Comedy and Psychology
Earlier this year I did a part-time comedy course. The class was taught by Ryan, a professional comedian.I had performed a show, which wasn’t originally meant to be a comedy. However, the audience laughed at my first joke, then continued to laugh throughout the routines that were meant to be serious. So it was the audience who told me I was funny, but I didn’ t understand why or how to control the comic (滑稽的) moments. So, I joined the course to learn.
“Turn off your editor that makes you say the right thing and remember how to be a child,” explained Ryan. “Don’t try to be clever. Don’t try too hard to be funny…and knowing all about the theory of humor is unlikely to help you much. Just behave in a silly way. That’s what people want to see on stage.”Ryan would help us loosen up by saying things like, “Wander around talking to others, but make sure that you’re the lowest status person here.”
I’ d say that understanding the psychology of humor has actually helped. Recently I came across the book Inside Jokes: Using Humor to Reverse-Engineer the Mind. Its main idea is that any self-directed intelligent system will need to correct its own fault. There’s a risk that the occasional error will be made. If this was boring or burdensome, we’d be less willing to do it. However, evolution has made the process fun.
Here’s a joke in the book: Two fish are in a tank. One says to the other, “Do you know how to drive this thing?” It works on the principle that we have started to imagine one thing—that the tank is the typical container people keep fish in—and, just in time, the following words tell us that our first assumption was wrong—it’s a heavy vehicle. For correctly figuring out the error, we are rewarded with a pleasurable feeling. The joke is an efficient way of encouraging this natural reaction, and comedians have become experts in slightly touching this mental funny-bone in order to make us laugh.
Ryan was right when he said that knowing the theory of humor wouldn’t help us that much as a comedy.During one exercise in the course, four of us were told to perform an opera. Susan and Caroline sang earnestly on either side of the stage, and I brought Henry to the floor, where we wrestled (摔跤) each other like out-of-control teenagers. The rest of the group was in uncontrollable fits of laughter. As a performer, I’ ll never appreciate just why it seemed so funny. But the point is that I would never have written this on the paper. It was a joyous, found moment.
1.Why did the author attend the comedy course?
A.He wanted to see how the theories worked in practice.
B.He discovered he had some natural ability in comedy.
C.He worried about how other performers would find him.
D.He got unpleasant experiences when performing a comedy.
2.Ryan required the people on the comedy course to______.
A.copy their favorite performance
B.imagine other people’ s reactions
C.help themselves feel comfortable
D.behave in a more playful manner
3.What is the purpose of the joke mentioned in Paragraph 4?
A.To discuss what humor brings about exactly.
B.To give an example of another kind of humor.
C.To prove the point about psychology of humor.
D.To show why some people are funnier than others.
4.What view does the author put forward in the end?
A.Visual humor is what appeals to people most.
B.What people find funny is often unpredictable.
C.Theories explaining humor tend to be mistaken.
D.Learning comic skills proves to be a difficult task.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The voice of an ancient Egyptian priest has been heard for the first time in more than 3,000 years, thanks to a detailed reconstruction of his vocal tract (声带) from his mummified remains.
A team of scientists in England used medical scans of the famous mummy of Nesyamun to create a digital, 3D model of the insides of the individual’s throat and mouth, which were reproduced on a 3D printer. Then the researchers created an artificial larynx (喉头) with a loudspeaker using an electronic waveform. The sound was then played through the speaker into the 3D printed vocal tract to produce a short bust of Nesyamun’s voice — a sound not heard since the 11th century B.C.
Previous efforts to reproduce ancient voices could only approximate them, by animating facial reconstructions with software. In comparison, the sound of Nesyamun’s voice is based on “an extant (现存的) vocal tract preserved over 3,000 years,” the researchers wrote.
Nesyamun lived around 1100 B.C. He is thought to have died in his late 50s from a severe allergic reaction. Almost 3,000 years later, his mummy was discovered at Karnak and transported to the Leeds City Museum in 1823. His remains and ornate coffin (棺材) have since become some of the world’s best researched relics of ancient Egypt.
“Nesyamun’s mummy was a good choice for studying the sound of an ancient voice,” said David Howard, the lead author of the new research, “It was particularly suited, given its age and preservation of its soft tissues, which is unusual.”
He said he hopes the scientific understanding of how human voices are created can be combined with knowledge of the ancient Egyptian language to reconstruct longer passages of Nesyamun’s speech.
Before examining the mummy, the researchers had to deal with ethical (道德的) concerns related to examining a person without their consent. They used nondestructive research methods, and took into account words on his coffin, relating that Nesyamun hoped again to address the gods as he had in his working life.
The researchers interpreted that to indicate his desire to speak again after death. “We are in a way fulfilling his declared wishes,” Howard said.
