science gives us tools, but whether they make life better depends on how we use them' draws the conclusion with a plain 'so... but' structure."'So science gives us tools, but whether they make life better depends on how we use them'用一个朴素的'so... but'结构得出结论。

   I think science will make society healthier, but happier only if we choose the right things. My grandmother's generation often had toothache as a normal part of life, but modern dentistry removed that kind of daily pain completely. That is technology making people happier in a simple way. But my nephew's phone screen is also technology, and it seems to create wanting instead of removing it. So science gives us tools, but whether they make life better depends on how we use them. In the past, living standards rose a lot without happiness rising as much, because people get used to things.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为科学会让社会更健康,但只有在我们选对了方向的情况下,才会让社会更幸福。我祖母那一代人常常把牙痛当作生活中的家常便饭,但现代牙科技术彻底消除了那种日常的疼痛。这就是科技以一种简单的方式让人们更幸福的例子。但我侄子的手机屏幕也是科技,它似乎不是在消除欲望,而是在制造欲望。所以科学给了我们工具,但它们能否让生活变得更好,取决于我们怎么使用它们。过去,生活水平大幅提升,但幸福感却没有相应地提升那么多,因为人们会对已有的东西习以为常。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“So science gives us tools, but whether they make life better depends on how we use them.” — 'So' introduces the conclusion directly. The 7.5 answer instead states this same idea as two short separate sentences without any connector at all, letting the contrast speak for itself.'So'直接引出结论。7.5答案则把同样的想法表达为两个不用任何连接词的独立短句,让对比本身来说话。
   • LR“it seems to create wanting instead of removing it” — Plain, functional phrasing. The 7.5 answer's 'manufacture wanting as efficiently as dentistry removes pain' is a far more precise and pointed comparison.朴素、功能性的措辞。7.5答案中的'manufacture wanting as efficiently as dentistry removes pain'是一个精确得多、更犀利的比较。
   • GRA“That is technology making people happier in a simple way.” — A short simple sentence restates the point. The 7.5 answer instead uses 'in the plainest way there is', a slightly more idiomatic superlative construction embedded in a longer sentence.一个简短的简单句重述了这一点。7.5答案则用'in the plainest way there is',这是一个略带地道色彩的最高级结构,嵌在一个更长的句子里。

   7.0 分

   'it seems to manufacture wanting almost as efficiently as dentistry removes pain' borrows a vivid comparison but softens it with 'almost'."'it seems to manufacture wanting almost as efficiently as dentistry removes pain'借用了一个生动的比较,但用'almost'把它软化了。

   Honestly, healthier, certainly; happier, only if we choose the right advances. My grandmother's generation lived with toothache as a normal condition, and modern dentistry removed a whole category of daily misery — that's technology making people happier in the plainest way possible, and medicine will probably keep doing it. But my nephew's screen is technology too, and it seems to manufacture wanting almost as efficiently as dentistry removes pain. To be fair, science just gives us tools; whether they make life better depends entirely on what we point them at. Past advances raised living standards enormously without raising reported happiness much, mostly because people adapt and compare themselves to others.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,更健康,这是肯定的;更幸福,则只有在我们选对了进步方向的情况下才成立。我祖母那一代人把牙痛当作一种正常的状况来忍受,而现代牙科技术彻底消除了这整整一类的日常痛苦——这就是科技以最直白的方式让人们更幸福,而医学大概还会继续这样做下去。但我侄子的手机屏幕也是科技,它似乎几乎和牙科技术消除疼痛一样高效地在制造欲望。说句公道话,科学只是给了我们工具;它们能否让生活变得更好,完全取决于我们把它们用在什么地方。过去的科技进步极大地提高了生活水平,但据报告的幸福感却没有相应提高多少,主要是因为人们会适应,也会拿自己和别人比较。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, science just gives us tools; whether they make life better depends entirely on what we point them at.” — 'To be fair' introduces the balancing claim, and the semicolon links two independent clauses directly — a more developed cohesive device than the 'so... but' sentence used at 6.5.'To be fair'引出了这个用来平衡的论断,而分号直接连接了两个独立分句——这是一种比6.5答案所用的'so... but'句子更成熟的衔接手法。
   • LR“it seems to manufacture wanting almost as efficiently as dentistry removes pain” — 'Manufacture wanting' is a precise, almost industrial metaphor, far more vivid than the plain 'create wanting' at 6.5, though softened here with 'almost' compared to the unhedged 7.5 version.'Manufacture wanting'是一个精确、近乎工业化的比喻,比6.5分朴素的'create wanting'生动得多,不过这里用'almost'软化了,相比之下7.5版本则没有加以缓冲。
   • GRA“modern dentistry removed a whole category of daily misery — that's technology making people happier in the plainest way possible, and medicine will probably keep doing it” — A dash introduces an evaluative clause followed by a coordinated prediction, a more layered structure than the two short separate sentences used at 6.5.一个破折号引出一个带评价意味的分句,后面接一个并列的预测,这是一种比6.5分两个独立短句更有层次的结构。

