They Say Ireland's the Best

    Ireland is the best place in the world lo live for 2005.according to a life quality ranking that appeared in Britain.s Economist magazine last week.

    The ambitious attempt to compare happiness levels around the World is based ol3 the principle that wealth is not the only measure of human satisfaction and well-being.

    The index of 111 countries uses data on incomes.health.unemployment.climate， political stability， job security， gender equality as well as what the magazine calls "freedom，family and community life".

    Despite the bad weather， troubled health service.traffic congestion（擁擠）， gender inequality， and the high cost of living.Ireland scored an impressive 8.33 points out of l0.

    That put it well ahead of second-place Switzerland， which managed 8.07. Zimbabwe. troubled by political insecurity and hunger， is rated the gloomiest（最差的）， picking up only 3.89 points.

    "Although rising incomes and increased individual choices are highly valued，" the report said. "some of the factors associated with modernization such as the breakdown（崩潰）in traditional institutions and family values in part take away from a positive impact."

    "Ireland wins because it successfully combines the most desirable elements of the new with the preservation of certain warm elements of the old， such as stable family and community life."

    The magazine admitted measuring quality of life is not a straightforward thing to do， and that its findings would have their critics.

    N0.2 on the list is Switzerland.The other nations in the top 10 are Norway， Luxembourg， Sweden， Australia， Iceland， Italy， Denmark and Spain.

    The UK is portioned at N0.29， a much lower position chiefly because of the social and family breakdown recorded in official statistics. The US， which has the second highest per capita GDP（人均國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值）after Luxembourg， took the 13th place in the survey.China was in the lower haft of the league at 60th.

    16 For 2，005 years，Ireland has been the best place for humans to live in.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    17 Job security is the least important measure of life quality.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    18 Cost of living in Ireland is pretty high.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    19 Family life in Zimbabwe is not stable.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    20 lreland is positioned at N0.1 because it combines the most desirable elements of the new with some good elements of the old.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    21 To measure life quality is easy.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    22 The United States of America is among the top 10 countries.

    A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned

    參考答案：16. B 17. C 18. A 19. C 20. A 21. B 22. B