The Text:
The moment where bliss is at its peak
A recent survey has examined the well-trodden
ground of the relationship between pleasure and
money. Many studies have examined this, from any
number of starting points, often concluding, in the
oldest of old cliché, that money can’t buy you happiness
or, in more sophisticated terms, that happiness and
pleasure often reside, not in riches in absolute terms,
but in being richer than the people who happen to live
to your left or your right. Other studies have claimed
that comparison with the wealth of others leads to a
‘set-up for disappointment’ and that a good attitude is
all that matters.
This most recent study inquired into the well-
being of 136.000 people worldwide and compared it to
levels of income. It found, overall, that feelings of
security and general satisfaction did increase with
financial status. Money, however, could not lift its
possessors to the next level, and was unable to provide
enjoyment or pleasure on its own. The survey published
in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
examined large numbers of people from almost every
culture on Earth, and found much the same thing. The
stereotype of the rich man who finds life savourless and
without pleasure was not invented simply to keep the
poor happy with their lot.
Paul Bloom addresses the same issue in his book
How Pleasure Works. According to Bloom, at the point
when people get the thing they really want, they enter a
state of perfect pleasure. Both Bloom’s book and the
enormous survey concentrate on the status and on the
moment of getting possession of something we want.
Are we satisfied and filled with pleasure when we get
what we want? Bloom, looking at eager consumers,
would say ’yes’; the survey tends to say ‘not necessarily’.
In my view, it’s rare that we can actually pin down the
specific moment when the feeling of pleasure is at its
clearest.
Take the teenager determined to buy the latest
must-have gadget, a woman setting to get a new
handbag, or a prosperous businessman who wants to
add to his collection of Japanese netsuke. The setting
with the happy intention of spending; the entering of
the shop; the examination of the wares; the long
decision; the handing over of money; the moment when
the ownership of the goods is transferred; the gloating
at home; the moment when the object is displayed to
others. All these steps form a process in enjoyment, but
almost all of them are redolent with anticipation or with
retrospective glee.
is over in a flash, and hardly exists at all. Everything else
is expectation or memory.
Composers have always known this simple, basic
truth: pleasure is half anticipation and half blissful
recollection, and hardly at all about the fulfilment of the
promise. The great musical statements of ecstasy, such
as Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde or Schubert’s first Suleika
song, are literally all half crescendo and half languid
recall. We look forward to pleasure; we look back on it.
The moment of pleasure itself is over in a flash, and
often rather questionable.
The hairband and geegaw emporium Claire’s
Accessories has a thoughtful, rather philosophical slogan
to tempt its young consumers. It sells itself under the
strapline ‘where getting ready is half the fun’. That is
honest and truthful. A group of 14-year-old girls in their
party best is nowhere near as successful an enterprise of
pleasure as exactly the same girls putting on and trying
out and discussing their hopes for the party in advance;
not as successful either as talking it over the next day.
The party itself, from the beginning of time, has
consisted of a lot of standing around and gawping and
giggling, and someone crying in the lavatory.
So any notion of fulfilled pleasure which insists
on the moment of bliss is doomed to failure. Mr. Bloom
and the researchers of the Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology were clearly happiest when
undertaking their research, during which time they were
looking forward to coming to a conclusion. And now
they can sit back and start to say ‘Yes, when I concluded
my theory of pleasure and satisfaction…’ Even for
philosophers of pleasure, another ancient and well-
handled cliché about travel and life is true: getting there
really is half the pleasure.
Source: Kenny, N. & Newbrook, J. (2014). Cambridge
English Advanced Practice Tests Plus 2. Pearson
Education Limited
Glossary:
Gloating: malicious (ill will) satisfaction
Redolent: noticeably odorous
Glee: great merriment
Bliss: a state of extreme happiness
Crescendo: (of music) a gradual increase in loudness
Languid: lacking spirit or liveliness
Geegaw: Cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
Emporium: a department store
Gawping: Looking with amazement
Giggling: laugh nervously
 University of Gabés, ISAMT Module: Language (Rdg Comp+Wtg+Gr)
Epreuve : Anglais
Department of Education Level: 1st Year
Exam session: May 2023/2nd Semester Academic year: 2022-23/ Duration: 2 hs

Full Name: ……………………………………………………. Group Nbr : ………..

