Bucraá Circus IN THIS UNIT

Company, Spain
 nalyze what makes
A
you laugh
 onsider the role of
C
humor in your life
Tell a joke
 ive a presentation
G
about humor in your
country

SKILLS
LISTENING
Recognize connectors
in speech

SPEAKING
Introduce contrasting
information

GRAMMAR
Comparative forms

CRITICAL THINKING
Avoid stereotypes

CONNECT TO THE TOPIC

1. D o you think that
clowns like the

5 WHAT’S FUNNY?
UNIT ones in the photo
are funny?
2. In what situations
do people try to
make other people
laugh?

74 75
PREPARE TO WATCH 9. No one likes being the of a mean joke.

10. Fathers often tell jokes that are not funny. They do it , and we even
A VOCABULARY Listen to the words and match them with the definitions. Use a dictionary
if necessary. 5.1 have an expression for these short, not-very-funny jokes: dad jokes.

1. comedian (n) a. reasonable and understandable

C PERSONALIZE Tell a partner if you agree or disagree with the statements in activity B.
2. deliberately (adv) b. a person whose job is to make people laugh Explain your answers.

3. essentially (adv) c. to reduce pain or bad feelings

4. exaggerated (adj) d. basically REFLECT Analyze what makes you laugh.

5. humorous (adj) e. a person hurt by another person or event You are going to watch a video about different kinds of humor. Read the descriptions of four
types of comedy shows. Then complete the tasks and share your ideas with a partner.
6. logical (adj) f. made bigger and emphasized to make people notice
1. Think of an example for each type of show.
7. problematic (adj) g. intentionally; on purpose 2. Rank the shows from your most favorite (1) to your least favorite (4).

8. reality (n) h. funny; making you laugh

9. relieve (v) i. the way life really is and not just the way you imagine it

10. victim (n) j. causing difficulties

B VOCABULARY Complete the sentences with the words from activity A.

1. If someone can tell a good joke or a story that makes people laugh, they
often find it easier to make friends.

2. Many jokes are because they are hurtful to a person or a group of A sitcom or situation comedy involves A news comedy uses stories reported
a group of characters who deal with funny in the mainstream news and adds jokes to
people. We really need to stop telling these kinds of jokes.
situations every week. It’s not very realistic, but summarize the true events. It’s often made to
the relationships between the characters are look like a real news report.
3. A lot of my friends think they can tell funny stories, but the is that only a
interesting.
few of them are good at it and make me laugh.

4. I don’t like stories that don’t make sense. If a story is not , I don’t find it
interesting.

5. I love puns. , they’re jokes where the wrong meaning of a word is used.
For example, “Did you hear about the guy who lost the left side of his body? He’s all right now.”

6. It’s never a good idea for an entertainer to explain why a joke is funny. A good
never does that, but bad ones sometimes have to.

7. Sometimes, people tell stories about things that happen to them, and the details are A sketch comedy presents a series of A prank reality show plays tricks on
and made bigger than life, but that’s OK. It makes the story funnier. short, humorous scenes, called “sketches.” unknowing participants by putting them in
Unlike a sitcom, it does not rely on the same strange or absurd situations.
8. If you are feeling stressed, watch a funny program on TV or online. It’s a great way to group of characters from week to week.
stress and make yourself feel better.
76 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 77
WATCH & SPEAK A MAIN IDEAS Watch the video. Match the types of humor to the
descriptions. 5.1

SO, WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? 1. Slapstick humor involves a. events that are not logical.

2. Self-deprecating humor involves b. playing tricks on a victim.

3. Surreal humor involves c. telling jokes about yourself.

4. Practical jokes involve d. humor from words.

5. Wordplay involves e. exaggerated actions.

B DETAILS Watch the video again. Complete the sentences with two or
three words. 5.1
Slapstick
1. An example of slapstick is when somebody gets a cream pie
.

2. Japanese kyoˉgen involves short performances with

action.

Self-deprecating humor
3. The comedian talks about the difference between how he wants to be and
how he .

4. This humor is in the United States and

Canada than many other countries.

Surreal humor
5. This type of humor is more popular in than in
the rest of the world.

6. It’s a good source of memes because it’s in a

single image.

Practical jokes
7. They are problematic when they go too far and upset .

8. In a practical joke in 1835, a newspaper claimed that there was life
, including goats and unicorns.

New York, Wordplay

New York, USA
9. In a pun, the of a word is used.

