English Refresher

EnglishRefresher
Find your level

workbook-c1-science-of-happiness

English Refresher · CEFR C1 · Unit 8

The Science of Happiness

Build a rich vocabulary of abstract nouns, paraphrase research with precision, and tell correlation from causation. Practice, check your answers instantly, and study the flashcards.

Level C1 No login Free Works on your phone
0%
1
Speaking

What Is Happiness?

What to do: Work in pairs or small groups. Discuss the questions and try to use an abstract noun in every answer. There is no score — just speak and listen.
Audio 1Listen to an example
Listen to someone reflect on what makes them happy — notice the abstract nouns and the caution about cause — then share your view.

Talk about it

  • How would you define happiness? Is it a goal, a feeling, or a habit?
  • Which matters more for happiness — relationships or achievements? Why?
  • In your culture, are people encouraged to express joy and gratitude openly?
Use these abstract nouns & cautions:
a sense of fulfillmentcontentmentgratitudepurposewell-beingit's a link, not necessarily a cause
Featured Reading

The Pursuit of Happiness

Read the full interactive essay and do the comprehension quiz.

Read it →
2
Reading

Money, Meaning & Mood

What to do: Read this short extract from the unit article. Then answer the questions and tap Check Answers. (Read the full article using the link above!)

What actually makes us happy? Decades of research point to some clear patterns. Long-term happiness is closely linked to meaning, relationships and gratitude — not to pleasure alone. And once basic needs are met, extra wealth has surprisingly little effect on emotional well-being.

Read those findings carefully, though. A study showing that happy people tend to be grateful reveals a link — it does not, on its own, prove that gratitude is the cause.

1. Beyond a certain income, extra money has little effect on emotional ______.
2. Long-term happiness is closely linked to meaning, relationships and ______.
3. A study showing a link between gratitude and happiness is not the same as…
3
Listening

Does Money Buy Happiness?

What to do: Listen two times. Then complete the sentences and answer the questions. Notice the paraphrasing and the caution about cause.
Audio 2Hana and Luca discuss money and happiness

Hana: I saw a study saying money stops boosting happiness after a certain income. Do you buy that?

Luca: Partly. Once your basic needs are met, more money seems to add very little. Below that, though, it matters a lot.

Hana: So it's not that money is irrelevant.

Luca: Exactly. The same research keeps pointing to relationships and gratitude as the bigger factors. But I'd be careful — happy people might just find it easier to keep friends. It's a link, not necessarily a cause.

Hana: Good point. In other words, we don't really know which comes first.

Luca: Right. Still, gratitude is free, so I'll take the bet.

1. Below a basic level, money ______ a lot.
2. The bigger factors are relationships and ______.
3. Luca warns that it's a ______, not necessarily a cause.
4. What do they conclude about money?
5. Why is Luca cautious about the "happiness" findings?
4
Vocabulary

The Right Word

What to do: Complete each sentence with an abstract noun from the unit. Spelling counts. Tap Check Answers when you're done.
1. A deep feeling of satisfaction from meaningful goals is ______.
2. The quality of being thankful and appreciative is ______.
3. A calm, satisfied feeling about your life is ______.
4. A state of being calm and peaceful is ______.
5. A sense that your life has meaning or direction is a sense of ______.
5
Register

Short-Term or Long-Term?

What to do: Is each word a brief emotion or a lasting state? Tap a card to move it (first box, then second box, then back), then tap Check Answers.
Short-term emotion
Long-term state
6
Structure

Build the Sentence

What to do: Tap the chunks in the correct order to build an advanced sentence (a paraphrase and a cleft). Tap a chunk in your answer to send it back. Then tap Check Answers.

1. A clear paraphrase:

2. A cleft sentence (for emphasis):

7
Writing

A Happiness Journal Entry

What to do: Write a journal-style entry (about 100–130 words). Include a moment that brought you joy, something you're grateful for, and one habit you could try. Use abstract nouns. There is no automatic score; use the checklist.
Model: "Today I felt a quiet sense of contentment having lunch with an old friend. I'm grateful for unhurried time — it's rarer than I'd like. As a small experiment in well-being, I'm going to try a short morning walk; the research links daily movement and nature to better mood, even if it can't prove one causes the other."
0 words

Did you include…

8
Vocabulary

Flashcards

What to do: Tap a card to reveal the meaning and an example. These are the key terms for this unit and the reading.
fulfillmentnountap to reveal
deep satisfaction from meaningful goals"Her work gives her real fulfillment."
gratitudenountap to reveal
the quality of being thankful and appreciative"A daily note of gratitude lifts the mood."
contentmentnountap to reveal
a calm, satisfied state of being"There's quiet contentment in a simple day."
serenitynountap to reveal
a calm and peaceful state of mind"She found serenity by the sea."
euphorianountap to reveal
a feeling of intense, short-lived joy"The win brought a wave of euphoria."
optimismnountap to reveal
a belief that good things will happen"Her optimism is contagious."
purposenountap to reveal
a sense that your life has meaning or direction"Volunteering gave him a sense of purpose."
well-beingnountap to reveal
the state of being happy, healthy and at ease"Sleep is central to well-being."
hedonic adaptationnountap to reveal
getting used to good things so their joy fades"Hedonic adaptation dulls a new purchase fast."
resiliencenountap to reveal
the ability to recover from difficulty"Strong friendships build resilience."

Tap to see your final score, then show your teacher on your phone.

0%
Score

Your Result

Show this screen to your teacher.
← Back to the Lesson Open the Reading →