Have you
ever heard someone say, “She sure has a good sense of humor”?
What did they mean by humor? Webster’s Dictionary
defines humor as a “quality of imagination, quick to
perceive the ludicrous or to express oneself in an amusing way.” Other terms
used to define humor are fun caprice, and state of
mind. When we speak of humor, we most often are thinking
of disposition, state of mind, amusement, and – yes – laughter. In fact, we often
use the term humor interchangeably with laughter.
Is Humour Important?
Your sense
of humor is a powerful tool in improving your daily
mood and emotional state. Humor helps you maintain a
healthy lifestyle. It is increasingly promoted by health care
professionals.
How Humor
Works
Good humor or laughter can be therapeutic in a number of ways. Humor works to improve physical reactions in our bodies,
and humor also helps us in everyday experiences. Humor works to help in:
Reducing Stress– Researchers noted a
significant drop in the stress hormones cortical and a 60-minute funny video. This is
important because those hormones can affect the immune system and weaken its
ability to deter diseases.
Reducing Pain – Laughter triggers the
release of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers.
Improving Cardiovascular
System –
Laughter increases the heart rate and the breathing rate, the circulatory
system.
Promoting a Sense of
Well-being – When a person hears a joke, the brain processes it before laughter begins.
Laughing in a tense situation may be difficult, but laughter can put the situation
into perspective and provide temporary relief from worry. A sense of humor helps us process and appreciate life’s moments that
can provide joy and delight. Bill Cosby has made the statement, “If you can
laugh at it, you can survive it.”
Two things reduce
prejudice: education and laughter.”– Laurence J. Peter
Adapted from: Charlie Rickman and Linda J. Waybrigh. Humor – It Works!!!. Extension Service.
1. Which one would be the best title
for the text?
a) The drawbacks
of humour. q
b) The importance
of Humour. q
c) The
difference between humour and laughter. q
d) Humour in
the workplace. q
e) Humour at
school. q
2. Pick out three details from the
passage showing the importance of humour in our life.
a………………………………………………………………
b………………………………………………………………
c………………………………………………………………
3. Complete the following sentences
by quoting the appropriate word(s)
a). The term laughter is
used interchangeably with……………………………………………..
b). Humor is
a powerful tool in………..………………………………………………………..
c). Good humor
or laughter can be……………………………………………………………...
d). “If you can laugh at it,……………………………………………………………………….
4. Answer the following questions in your own words as far as possible.
a. What is endorphin?
………………………………………………………………
b. What does humour mean?
………………………………………………………………
c.What does humour do to stress?
………………………………………………………………
d. How does humour promote a sense of well-being?
………………………………………………………………
5. Put the words between brackets before the appropriate definition/
meaning.
(Ludicrous,
lifestyle, humour, fun caprice, delight, relief)
Example
Lifestyle :The type of life that you have, for example the type of job
or house you have or the type of activity you like doing.
1……………………………….: Extremely
silly= absurd.
2……………………………….:
The quality that makes a situation or entertainment; funny.
3……………………………….:
Enjoyment, especially from an activity that is not important or serious.
4……………………………….:
A feeling of great happiness and pleasure.
5……………………………….:
A relaxed happy feeling that you get because something bad has not happened or
a bad situation has ended.
6. Find in the text the antonyms of the following words.
a.
Strengthen # . ……………………………….
b.
Decreases # . ……………………………….
7. What does the underlined word in
the text refer to?
a. it ( paragraph 2) :…………………….……………