[ 1 ] Children on average laugh about 300 times a day. Can you guess how many times per day the average adult laughs? Not even close. Just seventeen times per day. How sad that we lose all our sense of humour as we grow up! The simple act of throwing your head back and roaring at any kind of humour has multiple benefits both mentally and physically.
[ 2 ] Laughing actually increases 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 levels, keeping us calmer
[ 3 ] 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 laugher 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.
[4 ] This concept has even gone so far to form humour clubs where the main activity is laughing. The idea behind this is that if you spend an hour giggling, 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 levels 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.
[5 ] With humour being so good for you, how can you add more of it to your everyday life? You can start by smiling at yourself in the mirror each morning and having a five-minute laugh to get the day started. Reading jokes, watching comedic films or shows and hanging out with children are some guaranteed ways to get you chuckling yourself and on the road to better health.
Comprehension Questions:
A- Are these statements true or false? Justify
- [ ….. ] The immune system is increased by laughter.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………… - [ ….. ] Laughter is a therapy.
………………………………………………………..
B- Answer the following questions
1. What types of advantages does humour have?
2. What happens when laughter stimulates the brain?
3. Why are humour clubs formed?
4. How is laughter contagious?
D- Find in the text words that mean the same as:
1. There (paragraph 2) ______________ 2. Themselves (paragraph 3) _________________
E-What do the underlined words refer to in the text
– Some : …………. – their : ………………. – They : …………….
F- Find in the text words or expressions have the same meaning as the followings
- In the development of
- Get rid of
- Needs
- Immediately
- In fact
- feeling
G-Complete these sentences according to the text:: …….
1. Sore sides can be explained………………………………………………………………..
2. People lose their sense of humour……………………………………………………….
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