Happiness is contagious , as researchers reported on Thursday. 

People with the most social connections -- spouses, friends, neighbors and relatives -- were also the happiest, the data showed. "Each additional happy person makes you happier," Christakis said. 

"Imagine that I am connected to you and you are connected to others and others are connected to still others. It is this fabric of humanity, like an American patch quilt." 

Each person sits on a different colored patch. "Imagine that these patches are happy and unhappy patches. Your happiness depends on what is going on in the patch around you," Christakis said. 

"It is not just happy people connecting with happy people, which they do. Above and beyond, there is this contagious process going on." 

And happiness is more contagious than unhappiness, they discovered. 

"If a social contact is happy, it increases the likelihood that you are happy by 15 percent, " Fowler said. "A friend of a friend, or the friend of a spouse or a sibling , if they are happy, increases your chances by 10 percent," he added. 

A happy third degree friend -- the friend of a friend of a friend -- increases a person's chances of being happy by 6 percent. 

"But every extra unhappy friend increases the likelihood that you'll be unhappy by 7 percent," Fowler said. 

The finding is interesting and it is useful, too, Fowler said. 

"Among other benefits, happiness has been shown to have an important effect on reduced mortality , pain reduction, and improved cardiac function. So better understanding of how happiness spreads can help us learn how to develop a healthier society," he said. 

The study also fits in with other data suggested in 1984 that having $ 5,000 extra increased a person's chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent. 

"A happy friend is worth about $ 20,000," Christakis said.

Based on the article and the following list of answers, write a list of questions.

1. $ 20,000
2. Christakis
3. Yes
4. Christakis
5. on Thursday
6. People with the most social connections
7. Yes
8. increases the likelihood that you'll be unhappy by 7 percent
9. increases a person's chances of being happy by 6 percent.
10. an American patch quilt
11. Yes
12. No
13. "If a social contact is happy, it increases the likelihood that you are happy by 15 percent.
14. It is interesting and it is useful, too
15. reduced mortality , pain reduction, and improved cardiac function.
16. that having $ 5,000 extra increased a person's chances of becoming happier by about 2 percent.
17. what is going on in the patch around you
18. most likely

Numbered questions:
1. what is the worth of a happy person?
2. who said this?
3. can happiness spread?
4. according to?
5. when was it reported contagious?
6. what kind of people are happiest?
7. is it more contagious then unhappiness?
8. what does an unhappy friend do to you?
9. how much happiness does a third degree happy person bring?
10. what does he compare humanity fabric to?
11. does everyone sit on one patch?
12. do they sit on the same color patch?
13. what does Fowler say?
14. what does he say about the finding?
15. what are the benefits mentioned?
16. what does data suggest?
17. what does happiness depend on?
18. would you be happy if a social contact is happy?