Unit 6 Humour and Life
Looking Ahead
In this unit, we are going to
 get to know what humour is and learn how to lead a relaxed life;
 accumulate the vocabulary related to humour;
 practise asking for help and offering advice;
 practise pronouncing /ɪə/ /eə/ /ʊə/, /ɵ/ /ð/ /s/ /z/ and /tr/ /dr /ts/ /dz/, weak forms
and assimilation;
 learn to write a “how to” essay.
Getting Ready
1. Read each of the following definitions of humour, tick the one(s) you agree with
and then give your own definition.
( ) 1）Humour is the ability to say something funny or amusing.
( ) 2）Humour is a quality in something that makes you laugh in a situation, in
someone’s words or actions, or in a book or film.
( ) 3）Humour is a comic quality causing amusement.
( ) 4）Humour is the quality of being funny.
( ) 5) Humour is the quality in something that makes it funny or amusing.
( ) 6) Humour is the ability to laugh at things that are amusing.
Your definition: ________________________________________________
2. Look at the comedians in the following pictures. Discuss with your partner who
they are and what makes them so humorous with the help of the following words
and expressions.
Group 1: trick, facial expression, sense of humor, the way of speech, wittiness
Group 2: amuse, please, delight, exaggerate, make sb. burst into laughter, laugh
Group 3: funny, humorous, exaggerated, wise, comic, joking, playful
Example:
Zhao Benshan is good at amusing his audiences with his tricks on his partner.
3. Discuss with your partner how you can become humorous and make yourself
and others laugh in daily life. List the ways out and then skim Paragraphs 5-10
1
of the text to check.
Reading
How to Be Humorous
1) Humour is a quality in something that makes you laugh,
for example in a situation, in someone’s words or actions, or in a
book or film.
2) Most humour follows a pattern like this: First we think
that something is true, based on clues given to us. But then we
are presented with further evidence, which shows that we were
wrong. In fact, we were so wrong that there was something
wrong with the thought processes that lead to the initial
conclusion. And at the end of this process, we feel pleasure. We
do not enjoy being presented with evidence that shows we might
be wrong, but we do enjoy being presented with evidence that
shows that we really, really are wrong.
3) Humor and laughter are the best medicine. They
strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, decrease
pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of
all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.
4) Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is
innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of
life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you
did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common
sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.
5) Here are some ways to start:
6) Smile. Smiling is the beginning of laughter. When you
look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice
smiling.
7) Count your blessings. Literally make a list. The simple
act of considering the good things in your life will distance you
from negative thoughts that are a barrier to humor and laughter.
8) Move toward laughter. Sometimes humor and laughter
are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not.
More often, people are very happy to share something funny
because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again. When you
hear laughter, seek it out and ask, “What’s funny?”
9) Spend time with fun, playful people. These are people
who laugh easily — both at themselves and at life’s
absurdities—and who routinely find the humor in everyday
events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious.
10) Create opportunities to laugh. Watch a funny movie or
TV show. Go to a comedy club. Seek out funny people. Play
with a pet. Share a good joke or a funny story. Check out your
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initial[i'niʃəl]: existing or
occurring at the beginning
Immune system: 免疫系统
Boost here means ______.
A.
help to increase
B.
help to encourage
birthright = birth +right
Guess its meaning.
infant
Mildly here means ______.
A. not seriously
B. to a slight extent
Distance is a ______ here.
A. verb
B. noun
Guess its meaning.
absurdity [əb'sə:diti]: 愚
蠢, 荒谬
absurdities: 荒唐事/话等
contagious[kən'teidʒəs]:
有感染力的
bookstore’s humor section.
Comprehending
1. Skim the whole text and complete
for each part.
Part
Paragraph(s)
1
2
3
4
5
the outline of the text by filling in a key word
Main idea
The ___________ of humour
The common ___________ of humour
The ___________ of humour
The ___________ of humour
The ___________ to become humorous
Tips: Looking for a key word or a key phrase while reading is very important and
helpful because it best summarizes the main idea of a paragraph or a part.
