Following one million middle­aged women in Britain for 10 years, a study finds that the widely held view that happiness enhances health and longevity is unfounded.

 The results come from the so­called Million Women Study, which took on women aged 50 to 69 from 1996 to 2001, and tracked them with questionnaires and official records of deaths and hospital admissions. The questionnaires asked how often the women felt happy, in control, relaxed and stressed, and also instructed them to rate their health and list ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression or anxiety.

 When the answers were analyzed statistically, unhappiness and stress were not associated with an increased risk of death. It is not clear whether the conclusion applies to men. 

Professor Peto said particularly important data came from 500，000 women who reported that they were in good health, with no history of heart disease, cancer or stroke. A minority of these healthy women said they were stressed or unhappy, he said, but over the next decade they were no more likely to die than the women who were generally happy.

 “This finding refutes (驳斥) the large effects of unhappiness and stress on deathrate that others have claimed，”Dr. Peto said. Unhappiness itself may not affect health directly, but it can do harm in other ways, by driving people to suicide, alcoholism or other dangerous behaviors, he warned.

 This type of study, in which people involved depend on their self­assessment, is not considered as reliable as a designed experiment where people involved are picked at random and assigned to a treatment or control group. But the huge number of people in this study gives it power. Still, some observers noted that measuring emotions is more nuanced (细微的) and complex than simply declaring happiness or unhappiness.

 “I would have liked to see more discussion of how people translate these complicated feelings into a self­report of happiness.”said Baruch Fischhoff, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University.

 The results of earlier studies have been mixed, with some finding that unhappiness causes illness and others showing no link, Dr. Fischhoff said.“It looks to me like people have collected a lot of data without finding a clear signal，”he said. However, an editorial accompanying the study in The Lancet noted that it had the largest population so far in happiness studies and praised its statistical methods.

 Professor Peto said he doubted whether the new study would change many minds because beliefs about the risks of unhappiness are so rooted.“People are still going to believe that stress causes heart attacks，”he said.

If you are a Wet Blanket (a person who doesnˈt enjoy himself / herself and thus prevents others from enjoying themselves) when it comes to nature and your kid, you are most likely a caring, protective parent who wants to keep your child safe and sound. You may be so determined to protect your kid from dirt, sunburn, or scratches (划伤) that you try to avoid the outdoors. Or you may just find muddy clothes and sandy toes require too much time to wash. Perhaps you hate to get dirty yourself. The natural world may just make you nervous and you might worry those bugs (虫子) and bats will suck you dry. It may be that you just never got the chance to be outdoors when you were a kid and now know nothing about what to do with your kid.

While it is every care-giverˈs job to protect their kid, your worries may cause your child to grow up as a Wet Blanket as well. If you prefer the indoors yourself, you may be keeping your kid from outdoor experiences without even realizing it. Your attitudes about nature have a huge influence on how comfortable your kid feels outside. You may need to go against your own nature and "open the door" to get your kid outside!"

You may already realize the value in helping kids spend time outside in nature and know that playing in nature settings helps children grow up mentally (精神上). Perhaps you already introduce your child to nature through books, museums, and zoos. Maybe you just need some ideas of what to do with kids outside. Try some simple nature activities with your kid, or sign up for nature programs to develop you skills. While it may be a challenge for you to overcome your own nervousness about nature, you can raise a child who is happy and confident in the natural world.

One of the easiest ways you can get your kid outside is to become a Door Opener. Even if you don’t enjoy playing on the mud, you can take breath and let loose! Undirected time to explore nature is an important part of raising a caring kid. This might be free time in the backyard, allowing him to wander ahead on a walk or simply providing him with materials for a project.  Putting aside your own nervousness and providing  "in-the-wings" support will enrich your child’s journey as a nature lover! Belt out a song (引吭高歌), build a snowman, watch the clouds, or plant a seed with your child. Help your child connect his creative side with nature.

May: Hi, Mike. Long time no see.

Mike: Hi, May!

May: Where have you been these days? It’s been quite a long time   (1)  ．I last saw you in the library.

Mike: Well, I went to Hong Kong last month and stayed there   (2)  ．_half a month.

May: Why did you stay there so long?

Mike: Er, I went there   (3)  ．(attend) a meeting to discuss how to make sure of flight   (4)  ．(safe) between countries.

May: I called you many times, but I could not get through,   (5)  ．made me very angry.

Mike: Oh, I’m sorry. I got my phone number  (6)  ．(change) when I was in Hong Kong so that I didn’t have to spend so  (7)  ．on my phone calls.

May: Did you have a good time there?

Mike: Yes, a very nice time. I drove around with my friends. I also paid _  (8)  ．visit to the Hong Kong Disneyland. It was the first time that I   (9)  ．_(see) the sea. It’s   (10)  ．(real) a wonderful experience.