   7.5 分

   The closing sentence pairs two parallel verb phrases — removing the causes of unhappiness and failing to supply the causes of happiness — in one balanced structure.结尾句把两个平行的动词短语——消除不幸福的成因,以及无法提供幸福的成因——放进一个对称的结构里。

   Healthier, certainly; happier, only if we choose the right advances. My grandmother's generation lived with toothache as a normal condition, and modern dentistry removed a whole category of daily misery — that's technology making people happier in the plainest way there is, and medicine will keep doing it. But my nephew's screen is also technology, and it seems to manufacture wanting as efficiently as dentistry removes pain. Science gives us tools; whether they make life better depends on what we point them at. Past advances raised living standards enormously without raising reported happiness much, because people adapt and compare. My guess is that technology will keep removing the causes of unhappiness — disease, hunger, drudgery — and keep failing to supply the causes of happiness, which were never technical in the first place.

   查看中文翻译

   更健康,这是肯定的;更幸福,则只有在我们选对了进步方向的情况下才成立。我祖母那一代人把牙痛当作一种正常的状况来忍受,而现代牙科技术彻底消除了这整整一类的日常痛苦——这就是科技以最直接不过的方式让人们更幸福,而医学还会继续这样做下去。但我侄子的手机屏幕也同样是科技,它似乎和牙科技术消除疼痛一样高效地在制造欲望。科学给了我们工具;它们能否让生活变得更好,取决于我们把它们用在什么地方。过去的科技进步极大地提高了生活水平,但据报告的幸福感却没有相应提高多少,因为人们会适应,也会互相比较。我猜测,科技将会持续消除不幸福的成因——疾病、饥饿、苦役——却始终无法提供幸福的成因,因为幸福的成因本来就从来不是技术层面的东西。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Science gives us tools; whether they make life better depends on what we point them at.” — A semicolon joins two independent clauses without a connector, more economical than the 'so... but' sentence at 6.5 and slightly tighter than the equivalent 7.0 sentence, which needs 'just... entirely' to make the same point.一个分号不用连接词就连接了两个独立分句,比6.5答案的'so... but'句子更经济,也比7.0答案对应的句子稍微更紧凑,后者需要'just... entirely'才能表达同样的意思。
   • LR“it seems to manufacture wanting as efficiently as dentistry removes pain” — The unhedged comparison (no 'almost') makes this a more confident, precise claim than the 7.0 version, and 'manufacture wanting' is a considerably sharper metaphor than the plain 'create wanting' at 6.5.未加缓冲的比较(没有'almost')使这个论断比7.0版本更自信、更精确,而'manufacture wanting'也是一个比6.5分朴素的'create wanting'明显更犀利的比喻。
   • GRA“technology will keep removing the causes of unhappiness — disease, hunger, drudgery — and keep failing to supply the causes of happiness, which were never technical in the first place” — Two parallel verb phrases ('keep removing... and keep failing to supply') are joined around a dash-set list, a considerably more balanced and complex structure than the simple 'so... but' sentence used to close the 6.5 answer.两个平行的动词短语('keep removing... and keep failing to supply')围绕一个用破折号隔开的列表连接在一起,这是一种比6.5答案结尾所用的简单'so... but'句子平衡得多、复杂得多的结构。

6. 6. Can periods of unhappiness have positive results for some people?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   'But this only works if the period ends and the person has some support' states the condition plainly at the end."'But this only works if the period ends and the person has some support'在结尾处平铺直叙地陈述了这个条件。

   Yes, I think a period of unhappiness can have good results, although I would never recommend one. The year after my plan to start a studio failed was miserable, but it was also the year I learned what I really wanted from work, because the disappointment removed everything I had been pretending to want. Unhappiness makes people re-examine their lives, and it often comes before the biggest changes people make. Getting through it also gives a kind of confidence nothing else does. But this only works if the period ends and the person has some support.

   查看中文翻译

   是的,我认为一段不快乐的时期可以带来好的结果,尽管我绝不会推荐任何人主动去经历这种事。我创办工作室的计划失败后的那一年很悲惨,但那也是我认清自己真正想从工作中得到什么的一年,因为失望剥去了我一直假装想要的那些东西。不快乐会让人重新审视自己的人生,而且它往往出现在人们做出最重大改变之前。挺过去之后,还会带来一种别的东西给不了的自信。但这只有在这段时期终会结束、而且当事人能得到一些支持的情况下才成立。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Unhappiness makes people re-examine their lives, and it often comes before the biggest changes people make.” — Two ideas are joined with 'and', a basic additive link. The 7.5 answer instead separates similar ideas into short independent sentences, giving each its own weight.两个想法用'and'连接,这是一种基础的加法式衔接。7.5答案则把类似的想法拆分成独立的短句,让每一个都拥有自己的分量。
   • LR“the disappointment removed everything I had been pretending to want” — 'Removed' is a plain, literal verb. The 7.5 and 7.0 answers use 'stripped away', a more vivid, almost physical verb for the same idea.'Removed'是一个朴素、直白的动词。7.5和7.0答案用了'stripped away',这是一个更生动、近乎带有身体感的动词,表达同样的意思。
   • GRA“But this only works if the period ends and the person has some support.” — A single 'if' clause states the condition directly — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer instead expands this into two separate conditions joined by 'and that', embedded in a longer sentence.一个单独的'if'分句直接陈述了条件——稳妥而清晰。7.5答案则把它扩展为两个用'and that'连接的独立条件,嵌在一个更长的句子里。