Howard and Schofield said they hope a reconstruction of Nesyamun’s speech, perhaps reciting an ancient Egyptian prayer, can be featured at the Karnak temple in Egypt for modem tourists.
“When visitors encounter the past, it is usually a visual encounter,” said Schofield. “With this voice, we can change that.”
1.The voice of Nesyamun was recreated by _____.
A.repairing his vocal tract
B.bringing Nesyamun back to life
C.using some advanced technologies
D.combining it with facial movements
2.Why was Nesyamun’s mummy suitable for research?
A.He often gave long speeches.
B.His vocal tract is well preserved.
C.A severe disease resulted in his death.
D.His remains are displayed in the museum.
3.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 8 refer to?
A.The researchers took into account words on his coffin.
B.Nesyamun’s mummy was examined without his consent.
C.The researchers hope to reconstruct longer passages of his speech.
D.Nesyamun hoped to address the gods as he had in his working life.
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.A 3000-year-old mummy speaks again
B.The voice of a mummy excites visitors
C.A 3D-printed vocal tract has been created
D.The dream of Nesyamun has been achieved
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A Game of Light and Shade
It was a sunny day. I had gone up and down the tower when, outside the door at the foot, a blind man came toward me. In a moment, he disappeared up the stairs. I looked at the sign that said “To the Tower”, and decided to _______ him.
I caught up with him in the ticket office. There I was _______ to see the attendant (工作人员) selling him a ticket as if he were any other visitor. Then, with the ticket in one hand and _______ the wall with the fingers of the other, the blind man reached the stairs _________ to the hallway.
“That man is blind. What would a blind man climb up the tower for?” I said to the attendant, expecting him to show some _______, but he didn’t answer.
“Not the _______ certainly,” I said. “Perhaps he wants to _______.”
I bought a ticket and _______ up the stairs. The man hadn’t gone as far as I _______. A third of the way up the tower, I heard his ________. I slowed down and followed him at a little ________. He stopped from time to time. When he got to the balcony, I was a dozen steps ________. As I reached it, I saw him at the corner of the tower.
At last, after ten minutes, I ________ him. “Excuse me,” I said as politely as I could, “but I am curious to know ________ you came up.”
He smiled. “Coming up the stairs, you will notice how not just light but sun ________ into the tower through the narrow windows here and there, so that you can feel the ________ —the cool stairs suddenly become quite warm—and how up here behind the wall there is ________, but as soon as going opposite a window you can find the sun. There is no ________ so good as this for feeling the difference between light and shade. It is not the first time I’ve come up.”
The blind man seemed quite ________ just like a child who was enjoying his favorite games. He told me the truth that blind men can also find the beauty in life ________ they cannot enjoy the sights of the world.
1.A.accept B.follow C.control D.visit
2.A.frightened B.disappointed C.surprised D.embarrassed
3.A.touching B.climbing C.hitting D.covering
4.A.pointing B.attaching C.contributing D.leading
5.A.respect B.doubt C.concern D.sympathy
6.A.view B.test C.prize D.trick
7.A.kick B.jump C.relax D.escape
8.A.struggled B.explored C.wandered D.hurried
9.A.promised B.examined C.imagined D.confirmed
10.A.steps B.words C.secrets D.cheers
11.A.standard B.distance C.expense D.intention
12.A.ahead B.around C.outside D.behind
13.A.recognized B.surrounded C.approached D.witnessed
14.A.why B.how C.when D.whether
15.A.knocks B.pours C.slides D.bursts
16.A.trend B.reaction C.change D.honor
17.A.light B.space C.mess D.shade
18.A.place B.signal C.object D.period
19.A.nervous B.content C.curious D.patient
20.A.unless B.because C.once D.although
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Listed here are four of the thousands of impressive museums around the world.
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Bilbao，Spain
Built in 1997，the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is one of the newest in the world.It has transformed the industrial city of Bilbao into a travelers' desired destination.The beautiful architecture of the museum has provided a dramatic background for movies and commercials.
The Louvre in Paris，France
Probably the most famous Louvre also holds the most famous painting in the world，the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci.Crowds can be found any day surrounding the small，but mysterious painting of the smiling woman.But，the Louvre is much more than a home to the “Mona Lisa”．The Louvre is visited by more people each year than any other museum in the world.
The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia，America
Just opened in its new downtown location in 2012，the Barnes Foundation is “unique”in that it is a completely reproduced display from one man's private collection.Dr.Albert C．Barnes started collecting art in the early 20th century and collected，among others，the largest number of original Renoir paintings in the world.
