BORN TO LAUGH (editable version)

November 2010

Born to Laugh
Activity 2. Read the article presenting new findings on how people express different emotions. Which of the following statements is the best summary of the text?
It is difficult to express certain emotions without using words. Laughing is instinctive but we pic up through experience how to convey other emotions. !eaf people find it more difficult to express emotions.

Cheer up, we were all born to laugh

You might not believe it on a gloomy November morning, but scientists say we are born to laugh.
by FIONA MACRAE, published by Daily Mail - November 2010 0

According to their research" chuc ling at a good #o e or when someone tic les us" is instinctive. $ut crying when we%re sad" li e other &emotional vocalisations%" is something we learn to do. !utch researchers as ed '( volunteers" half of whom were deaf" to ma e the sounds behind a range of emotions without using words. )he interpretations of sadness" terror" relief" anger" hilarity and other emotions were then played bac to 2* volunteers with normal hearing" who were as ed to name the emotion. +nly laughter and sighs of relief were easily identifiable on the tapes of the deaf volunteers" ,ew -cientist reports. All the other sounds" including cries of terror and sobs of sadness" were much easier to guess when made by volunteers without hearing problems. As the deaf volunteers have never heard others laugh" it suggests this is something we are born nowing how to do. $ut learning how to convey other emotions" such as sadness" comes with experience" an Acoustical -ociety of America conference will hear next wee . Researcher !isa -auter said laughter and smiling may have evolved to diffuse confrontation. &.ven other primates laugh" if you tic led a gorilla or orangutan.%

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/rofessor -ophie -cott" from London%s Institute of ,euroscience" said0 &)he finding ma es sense. Laughter has been described as being more li e a different way of breathing than a way of spea ing.% $ut /rofessor !avid +stry" of the 1niversity of 2ontreal" said deaf people may simply learn to laugh by watching others do it.

Activity 3. !iscuss these 4uestions in small groups or pairs.

Are you convinced that we are born with an instinctive skill of laughing but we have to learn how to express most other emotions? 2. If crying, like other emotional vocalisations, is something we learn to do, why do babies cry at birth?
1.

Activity 5. List all the names of emotions that appear in the article.

Activity *. Write nouns 6names of emotions and feelings7 derived from these ad#ectives.
1. frightened .................................... 2. sad 3. disgusted 4. angry 5. optimistic 6. happy .................................... .................................... .................................... .................................... .................................... 14. embarrassed .................................. .. 15. worried 16. satisfied 17. proud 18. shy 1 . !ea"ous .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. ..

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BORN TO LAUGH (editable version)

November 2010

7. p"easant 8. annoyed . terrified 1#. ner%ous 11. an$ious 12. en%ious 13. bored

.................................... .................................... .................................... .................................... .................................... .................................... ....................................

2#. e$cited 21. cheerfu" 22. eager 23. furious 24. desperate 25. ashamed 26. humi"iated

.................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. .. .................................. ..

Activity (. 2atch the words and expressions to their definitions.

1. to beam 2. to burst out "aughing 3. to gigg"e 4. to grin 5. to shrie& with "aughter 6. to snigger 7. to smir& 8. to titter
A7 to laugh 4uietly" un indly at something embarrassing $7 to laugh very loudly 87 to smile in an unpleasant way" to show that you are pleased by somebody%s bad luc !7 to smile with happiness showing in all your face .7 to smile widely 6normally because you are very pleased7 97 to laugh in a childish way because you are embarrassed" nervous or amused :7 to laugh 4uietly and disrespectfully" especially at something rude ;7 to suddenly begin laughing loudly

Activity <. 8omplete these phrases with words listed below.

cry screech
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groan sigh

howl sniffle

moan sob

1. a .................................... of re"ief 2. a .................................... of sadness 3. a .................................... of terror

5. a .................................... of "aughter 6. a .................................... of pain 7. a .................................... of disdain ' scorn 8. a .................................... of pain ' terror

4. a .................................... of p"easure ' pain

Activity =. 8omplete these phrases with words listed below.

'. ................................. 2. ................................. 3. ................................. 5. ................................. *. .................................
to "augh (uiet"y or to onese"f to touch or stro&e somebody "ight"y) esp. in a sensiti%e p"ace) often ma&ing them "augh a person who offers to do something without being forced unab"e to hear at a"" or to hear we"" to ma&e an angry disagreement "ess serious

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