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Most people look forward to retirement as a time when they can finally take up activities that they never
had the time or energy to pursue before. But some recent studies on people in their golden years are disturbing:
they suggest that retirees are more likely to suffer from depression and possibly higher rates of other diseases
such as heart disease and high blood pressure. That's why a new study of French workers is welcome news.
Led by Hugo Westerlund, a professor of psychology at Stockholm University, the study of more than
14,000 workers found lower rates of depression and fatigue (疲劳) in people after they got retired while they
were still employed.
The scientists followed employees of the French National Gas and Electric Company for 14 years. They
found in the year immediately after retirement, the volunteers reported 40% fewer depressive symptoms than
they had in the year before their retirement. The researchers also found an 81% drop in reports of both mental
and physical fatigue over the same time period.
Clearly, said Westerlund, much of these decrease in physical and mental fatigue can be traced back to relief
from the stresses of work. The decline in depressive symptoms suggests that retirement may be having a
positive mental effect, too, which may have a lot to do with the generous pensions (养老金) that French
workers enjoy. Most retirees in that country still benefit from about 80% of their yearly salaries.
"The economic or financial situation in retirement is very important," Westerlund says. "We don't know if
the decrease in fatigue and depressive symptoms is because of the removal of something bad while in work
or the addition of something good while in retirement. But no matter the reason, if life in retirement is not
comfortable, then we won't see the improvements we did."
However, in European nations like France, governments are considering changes to pension plans, which
may affect retirees' health after they leave their jobs-with less of a financial safety net, workers may no longer
seem so mentally and physically happy to be out of work.
(Note: Answer the questions or complete the statements in NO MORE THAN EIGHT WORDS.)
1. According to some recent studies, retired people may have depression and higher rates of other diseases
like _______.
2. Westerlund's group found that in the year just after the retirement most retired French workers felt much less
tired both _______.
3. What does the word "improvements" in paragraph 5 refer to?
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Retirement may make people happier with ______.