2. Scan the text again and complete the supporting sentences with the information
you get.
1) Humour is a quality in something that makes you laugh.
For example, it may occur __________, ________________________, or
_______________________.
2) Most humour follows a pattern.
First, given some
, think something is
.
Then, presented with
, we are proved to be
.
At the end, we feel
.
3) Humor and laughter are the best medicine.
A. _______________________
B. _______________________
C. _______________________
D. _______________________
E. _______________________
Tips: It is a useful reading strategy to differ the key idea from its supporting ideas
while reading. The author’s common ways to support his main idea in a paragraph
is using examples and listing.
3. Read the text carefully, then discuss with your partner how to understand each of
the following statements.
1) We do not enjoy being presented with evidence that shows we might be wrong,
but we do enjoy being presented with evidence that shows that we really,
really are wrong.
2) Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn..
3) Laugh can be learned.
4) Smiling is the beginning of laughter.
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5) Sometimes humor and laughter are private.
6) We are easily influenced by those fun and playful people.
4. Do a survey among your friends about their viewpoints on humor and note down
the key information, then give a report to your class.
His / Her
A humorous
His / Her ideas on His / Her ways to
Friends definition of
person or not the benefits of
become / keep
humour
being humorous
humorous
1
2
3
Word Power
1. Find each of the following words in the text and understand it, then use it to
complete one of the following sentences.
process
negative
opportunity
strengthen
humour
decrease
conclusion
consider
1) An ____________ is a situation that makes it possible for you to do
something that you want to do.
2) _________ is the quality in something that makes it funny or amusing.
3) If someone has a(n)
attitude, he/she considers only the bad side of
something instead of the good ones.
4) When you
something, you think about it carefully.
5) _________ means to become or make something become smaller in size,
number, etc.
6) He tried to
the position of the sciences in the university.
7) Over the years, I’ve come to the
that she’s a great mother.
8) It’s an important part of the learning
.
2. Complete each of the following sentences with one word in each pair.
1) strengthen strong
A. He hoped to
universities.
B. I’m not
___
C.You don’t need to
2) pleasing
pleased
strength
___
the position of the sciences in the leading
enough to carry him.
_ take part in this sport.
please
pleasure
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A. This area of France has a
___ climate in August.
B. They’re
___ to be going home.
C. It’s difficult to
__
everybody.
D. Watching sport gave him great
__
.
3) shared
share (n.)
share (v.)
A. _________interests is the important link between them.
B. They
___ the work equally between them.
C. They faced a period of some months when the
___
4) create creativity creative
price was low.
creator
A.We set business free to
_______ more jobs in Britain.
B. American art reached a peak of
_____ in the '50s and 60s.
C. He teaches
____
writing, i.e. fiction, plays, etc.
D. I have always believed that a garden dies with its
____ .
3. Complete each of the following sentences with the appropriate form of one
expression in the box.
follow a pattern
seek out
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
protect from
happen to
even if
check out
distance… from
be presented with
Why should all the students ___________ while writing a composition?
These young trees should ______________ the cold during winter.
Susan mother wished to ________ her ________ the rough village children.
Now it is the right time for local companies to ____ __
business
opportunities in Europe.
Later in the sections you will
techniques to help you deal with the
stress.
Maybe we ought to go down to the library and
it
__ .
I wouldn't lose courage even if I should fail ten times.
I am very surprised because he and I
hold the same view this
time.
4. Translate each of the following sentences from the text, paying special attention
to the italicized parts. Then write your own sentences by following the patterns.
1) Humour is a quality in something that makes you laugh, for example in a situation,
in someone’s words or actions, or in a book or film.
Translation_________________________________________________________
Your sentence______________________________________________________
2) They strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, decrease pain, and
protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine
is fun, free, and easy to use.
Translation_________________________________________________________
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Your sentence______________________________________________________
3) Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound,
you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.
Translation_________________________________________________________
Your sentence______________________________________________________
4) Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group,
but usually not.
Translation_________________________________________________________
Your sentence______________________________________________________
5) More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them
an opportunity to laugh again.
