The Happiness Trap
Grammar: Inversion
A Level 6 English lesson exploring psychology.
What's in this lesson
A Level 6 (proficiency) ESL lesson on psychology, practising inversion. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Happiness Trap
In 2023, the World Happiness Report ranked Finland first among 137 countries — and ranked the United States 15th, despite its GDP per capita being roughly three times Finland's. The researchers measured life satisfaction, social support, and perceived freedom. Rarely has a dataset so efficiently illustrated a problem philosophers identified two and a half thousand years ago: that the word happiness is doing far too much work, covering experiences that ancient Greek thinkers would have regarded as entirely different in kind.
Vocabulary
- contemplative life
- deeply contested
- rational agency
- well-being survey
Grammar: Inversion
- Never / Rarely +
- Never has a philosopher made the case more clearly. — emphasis through fronted negative adverbial
- Not only…but also
- Not only does this exclude pleasure, but it also excludes passivity. — additive reinforcement
Discussion questions
- When did you last feel your life was genuinely going well?
- Have you ever made a decision you knew was right but felt terrible?
- What is the best piece of advice about how to live that you have ever received?
The Happiness Trap
Grammar: Inversion
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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