If you select the tile and look to the top right of the screen it will tell you 

there should be a green up arrow with something like +2 approval and an orange 4 way arrow with something like +1 wealth 

i don't actually know the paradise tile improvement off hand

But the green arrow means anything of that type built on that tile and the orange arrow means anything if that type next to that tile

Approval mod...options seem thin.  Do you mean like a consulate?  Inviting politicians to increase approval of whom, more politicians? 

The text of the description is just flavor.

Look at the bonuses that the tile gives, and build the appropriate improvements in (and around) the tile.

Approval buildings are pretty few until the mid-game (at least), but they're also the least-needed ones, so no big deal there.  Each building's tool tip will tell you what "flavor" of improvement it is, right underneath the title of the improvement.