N A M E : ________________________________ DATE: ____________________
READING: Older People are Happier
Vocabulary Preview
Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.
1. in your twenties A. a short time ago
2. depressed B. easy to understand
3. researcher C. the way you think about something
4. recently D. ask questions
5. interview E. between the ages of twenty and thirty years old
6. clear F. a problem that is not easy to make better
7. serious problem G. very sad
8. view H. a person who finds out information
Use the above words to complete the sentences. Use Past Tense when
necessary.
1. Will you get married ____________________ or in your thirties?
2. Sad movies always make me feel ____________________.
3. Air pollution is a ____________________ in many big cities around the world.
4. I ____________________ traveled to India. I just returned home last week.
5. The company will ___________________ me before they decide to give me a job.
6. Our teacher always explains things in a ____________________ way.
7. I think we should worry less about money. What is your ____________________?
8. Maria wants to become a __________________. She likes finding out information.
Choose any two of the above words and write your own sentences.
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
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N A M E : _____________________ DATE: ____________________
READING
Topics: Describing People / Emotions
Older People
Are Happier
How old are you? Are you in your twenties or thirties? If your answer is ‘yes’,
then you probably feel stressed and maybe a little depressed about many
things in your life. However, researchers studying happiness found out
something quite interesting. The researchers recently interviewed 1,546
people between the ages of twenty and one hundred. They learned that older
people are much happier than younger people. This information surprised the
researchers because older people have many health problems. The
researchers are now asking themselves, “Why are older people happier with
their lives?” There is no one, clear answer to this question. The answer may
be, however, that older people have learned how to think differently. For
example, a younger person might see a problem as a very big and very serious
one. A person who is fifty or sixty, however, might view that same problem as
a small problem. As Professor Jeste, at the University of California, says, “a lot
of big things become little” for older people. So, if you are young and a little
unhappy now, don’t worry. You will probably feel happier when you are older.
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N A M E : _____________________ DATE: ____________________
READING
Grammar Practice
Older People
Are Happier
Complete the paragraph by circling the correct words.
How old are you? (1)_____ you in your twenties or thirties? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you
probably (2)_____ stressed and maybe a little depressed about many things in (3)_____ life.
However, researchers studying happiness found out something quite interesting. (4)_____
researchers recently interviewed 1,546 people between the ages of twenty and one hundred.
(5)_____ learned that older people are much happier (6)_____ younger people. This
information surprised the researchers (7)_____ older people have many health problems.
The researchers are now (8)_____ themselves, “Why are older people happier with (9)_____
lives?” There is no one, clear answer to this question. The answer may be, however, that
older people have learned how to (10)_____ differently. For example, a younger person
might (11)_____ a problem as a very big and very serious one. A person who is fifty or sixty,
however, might view that same problem as a small problem. As Professor Jeste, at the
University of California, says, “a lot (12)_____ big things become little” for older people. So,
if you are young and a little unhappy now, don’t worry. You will probably feel happier when
you are older.
1. 5. 9.
(A) Do (A) The (A) they’re
(B) Are (B) They (B) their
(C) Is (C) He (C) there
2. 6. 10.
(A) feel (A) there (A) think
(B) feels (B) then (B) thinks
(C) feeling (C) than (C) thought
3. 7. 11.
(A) your (A) because (A) sees
(B) you (B) so (B) saw
(C) yours (C) and (C) see
4. 8. 12.
(A) A (A) ask (A) to
(B) An (B) asking (B) at
(C) The (C) asked (C) of
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N A M E : ________________________________ DATE: ____________________
READING: Older People are Happier
How Much Do You Understand?
Write ‘T’ (True) or ‘F’ (False) next to each statement.
1. The article is about how to become happier.
2. The researchers were between the ages of 20 and 100.
3. The researchers have many health problems.
4. The researchers are not really sure why older people are happier.
5. Older people view life in a different way than younger people.
6. You shouldn’t worry too much about feeling a little unhappy if you are young.
Discuss
Discuss the following questions with your classmates.
1. Are you surprised that older people are happier than younger people?
Why? / Why not?
2. Are you happy today? Why? / Why not?
3. What kinds of things make you happy? Why?
Write
Choose one of the above discussion questions. Write a short paragraph to
answer it.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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Reading Lesson Topic: Describing People / Emotions
Headline ‘Older People are Happier’
Grammar Focus Mixed (includes comparatives)
Vocabulary 189 words
A1 words-78% / A2 words-13% / B1 words-6% / B2 words-1%
AWL Words in this text: depressed, researchers, stressed
Vocabulary Analysis by: vocabkitchen.com
Level Elementary to Pre-Intermediate (CEFR A2)
ANSWER KEY Page 1
Vocabulary Preview
1. E 1. in your twenties
2. G 2. depressed
3. H 3. serious problem
4. A 4. recently
5. D 5. interview
6. B 6. clear
7. F 7. view
8. C 8. researcher
ANSWER KEY Page 3 ANSWER KEY Page 4
Article (Grammar) How Much Do You Understand?
1. B 7. A 1. F (It’s about older people being happier than younger people.)
2. A 8. B 2. F (The people they interviewed were between 20 and 100.)
3. A 9. B 3. F (Older people have many health problems.)
4. C 10. A 4. T
5. B 11. C 5. T
6. C 12. C 6. T
News Sources:
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/graying_but_grinning_despite_physical_ailments_older_adults_happier
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-surprising-age-when-thousands-say-theyre-
happiest_us_56b4cbb3e4b01d80b245f8fc?8loko6r
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/proof-that-older-people-are-happier-than-those-in-their-20s-and-
30s_us_57beeb3be4b085c1ff27dfa3?section=&
http://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/article/Pages/2016/v77n08/v77n0813.aspx
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