Translation_________________________________________________________
Your sentence______________________________________________________
6) These are people who laugh easily — both at themselves and at life’s
absurdities—and who routinely find the humor in everyday events.
Translation_________________________________________________________
Your sentence______________________________________________________
Language Features
Defining
1. Read to learn about the way of defining.
It is a common way to define a word or term in an expository writing. There are
two basic means.
1) Giving a synonym
e.g. To mend is to repair.
2) Using a sentence (usu. a clause) e.g. Ink is coloured water which we use for
writing.
Then the author may elaborate the word’s or term’s features by giving examples
or listing the supporting ideas.
1) Giving examples
e.g. Humour is a quality in something that makes you laugh, for example in a
situation, in someone’s words or actions, or in a book or film.
2) Listing
e.g. Humor and laughter are the best medicine. They strengthen your immune
system, boost your energy, decrease pain, and protect you from the damaging
effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to
use.
2. Refer back to the sentences about the definitions of humor in Task 1 of Getting
Ready and group them according to the following two ways.
Synonyms: _______________________________________
Sentences: __________________________________________
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3. Then select one definition and extend it into a short paragraph by means of
giving examples or listing.
Listening
Section A Dialogues
Dialogue 1
1. Look at the following words and expressions from Dialogue 1 and predict what
the dialogue will be about.
midnight
phone a man
librarian library open get in get out
2. Listen and check your predictions.
3. Listen again and answer each of the following questions.
1）When does the dialogue take place?
______________________________________________
2) When does the library open?
______________________________________________
3. Why does the man call the librarian?
__________________________________________________________________
Dialogue 2
1. Listen to Dialogue 2 and answer the following questions.
1) What’s A’s trouble?
_________________________________
2) What does B keep doing in the dialogue?
__________________________________
2. Listen to the dialogue again and fill in the blanks on
the left column about A’ problems.
A’ s problems
B’s Advice
1) He saw a
in his house.
B1: Put a bit of oil in a piece of bread and put it in
2) He doesn’t have a ______.
the trap.
3) He Can’t
a trap.
B2: Well, then put only a small piece of bread.
4) He doesn’t have any ______. B3: I can give you mine if you want.
5) He doesn’t have any ______. B4: All you need to do is just use some cheese.
6) He doesn’t have any ______. B5: Buy one.
B6: All you need to do is use a trap.
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3. Listen and match each piece of B’s advice on the right column with A’s problem.
Section B Passage
1. How do you usually celebrate your birthday? Share your ideas with your partner.
2. Match each of the following English expressions with its Chinese equivalence.
Then predict who is celebrating whose birthday and how old he / she is.
1) a theme park
A. （游乐项目）恐怖墙
2) the Death Slide
B. 儿童套餐（一种西式快餐）
3) the Screaming Loop
C. (游乐园中的)主题公园
4) the Wall of Fear
D. （游乐项目）死亡滑梯
5) a McDonald’
E. 最新的迪斯尼动画片
6) a Happy Children Package
F. 麦当劳店（西式快餐店）
7) the latest Disney
G. （游乐项目）过山车
3. Listen and check your predictions.
_________ is celebrating _________’s birthday. He / She is _______years old.
4．Listen again and judge whether each of the following statements is true (T) or
false (F). Correct the false one(s).
1) The wife would love to be six years again.
2) On the morning of the wife’s birthday, the husband got up early.
3) They spent a whole day in a local theme park.
4) When she staggered out of the park, she felt dizzy.
5) After seeing a film they had a meal in a McDonald’s.
6) When they arrived at home, the wife was exhausted.
Speaking and Pronunciation
Asking for Help & Offering Advice
1. Go back to the chart in Task 2 of Dialogue 2, underline the sentence patterns to
express offering advice.
2. Read aloud the following sentences and mark out the sentence patterns for
expressing asking for help and offering advice and understand them.
Asking for advice
Offering advice
1) Could you give me any advice?
1) I think all you should/need/ought to do
2) Can you tell me how to do?
is to wait.
