Section 1 Use of English

Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark [A], [B], [C] or [D] on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)

Happy people work differently. They’re more productive, more creative, and willing to take greater risks. And new research suggests that happiness might influence__1__firm’s work, too.

Companies located in places with happier people invest more, according to a recent research paper.__2__, firms in happy places spend more on R&D (research and development). That’s because happiness is linked to the kind of longer-term thinking__3__for making investments for the future.

The researchers wanted to know if the__4__and inclination for risk-taking that come with happiness would__5__the way companies invested. So they compared U.S. cities’ average happiness__6__by Gallup polling with the investment activity of publicly traded firms in those areas.

__7__enough, firms’ investment and R&D intensity were correlated with the happiness of the area in which they were__8__.But is it really happiness that’s linked to investment, or could something else about happier cities__9__why firms there spend more on R&D? To find out, the researchers controlled for various__10__that might make firms more likely to invest – like size, industry, and sales – and for indicators that a place was__11__to live in, like growth in wages or population. The link between happiness and investment generally__12__even after accounting for these things.

The correlation between happiness and investment was particularly strong for younger firms, which the authors__13__to “less codified decision making process” and the possible presence of “younger and less__14__managers who are more likely to be influenced by sentiment.” The relationship was__15__stronger in places where happiness was spread more__16__.Firms seem to invest more in places where most people are relatively happy, rather than in places with happiness inequality.

__17__ this doesn’t prove that happiness causes firms to invest more or to take a longer-term view, the authors believe it at least__18__at that possibility. It’s not hard to imagine that local culture and sentiment would help__19__how executives think about the future. “It surely seems plausible that happy people would be more forward-thinking and creative and__20__R&D more than the average,” said one researcher.

1. [A] why [B] where [C] how [D] when

2. [A] In return [B] In particular [C] In contrast [D] In conclusion

3. [A] sufficient [B] famous [C] perfect [D] necessary

4. [A] individualism [B] modernism [C] optimism [D] realism

5. [A] echo [B] miss [C] spoil [D] change

6. [A] imagined [B] measured [C] invented [D] assumed

7. [A] Sure [B] Odd [C] Unfortunate [D] Often

8. [A] advertised [B] divided [C] overtaxed [D] headquartered

9. [A] explain [B] overstate [C] summarize [D] emphasize

10.[A] stages [B] factors [C] levels [D] methods

11.[A] desirable [B] sociable [C] reputable [D] reliable

12.[A] resumed [B] held [C]emerged [D] broke

13.[A] attribute [B] assign [C] transfer [D]compare

14.[A] serious [B] civilized [C] ambitious [D]experienced

15.[A] thus [B] instead [C] also [D] never

16.[A] rapidly [B] regularly [C] directly [D] equally

17.[A] After [B] Until [C] While [D] Since

18.[A] arrives [B] jumps [C] hints [D] strikes

19.[A] shape [B] rediscover [C] simplify [D] share

20.[A] pray for [B] lean towards [C] give away [D] send out