10. All the jokes in the study about favorite jokes were .

78 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 79

C PHRASES TO KNOW Complete the excerpt from the video with the E GRAMMAR Complete the sentences with a comparative form.
phrases. Then discuss the differences in meaning with a partner.
1. Her jokes are very funny. Mine are not very funny.
laugh about laughing at laughing with Her jokes are  mine.

When the victim feels that people are 1 them and not 2. My story was very humorous. Hers was very humorous, too.
2
them, and when the victim can also My story was  hers.
3
the joke afterward, then it’s a successful practical joke. 3. My friend, Tan, cries very easily at films. My friend, Sonia, doesn’t cry very easily at films.
Tan cries  at films than Sonia.
D In a small group, read the three jokes aloud. Help each other to understand
the jokes. Then discuss what style of humor each one is and whether you find 4. I smile a little bit. I used to smile a lot.
it funny.
I don’t smile  I used to.
1. A: Why was six afraid of seven?
5. I’ve seen several comedies recently. He hasn’t seen any comedies this year.
B: Because seven ate nine.
I’ve seen  he has.
2. A: Can I have a coffee without milk?
B: Sorry, we don’t have any milk, but you can have it without cream.
F GRAMMAR Underline the comparative forms in these sentences. Then take turns asking
3. A: Have you ever felt like your entire life is just a big school exam? and answering the questions with a partner.
B: Yes, and I’m quite certain that I forgot to study for it.
1. Do you have more homework now than you did a year ago?
2. Do you have more friends now than you had five years ago?
GRAMMAR Comparative forms 3. Do you buy more clothes than you used to?
We use different forms to talk about similarities and differences. 4. Are you more independent than you were a year ago?
Adjectives 5. Do you laugh as much as you did when you were younger?
To show that two things are different, add -er (+ than) to one-syllable and 6. Can you understand English better than you did a year ago?
some two-syllable adjectives. With longer adjectives, use more/less + adjective
(+ than).
REFLECT Consider the role of humor in your life.
Surreal humor is much stranger than other types of humor.
It’s less popular in some countries (than in others). Read the statements and check (✓) your response. Then work with a partner. Explain and
To show that two things are (not) the same, use (not) as + adjective + as. compare your responses. How are you the same? How are you different?
In my country, surreal humor is as popular as slapstick humor.
No, not at all. Sometimes. Yes, absolutely.
Adverbs
Adverbs follow the same rules as adjectives. 1. I find it easy to remember jokes.

That comedian speaks faster than the others. 2. I find it difficult to tell jokes.
Memes are more easily shared than other kinds of humor.
I don’t like slapstick as much as other kinds of humor. 3. I laugh a lot when I’m alone.
Nouns 4. I enjoy watching romantic comedies.
With nouns, use more + noun + than.
5. I find slapstick humor very funny.
She knows more jokes than I do.
Use (not) as many / much + noun + as. 6. People find me naturally funny.

I don’t know as many jokes as my friend does.

We have as much time as we did last week.

80 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 81

PREPARE TO LISTEN
A VOCABULARY Listen to the words in bold and choose the correct meaning. 5.2

1. I don’t think these two paragraphs belong together. They’re not even about the same topic.
a. fit or go b. exist c. join or attach
2. I don’t have high expectations for the comedy show tonight. The tickets were cheap and none
of the comedians are well known.
a. what one hopes b. what one thinks c. what one knows
  will happen   will happen   will happen
3. He looks mean and unfriendly, but he’s harmless.
a. honest b. not dangerous c. not friendly
4. I don’t like humor that’s mean and suggests that some people are inferior to others.
a. not as good as b. better than c. the same as
5. You should look at the situation from her perspective before you reach a conclusion.
a. opinion b. position c. background
6. It was a relief when I finally passed my exams. I felt I could relax again.
a. feeling of ease b. feeling of unhappiness c. feeling of boredom
COMMUNICATION TIP
7. The things that happened in the film were ridiculous and would never happen in real life, but it
was funny anyway. Here are different ways to respond to jokes in English.

a. very clever b. very silly c. very normal 😀 That’s a good one!/ Very funny!
8. She uses humor to suggest that she’s smarter, more talented, and, to put it simply, just superior 😐 Hmm . . . maybe that’s not my kind of humor.
to everyone else. 😕 I don’t get it! Can you explain?
a. not as good as b. better than c. the same as
9. The last time they met they had a big argument, so when they saw each other this time, there
was tension in the room. C APPLY Listen to three jokes and check (✓) your response. Compare your
response with a partner. Use a phrase from the Communication Tip. 5.3
a. unhappiness b. sadness c. nervousness
10. I don’t like him. I think his behavior is threatening, and I don’t know what he will do next. I think it’s funny. I don’t think it’s funny. I don’t understand it.
a. making you feel tired b. making you feel relaxed c. making you feel danger Joke 1

