Questions 1-10 Complete the table below. Write one word and / or a number

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
A 
Human beings love to laugh. It’s such an obvious fact that it’s easy to 
overlook. Laughter, like music and language, is a fundamental human trait. Common 
sense tells us that laughter is associated with happiness. However, there is also a 
body of scientific evidence proving that laughter is good for us. Studies show that 
laughter strengthens relationships in both personal and professional life. It has also 
been established that laughter improves cardiovascular function, boosts the 
immune system and releases beneficial hormones into the bloodstream. However, 
according to psychologist Dr Peter Shrimpton, humans might all laugh, but they 
often don’t remember doing it. ‘All the studies show that we laugh more frequently 
than we realise,’ says Dr Shrimpton. ‘Perhaps because it is such a basic part of 
human nature, we tend not to notice when we are laughing.’ 
B 
Infants typically give their first laugh around three to four months of age, 
long before they can talk. But according to biologists, this isn’t because they find 
something amusing; it is rather a form of non-verbal communication. They laugh to 
form a closer connection to the people they are with, and adults are little different. 
‘There is a widespread belief outside the scientific community that we laugh 
because something is humorous,’ says sociologist Jocelyn Barnes. ‘While this is true, 
just as commonly the real purpose of laughter is to promote bonding with other 
individuals or groups.’ This may be partly because it is almost impossible to imitate 
laughter; even trained actors struggle to mimic a laugh convincingly. So if someone 
is laughing, the chances are they are being genuine. There’s even difference 
between a real and a fake smile. In the 19
th
century, the French neurologist 
Guillaume Duchenne found that a genuine smile activates the zygomaticus major 
and orbicularis muscles, and this in turn causes line to develop called ‘crow’s feet’ at 
the outside corners of the eyes. No crow’s feet appear if the smile is put on. 
C 
There is certainly nothing new about joking and laughter. Attempts to be 
humorous have been found from ancient Egypt, dating from 2600 BC. And a long 
and detailed joke book called 
The Laughter Lover
,
 
which was written in ancient 
Rome, still exists today. While of considerable historical value, it may not be all that 
amusing any more. A professor of classics, Heinrich Ahrends, has studied many such 
ancient sources and concluded that tastes in jokes have evolved markedly with the 
passing of the centuries and that the jokes of our forebears would not get much of a 
laugh today – and vice versa, no doubt. Nonetheless, studies show that almost
D 
Much more common is contagious laughter: laughter that spreads 
uncontrollably between people, sometimes referred to as ‘getting the giggles’. 
Many people will have experienced this themselves, particularly as children, though 
it also occurs in adults. On one infamous occasion, a group of BBC cricket 
commentators got the giggles while broadcasting live on radio. And in January 1962 
in Tanzania contagious laughter spread through a group of students. Ninety-five 
pupils were affected and one girl laughed continuously for 16 days. Eventually the 
situation became so bad that the authorities at the school felt obliged to close it 
temporarily. In general, however, it is possible for most people to suppress laughter 
in circumstances where it would be inappropriate. Scientists believe this is possible 
because in the brain’s cerebral cortex there appears to be a laughter switch over 
which humans have some conscious control. 
 
everyone
can
find
amusement
in
some
form
or
other.
There
is
a
rare
neurological
disorder
named
aphonogelia
that
prevents
some
people
from
laughing
out
loud.
However,
they
may
still
be
amused
or
entertained,
but
just
express
it
in
different
ways.
E
What
is
becoming
clear
to
scientists
is
that
laughter
is
highly
complex.
It
appears,
for
example,
that
laughter
has
the
power
to
override
other
emotions,
at
least
temporarily.
Neurologist
Nikki
Sokolov
is
studying
the
network
of
brain
circuits
and
neurotransmi>ers
that
regulate
laughter
and
other
emotions.
She
hopes
her
work
may
provide
further
insights
to
explain
the
processes
involved
when
laughter
occurs
simultaneously
with
other,
seemingly
contradict
emotions,
such
as
crying,
for
example.
Another
aspect
of
humoir’s
complexity
is
that
it
is
so
subjective.
What
makes
one
person
laugh
will
be
met
with
stony
silence
by
another.
Writer
David
Mackenzie
recognized
this
from
the
reactions
his
own
jokes
received.
Intrigued,
Mackenzie
conducted
an
international
online
survey
to
establish
exactly
what
makes
people
and
what
doesn’t,
and
was
surprised
by
the
diverse
and
often
contradictory
variety
of
topics
and
scenarios
that
were
listed
in
each
category.
Understanding
humour
is
still
as
much
an
art
as
science,
according
to
theatre
critic
Jake
Go>lieb.
‘Stand-up
comedians
are
a
remarkable
type’,
says
Go>lieb.
‘Making
jokes
for
a
living
is
a
serious
business.
You
need
to
be
a
psychologist
and
social
commentator,
be
empathetic,
self-aware,
observant,
stubborn
and
have
great
timing.
Not
many
of
us
are
so
multi-talented.
‘
Perhaps
not,
but
we
can
still
enjoy
the
instinctive
humour
of
our
family
and
friends,
and
perhaps
sometimes
but
a
ticket
for
a
show.