Just in case you had doubts as to how happy the super-rich such as Bill Gates, Donald Trump or Roman Abramovich really are, here's an Interesting radio program from NPR (National Public Radio) about whether or not money can really make you happy.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10253838
Just click on the 'Listen' button
Useful Vocabulary:
ruminate (v) = to think about something in a deep or philosophical manner
GDP = Gross Domestic Product = the total value of goods and services produced by a nation.
discourage (v) = to take hope away from, demoralize. Opposite of encourage.
huge = extremely large
vastly bigger = greatly, much more
lust after something = to strongly desire something. In general, the word lust by itself means physical sexual desire, but to lust after something means simply to want something very badly. Of course if you lust after SOMEBODY, then that is interpreted in a sexual way.
commute (v)(n) = to travel from home to work, or from work to home.
subsistence level (to just get by) = to just have enough money for basic needs.
tend to (v) = have a tendency to
hit rock bottom = reach the lowest possible point
subside (v) = to decrease
put the kids through college = common expression that means both paying for university education and all related expenses such as food, housing, books, etc.
