挪威人是全球最幸福的人群。
That finding comes from a report released this week. It shows Norwegians are happier, on average, than people in over 150 countries.
这项发现来自于本周发布的一份报告。报告显示，挪威人平均来说比150多个国家的人们都更幸福。
Over 1,000 individuals were asked to rate their own happiness levels on a scale of 1-to-10. Norwegians had an average happiness rating of 7.537. That is just a little higher than people in Denmark. Danes had a rating of 7.522 in the survey.
1000多人被要求在1到10分的范围内评定自己的幸福程度。挪威人的平均幸福指数为7.537，比丹麦人略高。丹麦人的幸福指数为7.522。
The 2017 World Happiness Report shows the six happiest countries are all in northern Europe. Norway had been the fourth-happiest country last year, while Denmark was rated number one.
2017年全球幸福报告显示，最幸福的6个国家都在北欧。挪威去年位列最幸福国家的第四位，而丹麦当时位居首位。
This year, Canada is the seventh happiest, while New Zealand and Australia are in eighth and ninth place.
今年，加拿大位列最幸福国家第七位，而新西兰和澳大利亚分列第八和第九位。
A group of social scientists carried out the survey. Their findings were based on a simple question. They asked the subjects to imagine a ladder with 10 steps. The top of the ladder was "the best possible life," and the bottom was the worst.
一群社会科学家进行了这项调查。他们的研究结果是基于一个简单的问题。他们让被调查者想象有一架10个台阶的梯子。梯子的顶部是最美好的生活，而底部是最糟糕的生活。
Then, the people were asked: "On which step would you say you personally stand at this time?"
然而他们问道：“你觉得目前你站在哪层台阶上？”
The new report said the least happy country was the Central African Republic, one of the poorest areas in the world.
这项新报告表示，最不幸福的国家是中非共和国，它也是全球最贫穷的地区之一。
Syria was 152nd on the list. The Syrian civil war began over five years ago, and the fighting continues.
叙利亚在这项名单上位列第152位。叙利亚内战从5年前开始，战斗还在继续中。
While the study's question is simple, the social scientists worked hard to understand why some people feel happy, and others do not. They decided six factors were partly responsible for one's happiness. The six were: national wealth, life expectancy, honesty in government, freedom to make life choices, generosity and having a strong social network.
虽然这项研究的问题非常简单，社会科学家们在努力了解为什么有些人感到快乐，而其他人没有。他们认为有6项因素跟一个人的幸福有关系。这六项因素是：国家财富、预期寿命、政府诚信、做出人生选择的自由、慷慨以及强大的社会网络。
Based on those factors, people in Latin America appeared to be about half a point happier than they should be. But the opposite is true in Asia.
基于这些因素，拉丁美洲人似乎比他们原本的幸福指数高出了0.5分左右，而亚洲人恰恰相反。
Meik Wiking directs the Happiness Research Institute in Denmark. He did not mind that Denmark lost its top ranking.
Meik Wiking负责丹麦的幸福研究机构。他不介意丹麦失去头名位置。
"I don't think Denmark has a monopoly on happiness," he said. "What works in the Nordic countries is a sense of community and understanding in the common good."
”我不认为丹麦垄断了幸福。北欧国家起作用的是社区意识和对共同利益的理解。
The United States came in 14th place, with a happiness rating of 6.993. That is one step lower than last year.
美国以6.993的幸福指数位居第14位，比去年低了一位。
Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University helped write the report. He said there are a number of reasons why Americans are not as happy as before.
哥伦比亚大学的杰弗里·萨克斯帮助撰写了这份报告。他说，美国人不像以前那么幸福有很多原因。
Sachs said the country is becoming meaner. He also thinks the government is becoming more corrupt, and there is less equality among U.S. residents than in the past.
萨克斯表示，美国正变得越来越刻薄。他还认为政府变得更加腐败，美国居民之间也比以前更不平等。
"It's a long-term trend, and conditions are getting worse," Sachs said.
萨克斯表示：“这是一种长期趋势，情况正变得越来越糟。”
I'm Anne Ball.
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