Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers

Dec 23, 2022

Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers has been referenced from the IELTS book IELTS General Training Reading Practice Test 01 with Answers. This IELTS reading topic Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers comprises of a total of 13 questions. The question types included in this IELTS Reading topic are; No more than three words, Matching list of words, and Matching headings. The IELTS Reading in IELTS exam assesses a candidate’s ability to read and comprehend a given essay. Candidates can undertake practice IELTS reading practice test to access similar reading passages and question types as Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Laughter is the Best Medicine Reading Answers

The therapeutic use of laughter — to relieve stress, combat disease and strengthen the immune system — no longer raises medical eyebrows. The idea that humour is healthy and that a hearty laugh can make a person feel much better has gained much medical respectability in the last two decades.

Humour therapy has been accepted on the basis of considerable research conducted in the West. The case of Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams ( immortalised by actor Robin Williams in the film Patch Adams), who developed laughter therapy over 35 years at the Gesundheit Institute in Virginia, USA is well-known. The other is the story of Norman Cousins, the late editor of the American paper The Saturday Review, who was taken ill with a severe connective tissue disease where the body just wastes away. When doctors gave up on him. he cured himself with large doses of vitamin C and comedies starring the Marx Brothers. Cousins found that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anaesthetic effect and gave him at least two hours of pain-free sleep. He recorded his experiences of self-healing through laughter in a best selling book. Anatomy of an Illness.

This has been an inspiration for many practitioners of laughter therapy, including Dr Madan Kataria, a Mumbai-based general practitioner who has pioneered the concept of laughter clubs in India. As the founder of Laughter Club International. Dr Kataria is credited with initiating over 300 laughter clubs throughout India. Each of these conducts regular group laughter sessions on the premise that laughter is healthy for the body and mind.

We still know very little about what happens in the brain when we laugh, but there’s a fair amount of evidence to suggest that laughter has wide-ranging effects on us psychologically and physiologically. The most obvious effect is on our mood but laughter is also known to keep away negative emotions like anxiety and depression, which tend to weaken the immune system. It relieves stress, a common cause of heart and blood.

Pressure problems. It improves lung capacity and oxygen levels in the blood and thus Iviates complaints of asthma and bronchitis. It also releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, thus reducing the frequency and intensity of arthritic pain and muscular spasms. It is also known to help with insomnia, migraines, allergies, and ulcers.

French neurologist, Henri Rubenstein. said that even one minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation, It also reduces heart rate and stimulates appetite and digestion. French doctor, Pierre Vachet, who studied the physiology of laughter has concluded that laughter expands the blood vessels and sends more blood to the extremities. As it sends more oxygen to every cell in the body, it also serves to speed tissue healing and stabilise many body functions. Other experiments have shown how watching funny films lowers our blood pressure and generates more endorphins in the blood, producing a feeling of well-being.

However, new insights say that not everyone benefits equally from this therapy. Researchers say that if people with a strong sense of humour are less affected by stress, it’s not necessarily the laughter that’s helping them cope; it could mean that if they are coping well, they can laugh a lot. In fact, one study showed that viewing funny videos led to a rise in immune chemical levels, but that they rose most in people whose tendency to laugh was the greatest, to begin with.

QUESTION 28- 32

Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE

Laughter raises __________ in the blood to improve lung function for conditions like asthma.
Laughter helps the body to release_________ called endorphins.
When we laugh. ________ expand which assist circulation and help tissue to heal.
Hospital patients who were _________ the comedies they watched had the best response to laughter therapy.
Researchers have shown that humor and the ability to play contribute to_________.

ANSWERS-

Laughter raises __________ in the blood to improve lung function for conditions like asthma.

Answer: Oxygen Levels
Supporting sentence: It improves lung capacity and oxygen levels in the blood and thus alleviates complaints of asthma and bronchitis.
Keywords: Oxygen level, blood, asthma, lung function
Keyword location: Paragraph E, 1st line
Explanation: Laughter increases blood oxygen levels, lung function, and disorders like asthma, according to the information in this paragraph. The chosen response from paragraph "E" is, therefore, the proper and right response to this phrase.

