Question

These questions come from "Scientists Reveal Three Keys to Happiness " in commonlit:

PART A: Which of the following best identifies the text's main claim about happiness?
A. Without opportunities to engage in the natural world, it is extremely unlikely that a
person will achieve happiness.
B. Happiness and satisfaction are possible when a person has the chance to make choices in an environment they feel comfortable navigating.
C. Humans require complete control over their environment and lives to achieve
optimum happiness.
D. It is difficult to achieve the other two keys to happiness if a person doesn't feel like they are making a difference in the world.

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?
A. "To make your way down the road to happiness you need to feel competent and
believe that you can make a difference. You also need to understand what the heck is going on around you and have the opportunity to choose your own options."
(Paragraph 2)
B. "But the Kaplans were intrigued by one study that came out about that time suggesting that what people really liked in their lives was a 'medium level of complexity.'" (Paragraph 7)
C. "In a series of studies, the couple demonstrated that an office window that overlooks a natural scene helps people relax, thus fighting off one of the primary threats to competence, mental fatigue." (Paragraph 24)
D. "But wouldn't a debilitating disease like cancer be so overwhelming that it would wipe out the three conditions the Kaplans feel are so important?" (Paragraph 29)

What does the following quotation reveal about the author's perspective? "Before you start firing off all those e-mails about money, love, health and so on, give these folks a chance to explain." (Paragraph 3)
A. The author assumes that readers have their own opinions about the keys to happiness.
B. The author expects readers to ignore the evidence provided by the Kaplans about the keys to happiness.
C. The author disagrees with the widely held belief that money, love, and health are the keys to happiness.
D. The author thinks that readers should reach out to the Kaplans directly to provide
feedback about the study.

How does paragraph 9 contribute to the author's explanation of the Kaplans' studies?
A. It shows that the Kaplans' study was not conducted fairly.
B. It emphasizes how much people prefer nature over urban settings.
C. It proves that people prefer professional photos.
D. It shows how people are most interested in average photos.

Answer 1

PART A: The best answer that identifies the text's main claim about happiness is B. Happiness and satisfaction are possible when a person has the chance to make choices in an environment they feel comfortable navigating.

PART B: The detail from the text that best supports the answer to Part A is A. "To make your way down the road to happiness you need to feel competent and believe that you can make a difference. You also need to understand what the heck is going on around you and have the opportunity to choose your own options." (Paragraph 2)

The following quotation, "Before you start firing off all those e-mails about money, love, health and so on, give these folks a chance to explain." (Paragraph 3), reveals that the author assumes that readers have their own opinions about the keys to happiness. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

Paragraph 9 contributes to the author's explanation of the Kaplans' studies by emphasizing how much people prefer nature over urban settings. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

Step-by-step explanation:

For Part A, the main claim about happiness in the text is being asked. The passage discusses the work of the Kaplans, who developed a theory about the three key conditions necessary for human happiness: feeling competent, making choices, and being connected to the world. Option B aligns with this main claim, as it emphasizes that happiness is possible when a person has the opportunity to make choices in an environment they feel comfortable navigating.

For Part B, the task is to identify the detail from the text that best supports the answer to Part A. Option A is the correct choice, as it directly supports the idea that making choices and feeling competent are important for happiness. The quote highlights the need to feel competent and understand one's environment, both of which are key elements of making choices and navigating one's surroundings.

For the question about the author's perspective, the best answer is A, as the author assumes that readers have their own opinions about the keys to happiness. The author is encouraging readers to consider the Kaplans' theory before jumping to conclusions about what makes people happy.

Finally, for the question about paragraph 9, the correct answer is B. Paragraph 9 discusses a study that the Kaplans conducted, which found that people prefer natural settings to urban ones. This supports the Kaplan's hypothesis that being connected to the natural world is important for happiness. The other options are incorrect, as there is no evidence in the text to suggest that the study was unfair (Option A), or that people prefer professional or average photos (Options C and D).