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.
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.
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.
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.
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
A. Are these sentences true or false? Justify.
1. The immune system is increased by laughter. ……………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Laughter is a therapy. ………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………
B. Answer these questions according to the text
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?
……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………
C. What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
1. There (paragraph 2) …………………
2. Themselves (paragraph 3) ……………………..
D. Find in the text words or expressions have the same meaning as the followings:
Get rid of: ………………….. Immediately:………………… Feeling : …………………..
Needs :……………………. In fact :…………………….
E. Complete these sentences according to the text:
1. Sore sides can be explained by …………………………………………………………………..
2. People lose their sense of humour……………………………………………………………………………
 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
A. Are these sentences true or false? Justify.
1. The immune system is increased by laughter. ……………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Laughter is a therapy. ………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………
B. Answer these questions according to the text
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?
……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………
C. What do the underlined words in the text refer to?
1. There (paragraph 2) …………………
2. Themselves (paragraph 3) ……………………..
D. Find in the text words or expressions have the same meaning as the followings:
Get rid of: ………………….. Immediately:………………… Feeling : …………………..
Needs :……………………. In fact :…………………….
E. Complete these sentences according to the text:
1. Sore sides can be explained by …………………………………………………………………..
2. People lose their sense of humour……………………………………………………………………………