   7.0 分

   'The condition, though, is that the period actually ends' isolates the qualification into its own short sentence for emphasis."'The condition, though, is that the period actually ends'把这个限定条件独立成一个短句,以示强调。

   Honestly, they can, though I'd never recommend one on purpose. The year after my plan to start a studio collapsed was genuinely miserable, and it was also the year I found out what I actually wanted from work, because the disappointment stripped away everything I'd been pretending to want. To be fair, unhappiness forces attention — people tend to re-examine their lives only once the current one starts to hurt — and it builds empathy, since anyone who's been low understands others who are too. It often precedes the biggest changes people make. The condition, though, is that the period actually ends and the person has some support through it.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,可以,尽管我绝不会故意推荐任何人去经历这种事。我创办工作室的计划破灭后的那一年真的很悲惨,但那也是我发现自己真正想从工作中得到什么的一年,因为失望剥去了我一直假装想要的那些东西。说句公道话,不快乐会迫使人集中注意力——人们往往只有在当下的生活开始变得痛苦时,才会重新审视自己的人生——而且它还能培养出共情能力,因为经历过低谷的人才能理解正处于低谷中的其他人。它也往往出现在人们做出最重大改变之前。不过条件是,这段时期确实要有个终点,而且当事人在这段时期里能得到一些支持。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, unhappiness forces attention — people tend to re-examine their lives only once the current one starts to hurt — and it builds empathy” — 'To be fair' introduces a two-part claim (forcing attention, building empathy) joined by 'and' within one sentence, a more developed structure than the separate short sentences at 6.5.'To be fair'引出了一个由'and'连接的两部分论断(迫使人关注、培养共情),放在一句话内,这是一种比6.5答案独立短句更成熟的结构。
   • LR“the disappointment stripped away everything I'd been pretending to want” — 'Stripped away' is a more vivid, physical verb than the plain 'removed' at 6.5, matching the identical phrase used at 7.5.'Stripped away'是一个比6.5分朴素的'removed'更生动、更带身体感的动词,与7.5所用的完全相同的短语相呼应。
   • GRA“The condition, though, is that the period actually ends and the person has some support through it.” — The inserted 'though' and the intensifier 'actually' add emphasis to a fairly standard 'that' clause, a small step up in control from the plain 'if' clause at 6.5.插入的'though'和强调词'actually'为一个相当标准的'that'分句增添了强调效果,这比6.5分朴素的'if'分句在掌控力上有小小的提升。

   7.5 分

   The closing pair of short sentences 'A hard season can be useful. A hard decade rarely is.' uses ellipsis for a sharp final contrast.结尾这对短句'A hard season can be useful. A hard decade rarely is.'运用了省略手法,形成了一个尖锐的最终对比。

   They can, though I'd never recommend one. The year after my plan to start a studio collapsed was miserable, and it was also the year I found out what I actually wanted from work, because the disappointment stripped away everything I'd been pretending to want. Unhappiness forces attention: people re-examine their lives only when the current one hurts. It builds empathy, since anyone who's been low understands others who are. It often precedes the biggest changes people make, and getting through it gives a kind of confidence nothing else does. The condition is that the period ends, and that the person has some support through it; unhappiness that goes on too long, or alone, just wears people down. A hard season can be useful. A hard decade rarely is.

