1 Vacationing in Alaska, I couldn't help but notice all the warnings about bears posted in campgrounds,

visitors' centers and rest areas advising people not to feed the bears, how to avoid bears, what to do if a
bear sees you, what to do if a bear attacks, and so on. My favorite, however, was a hand-lettered sign on
the door of a small gas station in a remote area. It said: Warning! If you are being chased by a bear,
don't come in here!

2 Two guys are out drinking when one of them falls off his barstool and lies motionless on the floor.
"One thing about Fred," his buddy says to the bartender. "He knows when to stop."

3 A talking horse shows up at Dodger Stadium and persuades the manager to let him try out for the team.
In his first at bat, the horse rips the ball deep into right field—then just stands there.
"Run! Run!" the manager screams.
"Run?" says the horse. "If I could run, I’d be in the Kentucky Derby."

4 Having grown up just outside New York City, I barely knew a cow from an ear of corn. Until, that is, I
married a small-town Ohio girl. While I was in seminary school, I had a temporary assignment at a
church in a rural community. The day of my first sermon, I tried very hard to fit in. Maybe too hard.
With my wife sitting in the first pew, I began my discourse: "I never saw a cow until I met my wife."

5 Although I knew our commanding officer hated doling out weekend passes, I thought I had a good
reason. "My wife is pregnant and I want to be with her," I told the CO.
Much to my surprise, he said, albeit curtly, "Permission granted."
Inspired by my success, a fellow soldier also requested a weekend pass. His wife wasn't pregnant. So
when the CO asked why he should grant him permission, my friend responded, "My wife is getting
pregnant this weekend and I want to be with her."
Jokes taken from http://www.rd.com/clean-jokes-and-laughs
Answer the questions about the jokes:
Which of the jokes do you find the funniest? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
About joke nº 1
Why is it funny? _______________________________________________________________________________________
What animal they suggest you may find in Alaska? ________________________________________________________
If someone goes to your region, which animal is it likely to hear about? ____________________________________
About joke nº 2
Does Fred know when to stop? (Explain) ________________________________________________________________
What’s the second thing you can learn about Fred? _____________________________________________________
About joke nº 3
Did it really happen? How do you know? _______________________________________________________________
What’s the Kentucky Derby? __________________________________________________________________________
About joke nº 4
Has the man said exactly what he meant? ______________________________________________________________
Redo his statement to express what he means: __________________________________________________________
About joke nº 5
What’s the difference between: “my wife is pregnant” and ”my wife is getting pregnant”?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you think the second guy got the permission? Why (not)?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

© Zailda Coirano http://sos-inglesonline.blogspot.com

 General questions

1- Where are people most likely to tell jokes?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2- Do you usually tell jokes? When / where?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3- Is there a place or specific occasion when jokes can’t be accepted? Give examples and explain why.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4- Do you have a friend or relative who usually tells jokes? What kind of jokes does s/he tell?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5- What kind of jokes would you consider “in bad taste” and why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6- Can jokes hurt people? Give examples.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7- Has a joke ever hurt you? Tell us about it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
8- Do people easily understand jokes? What kind of jokes is the most difficult type for people to understand?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
9- Do you think there are some jokes that can only amuse / be understood by people from a specific region or from some
specific professional areas? Give examples.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10- Can you mention a TV program whose jokes you particularly like? Why do you like them?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
11- Do you have a friend with a weird sense of humor? What kind of jokes does s/he tell?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
12- Do you feel comfortable telling jokes in public? Why (not)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
13- Are there people who tell jokes better than others? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
14- What makes the audience laugh: the joke itself or the way it’s told? Support your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
15- Are there any topics you think should not be included in jokes? Which one(s)?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
16- Are you the type of person who “loses a friend but doesn’t lose a joke”? Explain and provide examples.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
17- Can you take jokes? What type of jokes will you never take? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
18- Are jokes always intended to amuse and make people laugh or do you think there are jokes only intended to offend
or humiliate people? Can you provide an example or tell something that happened to you or some of your friends to
support your opinion?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
19- Do you think that most of the jokes are based in real facts? Why do you think so?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
20- Can you tell an event that really happened but could be considered as a joke?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
21- What kind of jokes do you like the most?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
22- Can you tell your favorite joke ever?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
23- Do you think lawyers like to tell lawyers’ jokes when they get together?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
24- A joke ridiculing a doctor, told by a doctor among doctors may amuse the group. What would be the result if the
same joke was told by someone in a group with only one doctor?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
25- Are there jokes that you think show the teller’s beliefs or prejudices? What kind of jokes?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
© Zailda Coirano http://sos-inglesonline.blogspot.com
26- Do you know a joke that can be told at any place or occasion without causing anyone to feel uncomfortable? Tell it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
27- Is there a moment for a joke, when it’ll amuse people more than at any other time or place? Give an example.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

What’s your “joke’s temperature”? – Test

1- If someone tells a joke, you:

a) laugh if you find it funny.
b) laugh if you like the person.
c) don’t laugh but feel amused.
d) try to memorize it to tell it later.
e) feel uncomfortable.
2- When you tell a joke, you:
a) try to “act” and modify your voice according to the effect you expect from people.
b) simplify the most as you can.
c) feel afraid that others won’t understand or find it funny.
d) normally regret having told it.
e) feel frustrated or angry if the audience doesn’t get amused.
3- Before telling a joke, you:
a) choose one that won’t hurt anybody.
b) choose one you like and hope it won’t hurt anybody.
c) choose one that won’t ridicule anyone and apologize if it does.
d) choose one and if it hurts somebody, you think this person can’t take a joke.
e) choose one that you know will hurt or humiliate someone you don’t like.
4- About people who feel hurt or offended by jokes, you think:
a) they have every right to feel this way and they deserve an apologize.
b) it’s no one’s fault, so they have to learn how to take a joke.
c) they have to understand a joke is not personal and move on with their lives.
d) they have personal problems and should see a therapist.
e) they are stupid and can’t understand jokes.
5- If a joke hurts or humiliates you, you:
a) pretend you find it funny and laugh like everybody else.
b) pretend you didn’t get hurt but don’t laugh.
c) say that you don’t understand or that it isn’t funny at all.
d) feel offended and leave.
e) get angry and start an argument with the joker.

Count your points:

a) – 4 points; b) 3 points; c) 2 points; d) 1 point; e) zero.

20 to 25 points – you do appreciate jokes and know how to manage to tell them in order to amuse people. You might
be the main attraction in barbecues and pool parties.

15 to 19 points – You like jokes but sometimes you don’t choose them properly. Remember that some people may not
share the same sense of humor.

10 to 14 points – You tell jokes and don’t think about the consequences. You think most of people should learn how to
take jokes although you don’t, sometimes.

5 to 9 – You’re the kind of person who would rather lose a friend than a joke. Your sense of humor is questionable but
you don’t feel guilty if someone gets angry, you have tons of friends and tons of jokes to tell and nothing will stop you
from telling a good joke.

0 to 4 – You use jokes to send messages to people you don’t like. Your jokes are to be defended from and not to amuse
people. You lose your sense of humor very fast when someone uses the same weapon as you do.

© Zailda Coirano http://sos-inglesonline.blogspot.com