一轮复习阅读材料unit17laughter.doc

一轮复习阅读材料 Unit17 Laughter

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A
Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. The first “World Laughter Day” gathering took place in Mumbai, India, on 11th January,1998. 12,000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended it. Now there are over 5,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.
“HAPPY—DEMIC” was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th January，two years after the Mumbai gathering. In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10,000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records.“World Laughter Day” is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year，hundreds of people gather worldwide on that day to laugh together.
Today，many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has 1 faced so much unrest before. People are 2 war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, 3 has the ability 4 (unite) humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common 5 (connect) between 6 (variety) religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound over­ambitious，and maybe it is. 7 maybe it is not. It is our deep belief 8 laughter and only laughter can unite the world， 9 (build) up a global sense of brotherhood and 10 (friend).
Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following: lower blood pressure; lighten depression；reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body－because it's good for you.

Task1: The passage tells us

Task2: Fill in the blanks

Task3: Choose the best answers
1．The purpose of celebrating World Laughter Day is ________.
A．to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter
B．to build a common connection between various religions
C．to reduce stress and lighten depression
D．to lower blood pressure
2．The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place________.
A．on 11th January,1998 B．on the first Sunday of May
C．on 9th January,1996 D．on 9th January,2000
3．The author's attitude towards laughter movement is ________.
A．positive　　　　 B．negative C．unintereste D．objective
4．The passage is mainly about________.
A．World Laughter Day and its significance
B．the worldwide laughter movement
C．a universal language
D．laughter

B
The power of humor and laugher are numerous. They entertain us and make us feeling good. But，above all, we have discovered that humor and laughter are best medicine. It relieve pain，reduce stress and anxiety, and are anti­aging and longevity facilitators (促进者)．
They are extremely necessary for helping us to find and maintain a balance among life and work. However, they are slipping away from us. We have become far too serious. The only ones which still enjoy humor, laughter, fun and play to the fullest are young children. Children tend to laughing an average of 200 times a day. For adult, however, it is a total different story.
In the 1950s people laughed on average 18 times a day. Today，we are lucky if we average between 4­6 times a day.
As a matter of fact, a recent study found that people laugh 6 more times in the presence of one person but 30 more times in a group of people.You can get a chuckle(咯咯笑) from jokes you get on the Internet, but it is not the same as belly jiggling laughter (a deep laugh) you get when you interact with others.
Socializing(交际) with friends and relatives was much looked forward to.However, this is no longer the case. In fact, the majority of people can hardly find time, nor do they have the inclination towards socializing outside home. They turn to electronic media such as television, computers, the Internet, videos, CDs, and audio equipment, which can provide them with instant self­entertainment at the push of a button.
The workplace does not fare(进展) much better. Due to the pressures to produce more in the same or fewer hours available and to compete, for example, in a manufacturing field with cheaper labor elsewhere in the world, humor and laughter in the workplace have gradually eroded (逐渐毁坏) away.
I have developed a real appreciation, perhaps closer to a strong desire for the power of humor and laughter. This encouraged me to write my first book titled “The Power of Humor” and subsequently my second book titled “Kids Say the Goggonest Things” based on the natural humor, laughter, play and fun that kids experience and they freely share with parents, grandparents and teachers.
From writing about humor and laughter, people start to ask me to speak up for them. To date, I have developed a number of humor－laughter topics that I use in my keynote presentations. You are invited to subscribe to my free monthly e­magazine “The Humormeister's Forum” by clicking on the Free Humor E­zine navigation button on the website.

Task1：Find the ten mistakes in the first two paragraphs

Task2: Choose the best answers
1．According to the author, laughter is leaving us partly because________.
A．the pace of change in our lives is becoming faster
B．we fail to reflect on fun times in our lives
C．we treat everything in a serious way
D．humor of situations lies beneath
2．The fourth paragraph mainly tells us that________.
A．researchers have made a new discovery about the effect of laughter
B．people laugh more heartily when spending time with others
C．we can entertain ourselves with the help of the Internet
D．getting a deep laugh nowadays is difficult
3．The underlined word “inclination” in Paragraph 5 most probably means“________”．
A．destination B．tendency C．attitude D．approach
4．Which of the following articles can we most probably find in “The Humormeister's Forum”？
A．The power of honesty.
B．Don't be your own worst enemy.
C．Live life purposefully: The relationship within.
D．Funny Christmas stories to share with your loved ones.

C
There is an old saying in English，“Laughter is the best medicine”．Until recently, few people took the saying very seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to study laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found evidence that laughter really can improve people's health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart rate and the rate of breathing. It also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be helpful.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to make the effect of pain on the body less. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group which could bear the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can make pain less seems to be that it helps to produce endorphins (内啡肽) in the brain. These are natural chemicals which make both stress and pain less.
There is also some evidence to suggest that laughter helps the body's immune system that is the system which fights infection (感染)．In an experiment, one group of students watched a funny video while another group served as the control group—in other words，a group with which to compare the first group. Doctors checked the blood of the students in both groups and found that the people in the group that watched the video had an increase in the activity of their white blood cells that is the cells which fight infection.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors and psychiatrists (精神病学) in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they try to improve their patients' condition by encouraging them to laugh.They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce good effects similar to those caused by laughter.