   查看中文翻译

   可以,尽管我绝不会推荐任何人去经历这种事。我创办工作室的计划破灭后的那一年很悲惨,但那也是我发现自己真正想从工作中得到什么的一年,因为失望剥去了我一直假装想要的那些东西。不快乐会迫使人集中注意力:人们只有在当下的生活变得痛苦时,才会重新审视自己的人生。它还能培养共情能力,因为经历过低谷的人才能理解正处于低谷中的其他人。它也往往出现在人们做出最重大改变之前,而挺过去还会带来一种别的东西给不了的自信。条件是,这段时期要有个终点,而且当事人在这段时期里要能得到一些支持;拖得太久、或者孤立无援的不快乐,只会把人耗垮。一段艰难的时期可能是有益的。而一整个艰难的十年,则很少如此。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“A hard season can be useful. A hard decade rarely is.” — Two short parallel sentences, the second using ellipsis to drop repeated words, create a punchy final contrast that neither lower band attempts, instead spelling their conditions out in full sentences.两个平行的短句,第二句用省略手法去掉了重复的词,创造出一个有力的最终对比,这是两个较低分段都没有尝试的,它们反而是用完整的句子把条件一一说清楚。
   • LR“the disappointment stripped away everything I'd been pretending to want” — This shares the vivid verb 'stripped away' with the 7.0 answer, but it sits inside a longer, more integrated sentence introducing the whole example, showing the same precise vocabulary used with more surrounding control.这里与7.0答案共用了生动的动词'stripped away',但它嵌在一个更长、更融合的句子里,引出整个例子,显示出同样精确的词汇被用在了控制力更强的语境中。
   • GRA“The condition is that the period ends, and that the person has some support through it; unhappiness that goes on too long, or alone, just wears people down.” — A repeated 'that' clause ('is that... and that...') is followed by a semicolon introducing a further independent clause, a denser three-part structure than the single 'if' clause at 6.5 or the isolated short sentence at 7.0.一个重复的'that'分句('is that... and that...')后面跟着一个引出另一个独立分句的分号,这是一种比6.5分单一的'if'分句,或7.0分独立的短句都更密集的三段式结构。

7. 7. What are some ways people show that they are happy in your culture?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The list of ways people show happiness (smiling, food, hugs, gifts) is presented as a simple sequence of short sentences.人们表达快乐的各种方式(微笑、食物、拥抱、礼物)被呈现为一系列简单的短句。

   In my culture, I think people show happiness quietly, often through food. My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a small smile at the wall, and my father just said 'it's nothing' without looking up. Vietnamese people of their generation usually show joy through actions, like cooking, rather than saying it directly. Feeding people is a common sign of happiness, because anyone who feels good ends up cooking too much food. Younger people are louder, with hugs, photos and messages full of exclamation marks. At Tết, gifts and small envelopes of money also show shared happiness.

   查看中文翻译

   在我们的文化里,我觉得人们表达快乐的方式很含蓄,常常是通过食物。我母亲对那棵树的喜悦,表现为对着墙壁露出的一丝浅笑,而我父亲只是头也不抬地说了句"没什么"。他们那一代的越南人通常是通过行动来表达喜悦的,比如做饭,而不是直接说出口。给人做饭是一种常见的幸福表现,因为任何心情好的人最后都会做出多得吃不完的饭菜。年轻人则更外放,会拥抱、拍照,发满是感叹号的消息。在春节期间,礼物和小红包也表达着共同的喜悦。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Younger people are louder, with hugs, photos and messages full of exclamation marks.” — 'Younger people are louder' opens a new sentence rather than being linked to the previous point about older generations, a fairly basic sequential structure. The 7.5 answer instead marks the contrast with 'though' inside the flow of the paragraph.'Younger people are louder'另起一句,而不是与前面关于老一辈的论点连接起来,这是一种相当基础的顺序结构。7.5答案则用'though'在段落的行文中标示出这种对比。
   • LR“a small smile at the wall” — Plain, literal description. The 7.5 answer's 'a smile aimed at the wall' uses a more precise verb ('aimed') that implies deliberate avoidance rather than just location.朴素、直白的描述。7.5答案中的'a smile aimed at the wall'用了一个更精确的动词('aimed'),暗示的是刻意的回避,而不仅仅是位置。
   • GRA“My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a small smile at the wall, and my father just said 'it's nothing' without looking up.” — Two ideas are joined with a simple 'and' — clear and safe. The 7.5 answer instead uses a semicolon to fuse the same two examples into one tighter, more literary sentence.两个想法用简单的'and'连接——清晰而稳妥。7.5答案则用分号把同样的两个例子融合成一句更紧凑、更具文学色彩的话。

   7.0 分

   'Vietnamese people of their generation tend to express joy sideways' reflects on the examples with an abstract summary phrase."'Vietnamese people of their generation tend to express joy sideways'用一个抽象的总结性短语对前面的例子进行了反思。