Laughter helps the body to release_________ called endorphins.

Answer: Natural Pain Killers
Supporting sentence: It also releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, thus reducing the frequency and intensity of arthritic pain and muscular spasms.
Keywords: endorphins, natural pain killer, reducing
Keyword location: Paragraph E, 2nd line
Explanation: According to the reading passage, laughter relieves arthritic and muscle spasms by releasing endorphins, the body's natural painkiller. Therefore, the chosen response from paragraph "E" is the appropriate response to this phrase.

When we laugh. ________ expand which assist circulation and help tissue to heal.

Answer: Blood Vessels
Supporting sentence: French doctor, Pierre Vachet, who studied the physiology of laughter, has concluded that laughter expands the blood vessels and sends more blood to the extremities. As it sends more oxygen to every cell in the body, it also serves to speed tissue healing and stabilize many body functions.
Keywords: blood vessels, tissue healing, more oxygen
Keyword location: Paragraph F, 3rd line
Explanation: Based on the reading passage, laughing dilates blood vessels, increases blood flow to the extremities, and has a positive effect on tissue recovery. Therefore, the answer from paragraph F that was chosen is the appropriate response to this statement.

Hospital patients who were _________ the comedies they watched had the best response to laughter therapy.

Answer: Allowed to Choose
Supporting sentence: Another study of patients recovering from surgery in a Florida hospital showed that the group that was allowed to choose the humorous movies they saw benefited the most from the laughter therapy
and required fewer pain killers compared with a control group none at all.
Keywords: patients recovering, humorous movies, benefited, allowed to choose
Keyword location: Paragraph G, 1st line
Explanation: The study on patients was discussed in the paragraph, and it was noted that the patients who were given the freedom to select the comedic films they saw responded to laughing therapy the most. Therefore, the choice from paragraph "G" is a proper response to this text.

Researchers have shown that humor and the ability to play contribute to_________.

Answer: Creativity / Solutions of problems
Supporting sentence: Researchers in the west have also established a close connection between humor and creativity. Since creativity requires playfulness – toying with words, ideas, and people it is linked with
humor……. Edward de Bono is known to have observed that a solution to problems sometimes comes through humor.
Keywords: solution to problems, humor, creativity
Keyword location: Paragraph J, 1st line & 5th line
Explanation: According to the passage, humour and creativity are related because humour encourages playfulness, which is necessary for creativity. The piece also stated how humour might help solve issues. Therefore, the responses you chose from paragraph "J" are appropriate for this statement.

QUESTION 33- 35

Which THREE of the following (A – J) in the passage have not been attributed to laughter?

_____
_____
______

List of descriptions

Reduce Pain
Improved sleep
Slower heart rate
Increased Anxiety
Better digestion
Weakened immune system
Stimulated appetite
Higher blood pressure
Less stress

ANSWER-

33.

Answer: (D) Increase Anxiety
Supporting sentence: The most obvious effect is on our mood but laughter is also known to keep away negative emotions like anxiety and depression, which tend to weaken the immune system.
Keywords: keep away, anxiety, laughter, negative emotions.
Keywords location: Paragraph D, 2nd line
Explanation: It was explained in paragraph "D" that laughing reduces stress rather than causing it. As a result, this answer has not been associated with laughing; rather, the paragraph suggests the reverse.

34.

Answer: (F) Weakened immune system
Supporting sentence: The most obvious effect is on our mood but laughter is also known to keep away negative emotions like anxiety and depression, which tend to weaken the immune system.
Keywords: immune system, keep away, negative emotions, laughter
Keywords location: Paragraph D, 2nd line
Explanation: It is mentioned in the paragraph that laughing prevents the body's immune system from being weakened by harmful emotions like anxiety and depression. Therefore, we can draw the conclusion that laughing strengthens rather than weakens the immune system. Therefore, the chosen response has not been associated with laughing.

35.