B PERSONALIZATION Discuss these questions with a partner. Joke 2

1. What kind of expectations should we have for our friends? Joke 3

2. Do you find films from your country superior or inferior to Hollywood films?
3. What kind of humor do you find harmless? What kind can cause tension?
REFLECT Tell a joke.
4. What’s the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen or done?
You are going to listen to a talk on different theories of why jokes are funny.
Work with a partner and tell your favorite joke or a joke that you have heard
before. Note your partner’s reaction to your joke. Then discuss why you
think each joke is funny or not.

82 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 83

LISTEN & SPEAK D DETAILS Listen to the four theories again. Then answer each question. 5.5

Superiority theory

WHY IS THAT FUNNY?

1. According to this theory, why do we laugh when someone walks into a streetlight?


FOUR THEORIES ABOUT HUMOR 2. What types of humor can this theory not explain?

A PREVIEW Listen to the introduction to a talk. The introduction contains a joke. Try to
remember it and retell it to a partner. 5.4 Incongruity theory
3. According to the speaker, where would a boat be incongruous?
B MAIN IDEAS Listen to the talk and match the theories to the explanations. 5.5

1. Superiority theory a. We laugh because someone breaks a rule or
norm but in a safe way. 4. What, in short, is the problem with this theory?
2. Incongruity theory b. We laugh because an object or an action is 
strange or unexpected in that situation.
Relief theory
3. Relief theory c. We laugh because it makes us feel that we are
5. According to this theory, what happens to the tension that we feel in a joke?
better or smarter than the person in the joke.

4. Benign challenge theory d. We laugh because, at first, we feel stressed, but
then everything turns out OK and we feel better. 6. What kind of humor can this theory not explain?

C PHRASES TO KNOW Read the definitions.
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the phrases. Benign challenge theory

out of place: wrong in that situation 7. What does benign mean?

pull out: to take something out of another thing 
walk into: t o hit something accidentally when you aren’t
looking 8. According to this theory, what is challenged in wordplay?

1. The first hunter quickly his
mobile phone.

2. Take the person who isn’t looking and

a streetlight.

3. Something which is incongruous is .

Western Cape Province,

South Africa

84 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 85

 LISTENING SKILL Recognize connectors in speech
Recognizing connectors in speech can help you understand what a speaker has
said and what they are going to say. Here are some common connectors.
To add similar information: moreover, furthermore, in addition
Moreover, superiority theory explains why everyone hates being laughed at.
To add similar information that is less important: incidentally, by the way
This, incidentally, happened in an art museum in the Netherlands.
 To introduce contrasting information: the problem/trouble is that . . . ,
on the other hand Los Angeles,
California, USA
The problem with this theory is that it can’t explain surreal humor.
To restate information: to put it another way, put simply
To put it another way, it’s incongruous and therefore funny.
To summarize information: in short, to summarize
In short, incongruity theory just seems too simple.

E APPLY Listen to the section on incongruity theory again. Number these

connectors in the order that you hear them. 5.6
UNIT TASK Give a presentation about humor in your country.
a. in short
b. moreover You are going to present a profile of humor in your country in general and for your generation
c. incidentally in particular. You will talk about the importance of humor, how people watch and enjoy it, and
d. to put it another way what kind of humor they prefer. Use the ideas, vocabulary, and skills from the unit.

e. the trouble is that . . .

G MODEL Listen to a student. Take notes and then use your notes to complete the chart. 5.8
F APPLY Listen and check (✓) the sentence that naturally follows what the
speaker says. 5.7
My country in general My generation
1. a. . . . my grandfather was a comedian, too.
b. . . . my grandfather was a police officer. 1. How important is humor? n very important n very important

2. a. . . . they don’t always realize that they are doing this. n fairly important n fairly important

b. . . . they try to make other people feel inferior. n not very important n not very important

3. a. . . . it doesn’t explain why we don’t laugh at serious accidents. 2. Where do people look to find humor? n on TV n on TV
b. . . . it also explains why we laugh at self-deprecating humor. n in books n in books
4. a. . . . the joke was a big success. n on mobile phones n on mobile phones
b. . . . some people called to ask where they could buy a spaghetti tree. 3. What are the most popular types of humor? n slapstick n slapstick
n practical jokes n practical jokes
n surreal humor n surreal humor

