Now Is the Best Time to Be Happy
First listen and then answer the questions.
1. Why should we stop waiting？
2. What’s the best time to be happy according to the passage？
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married， have a baby， then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be more content when they are grown up.
After that， we’re frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together， when we get a nicer car， and are able to go on a nice vacation. Or when we retire.
The truth is， there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now， when？ Your life will always be filled with challenges. It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Happiness is the way. So， treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special， special enough to spend your time with him， and remember that time waits for no one.
So， stop waiting.
There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey， not a destination.
So， work like you don’t need money； love like you’ve never been hurt； and dance like no one’s watching.
我們安慰自己，生活會隨著結婚，有了一兩個孩子而更加美滿。然而，孩子尚小時，他們會把我們弄得焦頭爛額，隻有當他們長大後，我們才能感到心滿意足。
之後，我們又會對十幾歲孩子的問題感到束手無策。隻有當他們走過這一時期，我們才會真正幸福愉快。我們告訴自己，當愛人始終如一地給予我們支持，當我們獲得了漂亮的汽車，能夠進行一次愉快的旅行，或者當我們退休後，那時的生活才稱得上完美。
事實上，沒有比“現在”更令人幸福的時光。如果不是“現在”，又會是何時呢？最好接受“人生充滿挑戰”這一事實，並決定無論怎樣都要讓自己快樂。
幸福是一段旅程。因此，要珍愛你擁有的每刻，更要珍視那些與你分享時光的特別之人，謹記，歲月不待人。
所以，切勿等待。
人生中沒有比現在更快樂的時光。
幸福是一段旅程，而非目的地。
因此，投入地去工作，讓人覺得你並不需要錢財；傾心地去愛，讓人覺得你不曾被傷害；旁若無人地盡情去舞蹈吧！
Learning for Better Understanding
Keywords and expressions
1. spouse
作名詞：配偶
例：If you want to know whether your marriage will survive， look at your
spouse’s yearbook photos.
如果你想知道你的婚姻會不會持久，那麽去看一看你的配偶每年拍的照片集。
2. Retire
作動詞：退休
例：When workers retire， they can withdraw money from the plan.
當工人們退休了，他們可以從該計劃中提取資金。
Practicing for Better Learning
Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading text？
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
(1) The truth is， there’s no better time to be happy than right now.
(2) Your life will always be filled with challenges. You must admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Chunks in Practice
Listen to the following passage twice and then fill in the blanks with
appropriate words.
1. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old and we’ll be more content when they are .
2. Your life will always be filled with . It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy .