1.        What do you think 'happiness' is?

Well, in simple terms, I guess I’d say it’s a feeling that we get when we’re content with something, for example when we’re doing something we enjoy.

 

in simple terms – 简单地说 (used especially when explaining something)

 

2.        What are some things that make you happy?

Let me have a little think…um… well, first of all, what always makes me happy is seeing my friends and family happy, which I suppose is probably the same for everyone. And as well as that, I’d say just doing the things I enjoy always puts me in a happy mood, you know, like playing the piano, and going to KTV with my friends.

 

 

3.        Do you think people who have more talent are happier than others?

No I wouldn’t say they are. I mean, there are countless examples of famous singers and actors who were extremely talented, but for some reason turned to things like drugs or alcohol in order to escape the depression they felt. And on the other end of the scale, there are people with seemingly very little talent, but who are very happy and content with their life. So for me I’d say happiness bears no relation at all to the amount of talent a person has.

 

on the other end of the scale - 在另一极端

seemingly -看来似乎

bears no relation at all – 根本没有关系 (you can also say, “…bears little relation to…)

 

4.        Do you think money makes people happy?

Yeah, I suppose it does. You know, I think it’s fair to say that money makes us all feel happy to some degree, because you can do so much with it, like buy new clothes or go on holiday or whatever. But saying that, I’d say it’s only a kind of short-term happiness that we get from money, because the feeling soon fades, as I’m sure you’ll agree! So I think if we want to enjoy long-term happiness, then it’s really other things that bring about it, like appreciating what we already have in life.

 

To some degree -到某个程度

But saying that – 但话又说回来

the feeling soon fades – 那个感觉一会儿就消失

bring about – 导致

appreciating – 感激

 

 

5.        Are the things that make people happy today the same as several decades ago?

I guess the answer would have to be yes and no. Yes, because there are things like helping others which have always made people feel happy and will always continue to do so. And no, because people nowadays have generally become more materialistic, which is a reflection of the society we now live in. So a lot of happiness now comes from acquiring material goods and possessions, like houses and cars, which wasn’t so much the case several decades ago.

 

 

6.        Why do people feel happy when they are with members of their family?

Well I suppose the reason is simply that our family are people we love and feel close to, so it’s natural that being with them will make us feel happy. I guess that’s all there is to it!

 

that’s (really) all there is to it - 也不过如此而已

 

7.        In general, what do you think makes a happy family?

That’s a good question, and thinking about it, I would say it’s basically just showing love, support and appreciation to one another.  So in other words, I think it’s not enough for us to just love our family members, but also show it, and by doing this we will be able to create happiness within the family. For example, you know, if a child does badly in a school exam, their parents should encourage and support them, as opposed to telling them off, and if they do well or win a prize, then their parents should show how proud they are. And in this way, I think the family will definitely be a happy one!

 

as opposed to – 而不……

tell off – 教训, 斥责;训斥;训诫

in this way – 这样做

 

8.        What kind of people do you think are most likely to be happy?

I guess it’s probably people who have a positive outlook on life, because they always tend to look on the bright side of things. So for instance, if they come across problems, they’ll probably see them as challenges rather than problems.

 

Have a positive outlook on life -积极面对生活、对生活充满热情

look on the bright side of things - 对事物抱乐观态度、从好的方面看

 

 

9.        Do you think there is any relationship between a person's age and their happiness?

Yeah, I’d say there probably is, because for example, most young children seem to be very happy most of the time, one of the reasons being that they’re blissfully unaware of all the pressures of modern-day life. And for a lot of adults, the pressure they face can be overwhelming, which naturally has an effect on their mental well-being, and can lead to a mid-life crisis. Having said all that though, I think it’s very possible to go through one’s whole life being happy if you live it in the right way.

 

blissfully unaware – 幸福地不知道

Mid-life crisis -中年危机

Having said all that though – 不过话虽然这么说

 

10.    Some people say the happiest time in people's lives is the period when they are at school? Do you agree? 

No I don’t, I’d say it’s too big a generalization. I mean, of course, it might be the happiest time for some, but not for everyone. You know, we all have different experiences of our time at school, and for a lot of people it probably wasn’t that enjoyable, because they might have been bullied for example.

 

Generalization – 概括

Be bullied by someone – 被别人欺负 （一般指的比较严重的起伏）

 

 

11.    Do young people and old(er) people find happiness from the same things?

No, I’d say there’s probably a slight difference. Because I mean, older people seem to find happiness from the simple things in life, such as playing a game of chess or simply sitting outside their homes watching the world go by, whereas I think it’s fair to say that young people often need a bit of excitement in their lives to feel happy. So that’s one thing, and what else…um… oh yeah, I’d say being in good health is another thing that makes elderly people feel happy, whereas a lot of young people kind of just take it for granted.

 

Being in good health – 身体健康

Watch the world go by - 闲看人来人往

Whereas – 而

Take for granted – 认为……是理所当然的

 

 

12.    Do you think old people are very happy?

Yes, I’d say on the whole they are, because I mean, the feeling I get whenever I’m with them is that they have a calm demeanor about them, which I think reflects a kind of peace of mind. You know, it’s as if they’ve learned to accept everything they’re faced with in the world, and as a result, I think this generally gives them a feeling of happiness.

 

on the whole – 总的来说

calm demeanor -镇静的风度

peace of mind – 心平气和

 

13.    When you are old(er), what kinds of things do you think will bring you happiness?

I imagine it will be things like spending time with my family, seeing my grandchildren grow up, and looking at old photographs, which will help me reflect on all the happy memories from my life.

 

Reflect on happy memories - 回忆快乐

 

 

14.    Do you think people were happier in the past than they are now?

No I don’t actually. I’d say people are generally happier now, the main reason being that our standards of living have improved considerably from the past. I mean, for one thing, we now have a lot more freedom in choosing to lead our lives how we want, which wasn’t really the case in the past.