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PART 1
QUESTIONS (7 Marks)
A/ State what the main idea of the text is. (1 mark)
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B/ Tick the right option and then justify your answer with detail(s) from the text. (3 marks)

1. The writer says that previous studies of happiness have differed on:
A.  whether having more money than others makes people happy.
B.  why people compare their financial situation to that of others.
C.  what makes people believe that money brings happiness.
D.  how important it is for people to think that they are happy.

Justification:
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2. According to the writer, the most recent survey:

A.  confirmed a common belief about wealth and happiness.
B.  produced results that may surprise some people.
C.  provided more accurate information than many other surveys.
D.  found that there was no connection between money and happiness.

Justification: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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C/ According to the writer, it is impossible to identify a fixed moment of delight. Justify your answer with a detail
from the text. (1 mark)
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D/ According to the writer, happiness is a momentary feeling that lies between two states. What are these two
states? (1 mark)

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E/ Find this expression in paragraph 1: “a set-up for disappointment”. Now tick the meaning that is relevant to the
context in the text. (1 mark)

a.  A state of disappointment because of considering external factors for our happiness

b.  A situation that is likely to result in disillusionment because of unrealistic expectations
c.  A feeling of dissatisfaction because of the connection between our expectations and reality

PART 2
WRITING: (4 Marks)
Bearing in mind the guidelines you had in class on how to write a narrative paragraph, write on ONE of the
following prompts. (I apologize if you did not experience one of the prompts. If so, please be imaginative).

1. Write a narrative paragraph about a time when you witnessed an act of kindness.
2. Write a narrative paragraph about a time when you overcame a fear or phobia and how it affected you.
3. Write a narrative paragraph about the time when your lover/beloved came back after a long breakup.

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Assessment Criteria
Style: 1.5 mark Language: 1 mark Cohesion: 0.5 mark Mechanics: 1 mark

PART 3
GRAMMAR (9 Marks)
1. Read the following sentences and tick (  ) those which express LOGICAL DEDUCTION. The modal verbs are in
bold. (0.25 mark each)

a. You can borrow the car; I don't need it.

b. He can't still be at the office, it's after 9 o'clock.
c. I can't hear you very well, the line's bad.
d. That won't be the postman at the door, he's been already.
e. Will you give me a hand with this? It's so heavy.
f. John's awful. He simply won’t admit that he's made a mistake!
g. What' s that scratching noise?
Don't worry. It'll be the cat trying to get in.
h. He'll be at the airport by now.
i. No, you may not leave before the end.
j. We may be in for a rough crossing, there's a storm coming.
k. He might change his mind, if we keep on at him.
l. You mustn't give up yet, try just once more.
m. He always looks so exhausted; he must have a very demanding job.
n. If you hurry up, we could be there by 6 o'clock.
o. You should drive more slowly round there, it's a dangerous corner.
p. You should have no trouble passing, it's your best subject.

2. When you have identified those sentences that express deduction, group them according to whether they
express certainty, probability, or possibility. (0.25 mark each)

Certainty probability possibility

- … -… - … -… - … -…
- … -… - … -… - … -…
- … -… - … -… - … -…
- … -… - … -… - … -…
-… -… - … -… - … -…

3. Which of the verbs or phrases can fill the gap correctly? Circle the correct option in each set. (0.5 each)

A. I ………… be able to help you.

 won’t – can’t – might
B. Did you …………. keep it secret?
 could – manage to - able to
C. You ………..  be exhausted after such a long journey.
 must – can – had better
D. The book is optional. Our teacher said that we ………. read
 mustn’t – don’t need to – aren’t supposed to
it if we don’t want to.
 mustn’t – shouldn’t – can’t
E. You ………..  worry so much. You will make yourself ill.

4. Think of somebody you know, and somebody you once knew and say what characteristic behaviors or habits
and things they are/were true of him/her. (0.5 each)

a-……………………………………………………………………………………………….

b-……………………………………………………………………………………………….

c-……………………………………………………………………………………………….