雅思lesson 8 - 'Short answers' worksheet

Understanding HumourMany theories exist about what humour is and what social function it serves. The

prevailing types of theories attempting to account for the existence of humour include

psychological theories, the vast majority of which consider humour-induced behaviour to

be very healthy; spiritual theories, which may, for instance, consider humour to be a "gift

from God"; and theories which consider humour to be an unexplainable mystery, very

much like a mystical benign-violation theory, endorsed by Peter McGraw, attempts to explain humour's

existence. The theory says 'humour only occurs when something seems wrong, unsettling,

or threatening, but simultaneously seems okay, acceptable or safe’.

Humour can be used

as a method to easily engage in conversation by taking away that awkward,

uncomfortable, or uneasy feeling of social interactions. Others claim that humour cannot or

should not be explained. Author E.B. White once said, "Humour can be dissected as a frog

can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure

scientific mind.”As with any art form, the acceptance of a particular style or incidence of humour depends

on sociological factors and varies from person to person. Throughout history, comedy has

been used as a form of entertainment all over the world, whether in the courts of the

Western kings or the villages of the Far East. Both a social etiquette and a certain

intelligence can be displayed through forms of wit and ons 1 and 2

Answer the following questions using ONE word from the passage above.