3) What do you think I should do?
2) I’d suggest going to see her yourself.
4) What would you do if you were in 3) You should persist in your ambition.
my shoes?
4) I’d stay there if I were in your shoes.
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5) Do you think I should take his gift?
5) You’d better decline it.
3. Practice having dialogues with your partner in the following situations by using
some of the sentence patterns.
Situation 1: You want to cook a special dinner for your wife’s/husband’s birthday,
but…
Situation 2: You are going to give your first public speech, and your nerves really
get you…
4. Read the following tongue twister, paying special attention to the pronunciation
of /ɪə/ /eə/ /ʊə//s/ and /z/.
“This” is used for one thing near,
“That” means one thing over there,
“These” and “those” mean two or more,
“Those” are far and “these” are near,
Now, you are sure to be clear.
5. Read the following tongue twisters, paying special attention to the pronunciation
of /tr/ /dr /ts/ and /dz/.
1) The travellers with his hats and pets go for a trip by tractor and train.
2) I wish to wish, I dream to dream, I try to try and I live to live but I don’t know
why.
3) She put many drawings he drew into the drawer in the drawing room.
4) The driver drove a truck with lots of trees, drink, cats and beds.
6. Read the following sentences, paying special attention to the underlined letters.
It’s very kind of you.
You don’t have to worry.
Tip: 为了使朗读更流利、轻松，有时需要把一些
What can I do?
单词中的元音读成弱读形式，通常把这一元音读
Is this for me?
成较弱的/ə/。
It’s bigger than this.
Boys and girls, please look at me.
7. Listen to the materials in Listening again and read them after the tape, paying
attention to the points mentioned in the Tips.
Tips: 注意 1）正确区分双元音/ɪə/ /eə/ /ʊə/的发音；
2）/tr/和 /dr，/ts/和/dz/这两对清浊辅音的发音特点；
2）正确发出[ r ]音；
3）哪些词中的元音应该弱读。
Writing
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Write a “How to...” Essay
1. Read the following short passage to know what a “How to…” essay is.
A “How to …” essay is a kind of exposition. It explains something such as the
process of making something, the causes of a phenomenon, the planning of a project,
or the solution of a problem.
It always includes the following three parts.
 Definition part: Explain the issue by giving its definition or showing some
examples;
 Significance part: List the importance, status, and functions of the concerned
issue;
 Solution part: Give some possible solutions by offering detailed suggestions.
Tips: Each part and each paragraph may have a topic sentence.
2. Read the text again and divide it according to the three parts.
Definition part: Para(s) ________
Significance part: Para(s) ________
Solution part: Para(s) ________
3. Read the text carefully and find some useful expressions for the three different
parts.
Definition part: ______________________________________________________
Significance part: ___________________________________________________
Solution part: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Write an essay entitled “How to tell a joke” by imitating the text.
Challenging Yourself
1. Read each of the following statements about life attitude, tick the one(s) you
agree with and share your opinions with your partner.
( ) 1) Live, laugh, love.
( ) 2) Life is all about attitude.
( ) 3) People have different acceptance level of different things.
( ) 4) Adding perspective or taking a step back certainly enables us to accept any
life situation in a funnier and easier way.
( ) 5) I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today.
( ) 6) Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today,
and I’m going to be happy in it.
2. Discuss with your partner how you understand “laugh at life”.
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3. Read the following sentences from the passage, predict what the author’s idea
about “laugh at life”, and read to check. If there are any unknown words, please
refer to dictionaries.
1) When life can be taken very lightly, we can laugh at it.
2) Humour is nothing more than a very high sense of acceptance.
3) Live, laugh, love. The more we do of one, the more we do of them all.
Laugh at Life
When life can be taken very lightly, we can laugh at it.
But what allows us to be able to laugh at some things, and get
very serious with other things? In other words, what is
humour? And what gives us our sense of humour?