   Honestly, I'd say quietly, mostly, and often through food. My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a smile aimed at the wall, and my father's showed as 'it's nothing' and refusing to look up — Vietnamese people of their generation tend to express joy sideways, by doing something for you rather than saying anything directly. To be fair, feeding people is close to a universal sign here: anyone pleased about anything seems to cook more than can possibly be eaten. Younger people, though, are louder, with hugs, photos and messages full of exclamation marks. Karaoke is where happiness goes properly public, and a football win puts the whole country out on the street.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,我想说大多是含蓄的,常常是通过食物。我母亲对那棵树的喜悦,表现为对着墙壁露出的一丝浅笑,而我父亲的则表现为一句"没什么"和头也不抬——他们那一代的越南人往往是从侧面表达喜悦的,通过为你做点什么,而不是直接说出来。说句公道话,给人做饭在这里几乎是一种普遍的信号:任何为一件事而高兴的人,似乎都会做出多得吃不完的饭菜。不过年轻人更外放,会拥抱、拍照,发满是感叹号的消息。K歌是快乐真正走向公开的地方,而一场足球胜利则会让全国人都涌上街头。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, feeding people is close to a universal sign here: anyone pleased about anything seems to cook more than can possibly be eaten.” — 'To be fair' introduces the food example as a considered generalisation with a colon, a more developed transition than the plain sequential sentences at 6.5.'To be fair'用一个冒号引出食物这个例子,作为一个经过考虑的概括,这是一种比6.5分朴素的顺序句更成熟的过渡。
   • LR“Vietnamese people of their generation tend to express joy sideways” — 'Express joy sideways' is a precise, slightly abstract metaphor for indirect emotional display, more developed than the plain literal description at 6.5, and shared closely with the 7.5 version.'Express joy sideways'是一个精确、略带抽象色彩的比喻,用来表达间接的情感流露,比6.5分朴素直白的描述更成熟,并且与7.5版本非常接近。
   • GRA“My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a smile aimed at the wall, and my father's showed as 'it's nothing' and refusing to look up” — Two parallel 'showed as' clauses are joined by 'and', creating a balanced structure, though the 7.5 answer tightens the same parallel with a semicolon instead of 'and'.两个平行的'showed as'分句用'and'连接,创造出一种平衡的结构,不过7.5答案用分号代替'and',使同样的平行结构更加紧凑。

   7.5 分

   The closing line 'The words 'I'm happy' are rarer here than the evidence of it' condenses the entire answer's argument into one compact final sentence.结尾句"'The words 'I'm happy' are rarer here than the evidence of it'"把整个答案的论证浓缩进一句简洁的结尾话里。

   Quietly, mostly, and often through food. My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a smile aimed at the wall; my father's showed as 'it's nothing' and refusing to look up — Vietnamese people of their generation express joy sideways, by doing something for you rather than saying anything. Feeding people is the universal sign: anyone pleased about anything cooks more than can possibly be eaten. Younger people are louder, with hugs, photographs and a great many messages full of exclamation marks. Karaoke is where happiness goes properly public, and a football win puts the whole country on the street with flags. Gifts and small envelopes of money mark shared happiness at Tết. The words 'I'm happy' are rarer here than the evidence of it.

   查看中文翻译

   大多是含蓄的,常常是通过食物。我母亲对那棵树的喜悦,表现为对着墙壁露出的一丝浅笑;我父亲的则表现为一句"没什么"和头也不抬——他们那一代的越南人是从侧面表达喜悦的,通过为你做点什么,而不是说出任何话。给人做饭是一种普遍的信号:任何为一件事而高兴的人都会做出多得吃不完的饭菜。年轻人更外放,会拥抱、拍照,发大量满是感叹号的消息。K歌是快乐真正走向公开的地方,而一场足球胜利则会让全国人举着国旗涌上街头。礼物和小红包在春节标志着共同的喜悦。在这里,"我很快乐"这句话,比这份快乐的证据要罕见得多。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“My mother's happiness about the tree showed as a smile aimed at the wall; my father's showed as 'it's nothing' and refusing to look up” — A semicolon joins the two parallel examples without a connecting word, a tighter structure than the 'and' used to link the same two examples at 7.0, and considerably more compact than the two separate sentences at 6.5.一个分号不用连接词就连接了两个平行的例子,比7.0答案用来连接同样两个例子的'and'更紧凑,也比6.5分的两个独立句子简洁得多。
   • LR“The words 'I'm happy' are rarer here than the evidence of it.” — This closing sentence plays 'words' against 'evidence' as a precise, almost aphoristic contrast, well beyond the plain vocabulary used to close the 6.5 and 7.0 answers.这句结尾用'words'对'evidence'构建出一种精确、近乎格言式的对比,远超6.5和7.0答案用来收尾的朴素词汇。
   • GRA“Younger people are louder, with hugs, photographs and a great many messages full of exclamation marks.” — 'A great many' is a more formal quantifier than the plain 'messages full of' at 6.5, showing a wider, slightly more literary register for the same list.'A great many'是一个比6.5分朴素的'messages full of'更正式的量词,为同一份列表展现出更宽、略带文学色彩的语域。

8. 8. How can a person's attitude to life affect how happy they are?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The comparison of the two neighbours is told as a simple sequence: same damage, then two different results, stated plainly.两位邻居的对比被讲述为一个简单的序列:同样的损失,然后是两种不同的结果,平铺直叙地陈述出来。

   I think a person's attitude affects their happiness a lot. After the floods, two neighbours of mine had the same damage to their homes in the same week. Three years later, one of them is still angry about it, blaming the government and the weather. The other one repainted her house and opened a small café in the flooded ground floor, and now she talks about the flood as the start of something new. The same event happened to both, but their lives became completely different. I think attitude decides what a person notices, and whether they act or just wait.

