Episode 94

EPISODE 94
LEVEL A1.2/ A2.1

READING COMPREHENSION 

 

LAUGHTER

How often do you smile? And laugh? It seems that adult people do not laugh that often – only about seven times a day. That is twenty time less than children. Does it mean that adults don’t have a sense of humor (= the ability to experience humor)? Rather not. Most people love laughing and they do it in many different situations. Generally speaking, people laugh when they think something is amusing (= funny). We laugh when people tell jokes (= funny stories), like:  ‘Why didn’t the skeleton go to the party? Because he had no-body to go with’! Some of us find it hilarious (= very funny) to make practical jokes on people (= tricks that make people look silly). There are also people who enjoy making puns (= play on words). So if someone says to them, after their trip to England, ‘How did you find London?’ they will probably answer by saying something like, ‘By turning left in Paris’. Another type of humor is black humor (= laughing at things that are serious or sad). Not everybody, however, likes laughing at serious or sad things. No matter what we find funny, we should laugh as often as possible.

More contexts for the new words: 

• I really enjoy Maciej Stuhr’s gags (= jokes told by a professional comedian).
• The last comedy I saw was very humorous (= funny).

 

EXERCISE 1 

Complete the sentences with correct words

1. I think Tom is very funny. He’s got a great s……………… of humor.
2. I’d never laugh at somebody’s death, I hate b……………. humor.
3. I am not able to remember any funny stories but I like it when other people t…………. jokes.
4. Have you seen the latest comedy with Will Smith? It’s really a…………………..
5. I watched some stand-up comedy on TV last night. There were a few funny g……………. about politics and sport.
6. I’m not fond of Jack. Whenever he comes to our house he makes p………………… jokes on me and Jenny and he makes us look and feel stupid.

 

EXERCISE 2 

Match the question halves. Then answer the questions.

1. Do you enjoy telling 
2. Have you ever made a practical
3. Are you a fan of black

a) joke on someone?
b) jokes? What are your favourite jokes?
c) humor?

 

ENGLISH IN USE  

When we want to talk about likes or dislikes we use verbs, such as love, like, enjoy, hate, can’t stand.

I love cars.
She hates going to the gym.

Verbs describing likes and dislikes can be followed by a noun.

I can’t stand techno music.
They love comedies.

 

If we want to use a verb after words such as love, like, enjoy, hate, can’t stand, the verb must have the –ing ending.

I can’t stand listening to techno music.
They love watching comedies.

 

IDIOM CLOSE-UP

I was just PULLING Karl’s LEG when I told him Emma wanted to go out with him, but he believed me and he called her. Now they are really going out.

If you pull someone’s leg you play a joke on them by saying something that isn’t true.

 

 

PHRASAL VERBS CLOSE-UP

1. When you LAUGH OFF something you pretend that it (e.g. injury, news) is not important.
   He laughed off the sprained finger but it obviously affected his golf game.

2. When you LAUGH AT somebody or something, you say unkind things about someone or something that make them look silly
   The other kids laughed at his haircut.

 

EXERCISE 3 

Decide if the sentences are true or false.

1. If you pull someone’s leg, the person’s leg will probably hurt.
2. When you laugh at a person, the person may feel sad.
3. When you laugh something off you behave as if something is more important than it really is.

 

NEWS

JOKES, JOKES, JOKES…

1.

A: I have the perfect son.
B: Does he smoke?
A: No, he doesn’t.
B: Does he drink whiskey?
A: No, he doesn’t.
B: Does he ever come home late?
A: No, he doesn’t.
B: I guess you really do have the perfect son. How old is he?
A: He will be six months old next Wednesday.
B: Yes.

 

Girl: You would be a good dancer except for two things.
Boy: What are the two things?
Girl: Your feet.

 

My friend said he knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith.
So I asked him „What was the name of his other leg?”

 

The doctor to the patient: 'You are very sick’
The patient to the doctor: 'Can I get a second opinion?’
The doctor again: 'Yes, you are very ugly too…’

 

A teenage girl had been talking on the phone for about half an hour, and then she hung up.
“Wow!” said her father. “That was short. You usually talk for two hours. What happened?”
“Wrong number”, replied the girl.

 

 GLOSSARY 

• except for – without, other than, apart from
• wooden – made from wood – what you get from a tree
• to hang up – to finish the conversation on the phone

 

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