Choose the best answers
1．We learn from the first paragraph that laughter ________.
A．is good for one's health B．has strong effects to do with some illness
C．has been studied long since D．has no effect on the body
2．Doctors have found that laughter________.
A．keeps down blood pressure B．has similar effects to physical exercise
C．decreases the heart rate D．increases stress and pain
3．Which of the following statements is NOT true of laughter according to the passage?
A．It makes pain less. B．It exercises the body.
C．It improves the body's immune system. D．It can cure cancer.
4．The main idea of this passage is that________.
A．the doctors should learn how to make people laugh
B．there are several ways of studying the advantages of laughter
C．tests show that laughter can produce positive effects on human body
D．laughter and physical exercise have the same effects on human body

D
A sense of humor can brighten the family life. You can put on a silly hat and chase a 3­year­old kid，or pretend to fall into a pile of leaves to amuse a first­grader. As kids grow into preteens(about 11 or 12)and teens(13 to 19)，you can share jokes as their sense of what's funny becomes better.
Humor is what makes something funny；a sense of humor is the ability to recognize it. Someone with a well­developed sense of humor has the ability to recognize what's funny in others and can amuse them as well.
A good sense of humor is a tool that kids can rely on throughout life to help them. Kids with a well­developed sense of humor are happier and more optimistic，have higher self­esteem，and can handle differences(their own and others')well.And a good sense of humor doesn't just help kids emotionally or socially.Research has shown that people who laugh more are healthier—they're less likely to be depressed and may even have an increased resistance to illness or physical problems.They experience less stress，have lower heart rates，pulses，and blood pressure，and have a better digestion(消化能力)．Laughter may even help humans better endure pain，and studies have shown that it improves our immune(免疫的) function.But most of all，a sense of humor is what makes life fun.
We tend to think of humor as part of our genetic make­up，like blue eyes or big feet. But it's not true. A sense of humor actually is a learned quality. Kids can start developing a sense of humor at a very young age. Babies don't really understand humor，but they do know when you're smiling and happy. When you make funny noises or faces and then laugh or smile，your baby is likely to sense your joy and imitate (模仿) you. Sometime between 9 and 15 months, babies know enough about the world to understand that when Mom puts a piece of cloth on her head, she's doing something unexpected and that it's funny.To help kids at each stage of development, parents should know what's likely to amuse them.

Choose the best answers
1．Which of the following people do you think can best share jokes with their parents?
A．A newborn baby. B．An eleven­year­old kid.
C．A five­year­old kid. D．A fifteen­month­old baby.
2．It can be concluded from the third paragraph that a good sense of humor________.
A．is one of the most important things needed for a kid to succeed
B．helps kids make more friends throughout their life
C．can improve a kid's mental and physical health
D．may sometimes cause embarrassment
3．Which of the following statements about a sense of humor is NOT true?
A．It can make the family life bright.
B．It is something that kids can rely on for all their life.
C．It is something people are born with.
D．It is the ability to recognize humor.
4．What is the passage mainly about?
A．The reason why people should develop a sense of humor.
B．The characteristics of kids' sense of humor at different ages.
C．Tips on how to develop a good sense of humor.
D．The importance of a good sense of humor for kids.

Speaking and Writing:
According to the passages above, why do you think humor and laughter are important in life? So why are comedies and comedians are popular with people? And what do you think of tragedies? ( You can give examples to voice your opinion)

E
You wake up and the weather is all wet. 1 Here are four ideas to try when it's raining cats and dogs.
1. Puppet (木偶) showtime
You can create your own puppets with items your parents already have around the house. First, you'll need some old socks or brown paper bags. Then, get busy decorating them with markers, crayons, glitter, string, ribbons, buttons—even dry macaroni! Give your puppets names and funny voices. You might want to think up a special story for them. 2 .
2．Build a fort (碉堡)
Ask your parent for some old sheets, blankets, or comforters. Spread them over chairs or other furniture to create a top­secret hideout. Bring a flashlight, a good book to read, and maybe even a snack. And don't forget to think of a secret password !
3．Dress­up time !
Both boys and girls can have fun trying on old clothes. Ask your parent to let you try on old scarves, hats, jewelry, shoes, and clothes. Do you want to be a doctor? 3 . Or maybe you see yourself as a movie star.
4． 4 .
Birthdays and holidays are chances for us to thank people who love us and take good care of us. But it can be a special treat to get a gift or a card on an ordinary day. Think of the people who make you happy and then come up with a way to show them you care. It might be an aunt, uncle, grandmother, neighbor, or babysitter. It could even be your mom or dad! Use your arts and craft supplies to create a special card. 5 .

Task1: Choose the best sentence for each blank.
A. Say thanks
B. Show your love
C. What are you going to do today?
D. How do you feel at the moment?
E. You will be delivering sunshine on a rainy day
F. You can pretend an old white shirt is a lab coat.
G. To make your show even better, use a cardboard box as a stage.

Task2: Choose the best answers
1．What can you do to make your puppet show much better?
A．Creating your puppet by yourself.
B．Offering your puppet a good name.
C．Giving a special story for your puppet.
D．Using a cardboard box as a stage.
2．According to the passage, which of the following can be used to create a fort?
A．Old sheets, blankets or chairs. B．Old socks or brown paper bags.
C．Markers, crayons or comforters. D．Ribbons, chairs or other furniture.
3．What do socks, blankets and clothes mentioned in the passage have in common?
A．They can be used to create something. B．They can be used