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence，Italy
Walking on the marbled floors feels like stepping back in time.The building itself is a beautiful palace—like structure with frescoes(湿壁画) decorating the ceilings and walls.Viewers are bowled over(印象深刻) by the works by Botticelli，such as “The Birth of Venus”．Classic artworks from nearly 1，000 years ago describe religious events of the time.
1.Which of the following is the most popular?
A.The Louvre.
B.The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
C.The Barnes Foundation.
D.The Uffizi Gallery.
2.What makes the Barnes Foundation particular?
A.Its structure. B.Its collection.
C.Its location. D.Its history.
3.What type of writing is this text?
A.An activity poster.
B.An exhibition announcement.
C.An art show review.
D.A travel guide.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
My guide Farah, a tall, slim woman in her late 30s，wears jeans and a simple manteaux -- the required robe women must wear in public, covering neck to knee. Her long, straight black hair is hidden beneath her headscarf, but visible as it curls at her neck.
We’re heading to Tajrish Bazaar, in north Tehran (capital of Iran)，to explore 10 different kinds of dried plums, and other goodies. We choose the Metro—Farah for its convenience, and I，for a chance to go underground in Tehran, because it provides a picture of the city most tourists never see.
It's mid-morning. Women and men sit separately, but the rule relaxes during busy times, like now. We, along with a few other women, clasp our hands around a pole, standing next to men, young and old in the air-conditioned, modern carriage. Two stops later, and about 20 commuters fewer, segregation happens naturally -- women at one end, men at the other, still within view, but separate.
A handful of fashionable girls admire their own reflections in the window. They wear tight leggings under their brightly coloured robes, pushing back headscarves and boundaries. We find seats next to a group of conservative women dressed in black cloaks called chador. They’re nothing like the other women I have met, a sisterhood of outspoken opinions, most of them liberal. “We are a nation with one language,” Farah says, “divided in two—-traditional and modern. ” Farah tells me it all began, not with imports from the West, but with the 1979 revolution. A combination of access, education and a bad economy created a society where women now have independence, careers and husbands happy to help around the house with chores and children*
1.We are setting out for Tajrish Bazaar most probably at __________.
A.3 a. m. B.1 p. m. C.10 a. m. D.5 p. m.
2.Why did the author choose to take the subway?
A.Because it’s cheap.
B.Because it’s convenient.
C.Because she can see more beautiful women on the subway.
D.Because it offers her an opportunity to see a different city from what most tourists see
3.What does the underlined word segregation in the 3rd paragraph probably mean?
A.isolation B.disaster
C.departure D.combination
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Women in Iran must wear manteau in public.
B.Fashionable girls can dress as freely as they like.
C.Iran is divided in two parts by the western forces.
D.Men in Iran won't help with the housework.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Once eating alone was just that: sitting down in a restaurant on one’s own and eating a meal. Everyone did it sometimes, and when they did so, 1. . To eat alone might suggest that you didn’t have any friends. There was a kind of shame attached to it.
Nowadays, however, there is more and more solitary (独自的) eating for pleasure. 2. . “Foodies”—people with a passionate interest in cuisines—do it because all they need is the chance to eat good food. They don’t want company or conversation, but only the joy of eating some special dish. Other people eat alone because it’s simply practical for them to do so. For instance, it’s estimated that nearly a third of all the customers of fast-food restaurants eat alone. They are served with their food fast， eat it fast and then leave fast. 3.
But the appeal of eating alone is quite different. 4. . For the hour or so that it takes to have a meal, they can forget all the pressures of their lives. They don’t have to deal with their family or job. They can relax and let their mind wander. Maybe they’ll bring a book, a newspaper to enjoy a quiet time.
David Annand, editor of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, who delights in dining alone, speaks of his pleasure in the “rhythm of a meal in a restaurant—its ebb and flow (人来人往), the periodic arrival and departure of the waiter”. 5. .
A.It’s an experience of freedom
B.they might be a little embarrassed
C.People choose to eat alone for various reasons
D.none of them would feel bad about themselves
E.Sometimes staying alone is quite cosy when you don’t work
F.This restaurant rhythm allows him to sit back, observe and think
G.It saves time if they have a meeting or a child to pick up from school
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
短文改错
Jane Eyre is a world-famous storybook, which is very popular to middle school students. The main character Jane is one of my favorite heroine. The book tells us not only about her hard life and about her efforts to gain her happiness. It were her perseverance and determination which helped her to get what she deserved at last. I liked Jane very much, and her story leaves a great effect on her life and study. I make up my mind work hard at my lessons. Meanwhile, I will try to make the full use of any opportunity to train my characters, especial my tolerance and perseverance to solve all of the difficulties in my life.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
注意：1.词数不少于100
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
3.邮件开头和结尾已为你写好。
难度: 中等查看答案及解析