   查看中文翻译

   我认为一个人的态度对他的幸福感有很大影响。洪水过后,我的两位邻居在同一周内,家里遭受了同样程度的损失。三年后,其中一位仍然为此耿耿于怀,把责任归咎于政府和天气。而另一位则重新粉刷了自己的房子,还在被淹的一楼开了一家小咖啡馆,现在她把那场洪水谈论为某种新事物的开端。同样的事件发生在两个人身上,但他们的生活却变得截然不同。我认为态度决定了一个人会注意到什么,以及他是选择行动还是只是等待。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“The same event happened to both, but their lives became completely different.” — A short summarising sentence draws the contrast directly after the story. The 7.5 answer instead compresses the identical idea into the two-word fragment 'Same event, opposite lives', a far more economical piece of cohesion.一个简短的总结句在故事之后直接引出对比。7.5答案则把同样的想法压缩成一个两个词的片段'Same event, opposite lives',是一种经济得多的衔接方式。
   • LR“she talks about the flood as the start of something new” — Plain and functional. The 7.5 answer's phrase 'the start of something good' pairs with a more analytical follow-up about what attitude actually decides, giving the same idea more consequence.朴素而功能性。7.5答案的短语'the start of something good'与后面更具分析性的、关于态度究竟决定了什么的论述相呼应,使同样的想法更具后续意义。
   • GRA“Three years later, one of them is still angry about it, blaming the government and the weather.” — A single sentence with one participle clause ('blaming...') — clear and controlled. The 7.5 answer instead lists three objects of anger with commas inside a much longer semicolon-joined sentence.一个带有一个分词分句('blaming...')的单句——清晰而有控制力。7.5答案则在一个更长的、用分号连接的句子里,用逗号列出了三个愤怒的对象。

   7.0 分

   'the floods gave me something close to a controlled experiment' reframes the neighbours' story with a scientific metaphor."'the floods gave me something close to a controlled experiment'用一个科学化的比喻重新构建了两位邻居的故事。

   Honestly, enormously, and the floods gave me something close to a controlled experiment. Two neighbours had the same water damage in the same week; three years later, one is still furious about it — at the government, the weather, the insurer — while the other repainted, opened a small café in the ruined ground floor, and now talks about the flood as the start of something good. To be fair, attitude isn't everything; the neighbour with the café also had savings and a family who helped. But between people in fairly similar circumstances, I'd say the way they hold their circumstances is most of the difference, and it's the part they actually control.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,影响巨大,而这场洪水给了我一个近乎受控实验的观察机会。两位邻居在同一周内遭受了同样程度的水灾;三年后,一位仍然对此愤愤不平——冲着政府、天气、保险公司发火——而另一位则重新粉刷了房子,在被毁的一楼开了一家小咖啡馆,现在她把那场洪水谈论为某种好事的开端。说句公道话,态度并不是一切;那位开咖啡馆的邻居也有积蓄,还有一个帮忙的家庭。但在处境相当类似的人之间,我想说,他们对待处境的方式才是造成差异的主要原因,而这也正是他们真正能够掌控的部分。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, attitude isn't everything; the neighbour with the café also had savings and a family who helped.” — 'To be fair' introduces a genuine qualification with a semicolon-joined clause, a more developed concession than the plain listing style at 6.5.'To be fair'用一个分号连接的分句引出了一个真正的限定说明,这是一种比6.5分朴素罗列式更成熟的让步。
   • LR“something close to a controlled experiment” — 'A controlled experiment' is a precise, almost scientific metaphor for the coincidence of two neighbours' identical damage, considerably more developed than the plain narrative opening at 6.5.'A controlled experiment'是一个精确、近乎科学化的比喻,用来形容两位邻居遭受同样损失这一巧合,比6.5分朴素的叙述开头成熟得多。
   • GRA“one is still furious about it — at the government, the weather, the insurer — while the other repainted, opened a small café in the ruined ground floor, and now talks about the flood as the start of something good” — A dash-set list of three objects of anger sits inside a 'while' clause contrasting two long parallel actions, a considerably more complex sentence than the two separate short sentences used at 6.5.一个用破折号隔开的、列出三个愤怒对象的列表,嵌在一个用'while'对比两个长而平行的动作的分句里,这是一种比6.5分两个独立短句复杂得多的句子。

   7.5 分

   'Same event, opposite lives.' is a two-word-pair fragment that compresses the whole comparison into a single beat."'Same event, opposite lives.'是一个两词对的片段,把整个对比浓缩进单独一拍之中。

   Enormously, and the floods gave me a controlled experiment of sorts. Two neighbours had the same water damage in the same week; three years later one is still furious about it, at the government, the weather and the insurer, and the other repainted, opened a small café in the ruined ground floor, and talks about the flood as the start of something good. Same event, opposite lives. Attitude decides what a person notices — problems or possibilities — how long they stay angry, and whether they act or wait to be rescued. It isn't everything; the neighbour with the café also had savings and a family who helped. But between people in similar circumstances, the way they hold their circumstances is most of the difference, and it's the part they control.