“Humour or homour is the particular experiences to
create laughter and provide amusement.” The definition alone
points to the fact that humour is nothing more than a very high
sense of acceptance. You know this from your own
experience. If looking back on something alone can give us
pleasure and amusement, we must really accept and enjoy the
fact that it exists or occurs.
The fact that everyone does not laugh at life in the same
way shows us that some people have higher acceptance of
some things in life than others. Like beauty being in the eyes
of the beholder, they see things differently. This is why what
you think is funny is called a “sense”. Your perspective is a
sense. A sense of humour is purely your perspective. This can
be proven in your very own past experience.
There have been times in life when you may have had
to go through a “tough” situation. Later on, the very same
situation may be looked back on as humourous. We’ve all
heard the saying, “We’ll look back on this and laugh.” But if
the situation did not change, what changed? Our perspective.
Life is all about perspective.
The more space we are able to put around any life
situation, the funnier or easy to accept it becomes. By putting
space around it, I mean adding perspective or taking a step
back. Often we allow ourselves to add this space through the
passage of time. It is easier for the ego to become detached
over longer periods of time. And we will be able to accept and
find humour in things immediately if we are
detached enough. We can add the space right
now if we are not caught in ego perspective.
A sense of humour is a precious thing.
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amusement n.
_________ v.
Can you think of other
nouns ending with
-ment?
Beauty is in the eyes of
the beholder.
情人眼中出西施。
perspective n. 看法
humourous adj.
What’s its noun form?
detached a. 分离的
ego n.自我
The more you strengthen this sense, the
more
enjoyable your perspective.
Live, laugh, love. The more we do of one, the more we
do of them all. Live it up. Laugh it up. Love it up.
1. Skim the passage again and write the paragraph number in the bracket in front
of each of the following statements which sum up the main idea of the
paragraph.
(
) A. Life is actually all about our perspective.
(
) B. We should laugh at life and love life.
(
) C. Humour is the tendency of cognitive experiences to create laughter.
(
) D. It is humor that makes us be ablee to laugh at life.
(
) E. If we leave enough space around any life situation, we can laugh at life.
(
) F. A sense of humour is a precious thing.
(
) G. Different people do not laugh at life in the same way because people have
different acceptance of things in life.
2. Read the passage again and answer each of the following questions.
1) How do you understand “…humour is nothing more than a very high sense of
acceptance”?
__________________________________________________________________
2) What is a sense according to the passage?
__________________________________________________________________
3) Why do we sometimes look back on the past tough situation and laugh?
__________________________________________________________________
4) What does the author mean by putting space around any life situation?
__________________________________________________________________
5) How do you understand “Life isn’t that serious unless the ego is overly involved.?
__________________________________________________________________
2. Write another form of the words given and then choose the correct words to
complete the sentences.
pure(adj.) — __________(adv.)
accept(v.) — __________(n.)
humour (n.) — _________(adj.)
amuse(v.) — __________(n.)
please (v.) — __________(n.)
enjoy(v.) — __________（adj.）
differently(adv.) — ________(adj.)
situate(v.) — __________(n.)
beautiful(adj.) — __________(n.)
laugh(v.) — __________(n.)
strength(n.) — _________(v.) _________ (adj.)
1) It may take several weeks for him to build up his
.
2) In your
, I would probably look for another job in the city.
3) She saw the letter from Mike
by chance.
4)
is the state or quality of being beautiful.
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5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
is the sound of people laughing, for example because they are
or happy.
Chocolate is one of life’s little
.
I can't stand people who have no sense of
.
The programme was about customs in
parts of the world.
The new laws have gained widespread
in the country.
They all
themselves at the party yesterday.
4. Complete the following short passage with the expressions in the box. Change
their forms if necessary.
take a step back
put space around
later on
go through
nothing more than
in other words
look back on
sense of humor
Do you often ______________ the experiences that you have
______________? Sometimes, you may find out that even if those tough situations
are not changed, you see them in a different perspective ______________ because
of your ______________. You know you have learned to ______________ the
situations in your life. ______________, you are taking advantage of humor which
is ______________ a perspective. Therefore, laugh at life, and you will find life is
laughing at you.
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