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Before Reading: Do the following tasks before you read the text.
1. Match the following words with pictures:
Sitcom | Comedian | Comedy film | Jokes | Memes | Caricatures | Pranks | Cartoon

……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ……………… ………………

2. What do these pictures have in common?
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3. What kind of friends do you prefer? Funny or serious friends?
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4. Do you think that humour is important in life? Why?
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Humour and Laughter
Humour has multiple benefits both mentally and physically. Laughter improves the immune system,
making us stronger and better able to fight off disease. And all that humour requires us to do is breathing in
more oxygen, which is good for the entire body. The physical benefits of humour do not end there. Laughing
has been proven to lower blood pressure, burn calories and give your internal organs a good massage. It
also exercises almost the entire body, which explains why we get sore sides after a good laugh session.
Moreover, it lowers stress hormone, keeping us calmer.
Humour can change your mood instantly. It is very hard to be angry when something
strikes you as funny. Laughing stimulates the brain, both left and right sides, to help the later retain more
information. Depression and anxiety are almost non-existent in people who have a great sense of humour and
who are able to laugh at themselves. These people automatically see the world in a different light, simply
because of their sense of humour. Some doctors even recommend laughing as a therapeutic exercise.
This concept has even gone so far as to form humour clubs where the main activity is
laughing. The idea behind this is that if you spend an hour giggling there, you will be healthier. The people
who join these clubs spend the hour or so chortling away and go home feeling rejuvenated and healthy.
According to the laughing clubs, you do not have to feel the laughter in order for it to be beneficial. Just
opening your mouth and laughing on purpose, forced or not, can increase heart rate, oxygen level and boost
the immune system. And humour is proven to be contagious, so a good group laugh is quite probable every
time the members of these clubs get together.
Answer the following questions from the text:
1. Are the following sentences true or false? Justify.
a. Humour can increase blood pressure.
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b. People who have a good sense of humour do not have anxiety and depression.
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c. It is important to feel the laugher for it to be beneficial.
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2. Answer the following questions from the text.
a. Why does the write compare laughter to an exercising session?
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b. Why do people join humour clubs?
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3. Complete this chart from the text.
Physical benefits of Humour Mental benefits of humour
a. ___________________________________ a. ___________________________________
b. ___________________________________ b. ___________________________________
4. Find in the text words or expressions which mean the same as:
Make better (P1): __________ | immediately (P2): __________ | Refreshed (P3): __________ | Infectious (P3): __________
5. What do the underlined words refer to?
It (P1): _______________________| There (P3): _______________________
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