World Laughter Day was first observed in 1998. Each subsequent year has
found many world situations to be far from laughable. It is the goal of World
Laughter Day to begin the process of ending the world’s differences that result
in fear and violence. The planet needs to employ every known strategy for
healing hatred, ignorance, war, famine, disease and natural disasters.
Advances in science continue to demonstrate that laughter has many health
and healing qualities for human beings and the high levels of stress in daily
life must be met with successful positive practices so that life can be calmer,
easier, more fulfilling and, even, laughter filled.
Through the spread of awareness, knowledge of and interest in various
practices, we can continue to make progress toward happiness and peace. On
World Laughter Day, people will gather all over the world to celebrate this
occasion with sounds of laughter, along with intentions of peace, freedom,
compassion, kindness, tolerance, understanding, forgiveness and joy.
Laughter is a free and natural expression of the joyful human sprit and
promotes health, improves morale, and increases productivity at work,
facilitates the healing of illness, melts away stress, works wonders in the
classroom, is the hallmark of healthy family life and promotes international
harmony.
Therefore, on World Laughter Day, engage in good-hearted acts of mirth,
laugh out loud, smile; be silly, giggle, clown and be happy.
COMPREHENSION
1. Which one would be the best title for
the text?
r The
benefits of Laughter.
r World Laughter
Day.
r Drawbacks of
Laughter.
r Make your Life Happy!
r Funny
Experiences.
2. Decide if these statements are true or
false; then, justify your answer.
a. World
Laughter Day has come to stop fear and violence.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Laughter has no healing powers and
benefits.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Values such as peace, freedom,
compassion, kindness and tolerance will be promoted on Laughter Day.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Laughter increases productivity at
work.
Truer Falser
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Answer the following questions briefly,
in your own words as far as possible.
a. When was World Laughter Day observed?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. What will people be gathered for on World
Laughter Day?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. What are people asked to do on
World Laughter Day?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Tick the most appropriate explanation of the word written in bold
letters.
a) Each subsequent
year has found many world situations to be far from laughable. ( Paragraph 1, Line 1).
r Happening
after something else.
r (Being)
the most recent or the one before the present one.
r Existing
as a natural or basic part of something.
b) The
planet needs to employ every known strategy for healing hatred,
ignorance…( Paragraph 1, Line 4).
r To move or change from one position or direction to another,
especially slightly.
r To deceive someone, often as a part of a plan.
r To use something.
c) Advances
in science continue to demonstrate that laughter has many health and
healing qualities… …( Paragraph 2, Line 1).
r To
show; to make clear.
r To prevent something from being
seen.
r To
stop something from happening or someone from doing something.
5.
Match the following words with their definitions.
Word |
|
Definition |
|
a)
a strong
feeling of sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of others and a
wish to help them |
|
|
b)
the
amount of confidence felt by a person or group of people, especially when in
a dangerous or difficult situation |
|
|
c)
(formal toleration) willingness
to accept behaviour and beliefs which are different from your own, although
you might not agree with or approve of them |
|
|
d)
when
there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and
death, or a particular period when this happens |
|
|
e)
lack of
knowledge, understanding or information about something |
|
|
f)
great
happiness |
|
|
g)
an
extremely strong feeling of dislike |
5. Find in the text the
antonyms of the following words.
a. Unhappiness #. ……………………………….
b. War #. ……………………………….
c. Misunderstanding
# . ……………………………….
d. Intolerance # . ……………………………….
e. Unknown # . ……………………………….
6.
What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
a. This occasion ( paragraph 3)
:…………………….……………