3 Gn Can’t Take a Joke va PREPARE TO READ humorous A. Look at the words (and phrases) in the list. Write the number(s) next to. ee ‘each word to show what you know. You may be able to write more than — introduction one number next to some of the words. You will study all of these words make fun of in this chapter. mistake 1. Ican use the word in a sentence. 2. | know one meaning of the word cttensive __ physical 3. | know more than one meaning of the word. speech 4. | know how to pronounce the word. 7 translateWhen you read something, think about the main idea. To find the main idea, ask yourself the following questions: 1, What is the main topic? That is, what is the reading about? 2. What is the writer trying to tell me about the main topic? All of the information in the reading, including the main topic, the subtopics, and the details, should help you understand the main idea. C. Preview the magazine article “Can't Take a Joke.” Then circle the letter of the correct answer to each question. 1. What is the main topic? a. speeches _b. interpreters. jokes. d. culture . What is the main idea? a. Be careful when you tell a joke to someone from a different culture. b. Never start a speech with a joke. cc. People from every culture like to have fun. d, Interpreters should not translate jokes. wa READ Read “Can't Take a Joke” and think about the main idea you chose. At the end of each paragraph, decide if you chose the right main idea. Can't Take a Joke Imagine this situation: An American businessman is giving a speech in Germany. He doesn’t speak German, so he is using an interpreter. In the introduction to his speech, he tells a little joke. Everyone laughs. He’s happy. His joke worked, right? Not so fast. In fact, they never heard his joke. The interpreter did not translate it. Why not? He knew that the joke was offensive in German culture. So why dideveryone laugh? The interpreter told them to. we should be careful about using humor in He said, “The speaker has just told a joke. cross-cultural! situations. Please laugh.” But isn’t there even one joke that can Most interpreters would have done the make people from any culture laugh? < same thing. That's because jokes do not 4 Probably not. However, there are similarities translate well from one culture to another. in what makes jokes funny. A good joke in Different cultures find different things any culture ends in a surprising way. You humorous. For example, Americans often cannot imagine the ending. It is the surprise make fun of themselves or others in their that makes us laugh. +) jokes. But people from China, Japan, and 38 Physical humor also works in every other cultures in the Far East do not find culture. That's why clowns? are popular all that kind of joke funny. They don’t think it over the world. They use their bodies, not is humorous to laugh at their own or other their words, to make people laugh. People people's mistakes. Even worse, they might from all cultures seem to enjoy that kind feel offended by such a joke. That's why 4 of humor, countries, oF cultures elonging 2 dlown: a person who wears makeup and funny clothes and tries to make people laugh Vocabulary Check Complete the sentences with the boldfaced words from the reading. 1. He told a very _____—- story. | laughed lot. 2. Itig not nice to ______— other people. It makes them fee! bad. 3. I made three serious _______— 80 | didnt pass the exam. 4. He can't control his legs. He has a(n) ___ problem. 5. He speaks five languages. He works as a(n) ———————— at the United Nations. it? 6. This letter is in Spanish. | can't read it. Can you . The scientist gave a(n) ___ about animal emotions. It was very long but interesting. Everyone listened carefully. 8. Your behavior was You need to apologize. 9. The first paragraph of a reading is the — ___.. It starts the reading.wa READ AGAIN ion Read “Can't Take a Joke” again and complete the comprehens exercises. As you work, keep the reading goal in mind. r = - aaa dea ; in (CQ) READING GOAL: To explain how humor can be dangerous in certai situations — Comprehension Check A. Answer the questions. Write the paragraph numbers. 1. Which paragraphs talk about the dangers of humor? ———_____— 2. Which paragraphs talk about similarities in humor in all cultures? B. Check (V) the true statements. 1. A businessman told a joke in a foreign country. 2. The people thought his joke was offensive. 3. The businessman didn't know that his joke was offensive. ~ 4. Interpreters do not always translate jokes. Making fun of people is a part of some cultures’ humor. 5. 6. There are many jokes that people from all cultures enjoy 7. 8. There are no similarities in the humor in different cultures, Surprise endings and physical humor make most People laugh. . Work with a partner. Explain this sentence: Humor can be Give a specific example, either from the article or from yo experience. Do not look back at the article. wa DISCUSS dangerous. ur personal Work in small groups. Ask and answer the questions, 4. Name a movie or TV show that you think is funn, y. (It can language.) What is funny about it? Be in any 2. In your culture, do people often laugh or make jokes aby . mistakes? Do you often make fun of yourself? out their ownLearn the Vocabulary | Using a Dictionary | ictionaries contain a lot of useful information. Here is information you can find in a dictionary: ’e the division of syllables (each part that contains a vowel sound) ‘@ pronunciation and stress (the part of the word with the most emphasis) part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, etc.) ‘¢ meanings, with the most common meaning listed first example sentences that use the word collocations (words that often appear together) other words in the same word family A. Look at the dictionary page. What are the arrows (-*) pointing at? Read the descriptions. Then write the letter in the space next to the arrow. a, the division of syllables b. how to pronounce the word «, the syllable with stress d. the part of speech (noun, verb, etc.) e. the most common meaning of the word |. a.sentence using the word 9. a word that is often used with the word fh. words in the same word family offend /'fend! verb fia make someone angry or upset. | offended him by not answering he leer, compare Tt idinleeadie ea fc noun. 6. 1 something that is wrong, @ cme it iS an lfftense to drink alcohol and drwe a car 2 take offense to feel angry or upset about 7. Some iag: SonGOne Baie you She ok] ———— 7» —— offense when | asked how old she was. 8. ‘of fen-sive /s'fensiv/ adjectve <——— very impolite and tkely to make people very ‘upset: He made some offensive comments £0 the waieress,stions. B. Look up the boldfaced words in a dictionary. Answer the que" 1 2. 3. 4. 5. . What part of speech is humorous? << What other words are in the same family as interpreter? —————_~ ‘i eee How many meanings are there for the noun introduction? What verb is often used in front of the noun mistake? ——————~ Hy ‘ive? ———_—— How many example sentences are there for the adjective active?PRACTICE A SKILL: Suffixes ‘Add the suffixes from the list to the words. Make at least one new form of each word. For some of the words, it is possible to make more than one new form. Be careful. You might need to change the spelling when you add the suffix. Adjective suffixes Noun suffixes -al, -ous -er, -or (person) tion (thing or idea) interpret interpreter, interpretation .. translate . similar emotion as 2. 3. 4. experiment 5. 6. active 7. . humor