H Listen again and check your answers in activity G. 5.8

86 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 87

 SPEAKING SKILL Introduce contrasting information CRITICAL THINKING Avoid stereotypes
There are various ways to point out differences between ideas when speaking. A stereotype is a fixed, often negative idea about a group of people. Stereotypes
Contrast an idea in a previous sentence lead us to believe that all people in a group are the same when, in fact, people
within a group are different. Stereotypes have a negative impact on us because
In general, people like to watch humorous shows on TV. In contrast, my they prevent us from seeing people, groups, and society clearly and fairly. They
generation uses their mobile phones to watch comedy. interfere with our ability to think critically.
My friends and I often share short, funny videos. The older generation,
on the other hand, doesn’t seem to share as many things online.
J APPLY Work with a small group. What stereotypes do people make about
We often tell funny stories. However, we rarely tell jokes.
your generation? Do you agree with any of the stereotypes? Explain.
Contrast ideas between two clauses
He thought the joke was funny, but no one laughed.
PRONUNCIATION Focus words in contrasting information 5.9
We’re constantly watching humorous things although we don’t often
watch them on TV. Important content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc.) are usually stressed, but
when the speaker contrasts information, the words that contain the contrast will
While most people like slapstick, my generation prefers practical jokes. have extra stress.
The average person likes slapstick, whereas we prefer surreal memes. Baby boomers watch funny shows on TV, but my generation likes to watch
funny things on their mobile phones.
We like stories, but telling jokes is not something we do very much.
I APPLY Use the chart to compare different generations with a partner.
Change any details in the table that you think are not correct.
Most baby boomers prefer to use telephones to communicate, whereas millennials prefer to use K PRONUNCIATION Listen and underline the words with the contrasting
instant messages. information. Then listen again and repeat. 5.10
1. She likes slapstick, but I prefer self-deprecating humor.
Baby boomers Generation X Millennials Generation Z
2. We watch humor online, but they usually watch it on TV.
between 1946 between 1965 between 1980 between the late 3. In contrast to my peers, I don’t enjoy practical jokes.
and 1964 and 1979 and late 90s 90s and 2010s
4. The average person likes slapstick, whereas we prefer surreal memes.

Preferred way L PRONUNCIATION Read the sentences and underline the words that
to communicate you expect to be the contrasting information. Then listen, check your answers,
telephone email instant message emoji and repeat. 5.11

Global 1. Generation Z was born between the late 90s and 2010s, while Generation X
population was born much earlier.
3 billion 4 billion 5.5 billion 7.5 billion
when they
were born 2. I’m a fan of surreal humor although my parents hate it.
3. In contrast to my friends, I don’t spend hours online watching videos.
Significant
rise of 4. I felt relaxed, while some people felt there was a lot of tension in the room.
development or first personal beginning of
moon landings algorithms and
innovation for computers social media 5. Everybody loves humor; however, not everyone loves the same kind of humor.
A.I.
this generation
6. I like watching funny videos, but it might be more fun making them.

88 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 89

M PLAN Make notes in the chart to answer the questions. REFLECT
My country in general My generation A Check (✓) the Reflect activities you can do and the academic skills you can use.

n analyze what makes you laugh n recognize connectors in speech

How important is humor? n consider the role of humor in your life n introduce contrasting information
n tell a joke n comparative forms
n give a presentation about humor in your country n avoid stereotypes
Where do people look to
find humor (e.g., TV, B Write the vocabulary words from the unit in the correct column. Add any other words that
magazines, online, etc.)? you learned. Circle words you still need to practice.

What are the most popular NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADVERB & OTHER
types of humor?

N PRACTICE Use your notes and this checklist to practice your presentation.

Have you included . . . ?

n a contrast between your country in general and your generation
n examples from you and your friends
n phrases to introduce contrasting information
n a summary of the information in your talk
n vocabulary from this unit

O UNIT TASK Work in groups of three or four and present your information. As you listen
to other students, take notes. Which person’s ideas are most similar to yours? C Reflect on the ideas in the unit as you answer these questions.

1. What was the most interesting thing that you learned about humor?



2. How can a good sense of humor help you in life?



3. What is the most important thing you learned in this unit?




The Westcar Papyrus (c. 1600 BC) is
an Egyptian text that contains an
example of one of the earliest jokes.

90 UNIT 5 WHAT’S FUNNY? 91