"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." We all know that healthy habits can help us build a strong body，but how we can live a happy life？Over the past two decades，scientists have identified many techniques to raise our happiness，but these methods cannot work magic. "Things like poverty or injury are obviously going to affect your well-being，" says Laurie Santos，at Yale University. "But for many of us，our happiness is much more under our control than we think." Her free course，The Science of Well-being，explores evidence-based ways to increase happiness.
For a taste of what the course involves，consider our tendency to compare ourselves negatively with the people around us.By recognizing when those thoughts have started to arise，you can consciously shift the reference point to something more neutral（中立的） With this kind of thinking，you may start to feel more content.
The use of gratitude journals，where you regularly count your blessing，work on a similar basis.We have a tendency for "hedonic adaptation"，essentially getting used to the good things in our life over time，and taking them for granted，so they no longer bring us the same interest—we should delay that process.
Other tips like small acts of kindness may surprise you with rewarding experience.However，those approaches to happier life should be used carefully.There is now some evidence that pursuit of happiness can have the opposite effect if it becomes time-consuming，Keeping a gratitude journal appears to be effective if it is used once a week.It seems that the technique may become a burden if it is practiced too regularly.
There seems little doubt that we can learn to be happier，but we should recognize that the path to a better life is with ups and downs.You cannot remove every negative feeling，but with some science-backed strategies，you can shift the balance so as to experience more positive feeling than negative ones.
（1）How can we deal with the tendency to compare ourselves negatively with those around us？
We can consciously shift the reference point to something more neutral by recognizing when those thoughts have started to arise.
We can consciously shift the reference point to something more neutral by recognizing when those thoughts have started to arise.
（2）What does "hedonic adaptation" mean？
It means a process that we essentially get used to the good things in our life over time，and taking them for granted，so they no longer bring us the same interest.
It means a process that we essentially get used to the good things in our life over time，and taking them for granted，so they no longer bring us the same interest.
（3）Please decide which part is false in the following statement，then underline it and explain why.
As approaches to happier life small acts of kindness can effectively improve our well-being， we should use them as much as possible.Because the approaches can have the opposite effect if they become time-consuming.
As approaches to happier life small acts of kindness can effectively improve our well-being， we should use them as much as possible.Because the approaches can have the opposite effect if they become time-consuming.
? As approaches to happier life small acts of kindness can effectively improve our well-being，we should use them as much as possible.
（4）In addition to the methods mentioned in the passage，what other method（s） can you take to increase happiness？ （In about 40 words）
Taking exercise regularly；sleep early and don't stay up；making friends with optimistic people；working hard.
Taking exercise regularly；sleep early and don't stay up；making friends with optimistic people；working hard.