   查看中文翻译

   影响巨大,而这场洪水给了我一场某种意义上的受控实验。两位邻居在同一周内遭受了同样程度的水灾;三年后,一位仍然对政府、天气和保险公司愤愤不平,而另一位重新粉刷了房子,在被毁的一楼开了一家小咖啡馆,谈论那场洪水时把它说成某种好事的开端。同样的事件,截然不同的人生。态度决定了一个人会注意到什么——是问题还是可能性——决定了他们的怒气会持续多久,以及他们是选择行动,还是坐等被拯救。这不是全部;那位开咖啡馆的邻居也有积蓄,还有一个帮忙的家庭。但在处境相似的人之间,他们对待处境的方式才是造成差异的主要原因,而这也正是他们能够掌控的部分。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“Same event, opposite lives.” — This two-phrase fragment, with no verb at all, condenses the entire neighbour comparison into a single beat — a far more economical piece of cohesion than the full sentence used to draw the same conclusion at 6.5.这个由两个短语组成的片段完全没有动词,把整个邻居的对比浓缩进单独一拍之中——比6.5分用来得出同样结论的完整句子经济得多。
   • LR“one is still furious about it, at the government, the weather and the insurer” — The asyndetic three-item list (no dashes, just commas) reads more fluidly than the dash-set version at 7.0, showing the same content handled with slightly more natural rhythm.这个不用连接词的三项列表(不用破折号,只用逗号)读起来比7.0的破折号版本更流畅,显示出同样的内容被处理得节奏更自然一些。
   • GRA“Attitude decides what a person notices — problems or possibilities — how long they stay angry, and whether they act or wait to be rescued.” — A dash-set appositive interrupts the main clause before it continues with two further coordinated elements, a considerably more layered structure than the single sentence used to state a similar idea at 6.5.一个用破折号隔开的同位语打断了主句,然后主句再继续接上另外两个并列成分,这是一种比6.5分用来表达类似想法的单一句子有层次得多的结构。

9. 9. Is a richer society always a happier society?

   2026年5–8月
   查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比

   6.5 分

   The final two sentences state the income-happiness pattern directly and plainly, without much elaboration.最后两句话直接、平实地陈述了收入与幸福之间的关系模式,没有太多的展开。

   I don't think a richer society is always happier, but wealth does help up to a point. Vietnam is much richer than when I was a child, and this has made a real difference, with fewer people hungry and more people with clean water and a motorbike. But my parents' generation, after reaching that basic level, doesn't seem happier than before, and my own generation, which is richer still, feels more anxious. I think happiness rises quickly with income until people feel secure, and then it stops rising much. After that, things like trust and free time matter more than money.

   查看中文翻译

   我不认为一个更富裕的社会一定就更幸福,但财富确实在一定程度上有帮助。越南比我小时候富裕得多,这带来了真实的改变,挨饿的人变少了,能用上干净水和摩托车的人变多了。但我父母那一代人,在达到那种基本水平之后,似乎并没有比以前更幸福,而我这一代人虽然更富裕,却感觉更加焦虑。我认为幸福感会随着收入的增加而快速上升,直到人们感到安全为止,之后就不会再明显上升了。在那之后,信任、自由时间这些东西比金钱更重要。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“I think happiness rises quickly with income until people feel secure, and then it stops rising much.” — 'And then' signals the turning point directly, a clear but basic device. The 7.5 answer instead uses a single verb, 'flattens', to compress the same idea without needing 'and then' at all.'And then'直接标示出转折点,这是一种清晰但基础的手法。7.5答案则用单独一个动词'flattens'来压缩同样的想法,完全不需要'and then'。
   • LR“my own generation, which is richer still, feels more anxious” — Plain, functional phrasing. The 7.5 answer's dash-set list 'comparison, pressure and long hours arrived with the money' names the actual causes, which this version leaves unstated.朴素、功能性的措辞。7.5答案中用破折号隔开的列表'comparison, pressure and long hours arrived with the money'说出了具体的原因,而这个版本没有说明。
   • GRA“Vietnam is much richer than when I was a child, and this has made a real difference, with fewer people hungry and more people with clean water and a motorbike.” — A single sentence with one coordinated 'and' clause and a prepositional phrase list — safe and clear. The 7.5 answer instead uses a colon to introduce the same list, a more flexible and confident structure.一个单句,带有一个用'and'连接的并列分句和一个介词短语列表——稳妥而清晰。7.5答案则用冒号引出同样的列表,是一种更灵活、更自信的结构。

   7.0 分

   'That's wealth doing exactly what it should' reflects on the example with a short evaluative sentence rather than just reporting it."'That's wealth doing exactly what it should'用一个简短的评价性句子对例子进行了反思,而不只是单纯的转述。

   Honestly, up to a point, and then no. Vietnam is several times richer than it was in my childhood, and the difference in ordinary happiness is real — fewer people hungry, more people with clean water, a motorbike, and something like a future. That's wealth doing exactly what it should. But my parents' generation, past that basic level, doesn't seem any more content than they were, and my own generation, richer still, feels more anxious than either — comparison, pressure and long hours arrived along with the money. To be fair, studies say roughly the same thing: happiness rises steeply with income until people are secure, then flattens out almost completely.