Answer: (H) Higher blood pressure
Supporting sentence: It relieves stress, a common cause of heart and blood pressure problems.
Keywords: blood pressure, stress, relieves stress
Keywords location: Paragraph D, Last line & Paragraph E, 1st line
Explanation: It was said in the text that laughter reduces stress, which is a prevalent factor in heart and blood pressure issues. Since paragraphs "D" and "E" state that laughter lowers blood pressure and does not raise blood pressure, the chosen response cannot be attributed to laughter.

QUESTION 36- 40

Match the following names with a phrase (A-I) from the list below that describes the work of each

Dr. Hunter Adams
Norman Cousins
Dr. Madan Kataria
Dr. Henri Rubinstein
Dr. Pierre Vachet

List of Phrases

Studied the relaxation response produced by laughter
Starred in a movie about laughter therapy
Wrote about self-healing through laughter
Developed the concept of comedy dubs in India
Proved that happiness is the best medicine
Treated patients using funny films
Showed that laughter fatalities the delivery of oxygen to cells
Initiated group laughter sessions
Pioneered laughter therapy in medical settings

ANSWER-

Dr. Hunter Adams

Answer: I
Supporting sentence: The case of Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams (immortalized by actor Robin Williams in the film Patch Adams), who developed laughter therapy over 35 years at the Gesundheit Institute in Virginia, USA is well-known.
Keywords: Hunter Adams, laughter therapy
Keyword location: Paragraph B, 1st line
Explanation: Hunter Adams invented laughing therapy, as was described in paragraph 'B'. So the appropriate match is the phrase "Pioneered laughing therapy in medical settings."

Norman Cousins

Answer: C
Supporting sentence: The other is the story of Norman Cousins, the late editor of the American paper The Saturday Review, who was taken ill with a severe connective tissue disease where the body just wastes away. When doctors gave up on him, he cured himself with large doses of vitamin C and comedies starring the Marx Brothers. Cousins found that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and gave him at least two hours of pain-free sleep. He recorded his experiences of self-healing through laughter in a bestselling book. Anatomy of an Illness.
Keywords: self-healing, laughter, anatomy of an illness
Keyword location: Paragraph B, 3rd line
Explanation: As stated in paragraph "B," Norman Cousins was able to recover on his own with the aid of laughter after the doctor gave up on him and wrote about his experience in the book. The correct response is therefore, "Wrote about self-healing through laughing."

Dr. Madan Kataria

Answer: H
Supporting sentence: Dr. Kataria is credited with initiating over 300 laughter clubs throughout India. Each of these conducts regular group laughter sessions on the premise that laughter is healthy for the body and mind.
Keywords: laughter sessions, laughter is healthy
Keyword location: Paragraph C, 3rd line
Explanation: According to the paragraph C that laughing is good for the body and the psyche, Dr. Kataria holds frequent laughter sessions, as described in paragraph 'C'. As a result, the response "Initiated group laughter sessions" is the right one.

Dr. Henri Rubinstein

Answer: A
Supporting sentence: French neurologist, Henri Rubenstein, said that even one minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation. It also reduces heart rate and stimulates appetite and digestion.
Keywords: relaxation, laughter
Keyword location: Paragraph F, 1st line
Explanation: Henri Rubenstein reportedly remarked that one minute of laughter may relieve stress from the body for 45 minutes. So, the right response is, "Studied the relaxation reaction induced by laughing."

Dr. Pierre Vachet

Answer: G
Supporting sentence: French doctor, Pierre Vachet, who studied the physiology of laughter, has concluded that laughter expands the blood vessels and sends more blood to the extremities. As it sends more oxygen to
every cell in the body, it also serves to speed tissue healing and stabilize many body functions.
Keywords: Oxygen, laughter, blood vessels, tissue healing
Keyword location: Paragraph F, 3rd line
Explanation: According to the IELTS reading passage, Dr. Pierre Vachet conducted research showing that laughing dilates blood vessels and increases the amount of oxygen delivered to all bodily cells. The right and relevant match is therefore "Showed that laughter fatalities the supply of oxygen to cells."

Read more IELTS Reading Samples