   查看中文翻译

   说实话,在达到一定程度之前是这样,之后就不是了。越南比我童年时期富裕了好几倍,而在日常幸福感上的差异是真实存在的——挨饿的人变少了,能用上干净水、摩托车的人变多了,还有了某种类似未来的东西。这正是财富该起到的作用。但我父母那一代人,在超过那种基本水平之后,似乎并没有比以前更知足,而我这一代人虽然更富裕,却比他们两代人都更焦虑——攀比、压力和长时间工作随着金钱一起到来。说句公道话,研究结果也大致说明了同样的事情:幸福感会随着收入陡然上升,直到人们感到安全为止,之后就几乎完全停滞了。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“To be fair, studies say roughly the same thing: happiness rises steeply with income until people are secure, then flattens out almost completely.” — 'To be fair' introduces outside evidence to support the personal observation, a more developed move than the plain personal claim at 6.5.'To be fair'引入了外部证据来支持个人观察,这是一种比6.5分单纯个人论断更成熟的手法。
   • LR“comparison, pressure and long hours arrived along with the money” — This three-item list names specific causes, a more precise and developed vocabulary choice than the vaguer 'feels more anxious' at 6.5.这个三项列表说出了具体的原因,是一种比6.5分较模糊的'feels more anxious'更精确、更成熟的词汇选择。
   • GRA“my parents' generation, past that basic level, doesn't seem any more content than they were, and my own generation, richer still, feels more anxious than either” — Two parallel clauses about the parents' and the writer's generations are joined by 'and', a moderately complex structure, though the 7.5 version fuses similar content with a dash-set list for extra density.两个关于父母那一代和作者这一代的平行分句用'and'连接,是一种适度复杂的结构,不过7.5版本用一个破折号隔开的列表融合了类似的内容,增加了密度。

   7.5 分

   The closing two-sentence contrast 'A rich society with those is happy. A rich society without them is just rich.' repeats the same frame with one word changed.结尾这对对比句'A rich society with those is happy. A rich society without them is just rich.'用同一个句式框架、只改动一个词来重复表达。

   Up to a point, and then no. Vietnam is several times richer than it was in my childhood, and the difference in ordinary happiness is real: fewer people hungry, more people with clean water and a motorbike and a future. That's wealth doing what it should. But my parents' generation, past that basic level, doesn't seem more content than they were, and my own generation, richer still, is more anxious than either — comparison, pressure and long hours arrived with the money. Studies say roughly the same: happiness rises steeply with income until people are secure, then flattens. Beyond that, what matters is how wealth is shared, how much time it buys, and whether people trust each other. A rich society with those is happy. A rich society without them is just rich.

   查看中文翻译

   在达到一定程度之前是这样,之后就不是了。越南比我童年时期富裕了好几倍,而在日常幸福感上的差异是真实存在的:挨饿的人变少了,能用上干净水、摩托车,还有未来的人变多了。这正是财富该起到的作用。但我父母那一代人,在超过那种基本水平之后,似乎并没有比以前更知足,而我这一代人虽然更富裕,却比他们两代人都更焦虑——攀比、压力和长时间工作随着金钱一起到来。研究结果也大致说明了同样的事情:幸福感会随着收入陡然上升,直到人们感到安全为止,之后就趋于平缓。在那之后,重要的是财富是如何被分享的、它换来了多少时间,以及人们是否彼此信任。一个拥有这些的富裕社会是幸福的。一个没有这些的富裕社会,只是富裕而已。

   为什么是这个分数

   • FC“A rich society with those is happy. A rich society without them is just rich.” — Repeating the identical sentence frame with only 'with'/'without' changed creates a tight rhetorical parallel, a far more economical piece of cohesion than the explanatory closing sentences used at 6.5 and 7.0.用完全相同的句式框架,只改动'with'/'without',创造出一种紧凑的修辞对称,比6.5和7.0答案所用的解释性结尾句经济得多。
   • LR“comparison, pressure and long hours arrived with the money” — This precise three-item list of causes is shared closely with the 7.0 answer, but here it's folded into a longer dash-set sentence rather than standing as its own clause, showing tighter integration.这个精确的三项原因列表与7.0答案非常接近,但这里它被融入一个更长的、用破折号隔开的句子里,而不是独立成一个分句,显示出更紧密的融合。
   • GRA“Vietnam is several times richer than it was in my childhood, and the difference in ordinary happiness is real: fewer people hungry, more people with clean water and a motorbike and a future.” — A colon introduces a list without repeating 'people' each time after the first two items, a more compact structure than the fuller coordinated sentence used at 6.5.一个冒号引出一个列表,在前两项之后不需要每次都重复'people'一词,这是一种比6.5分更完整的并列句更紧凑的结构。