The Benefits of Humour Reading Answers

Jul 4, 2025

The Benefits of Humour Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The Benefits of Humour Reading Answers has a total of 14 IELTS questions in total. In the first question set, choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. In the next question set, complete the summary using the list of words, A-H. In the last question set, you have to state whether the statement is yes, no or not given according to the passage

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of

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Section 1 THE BENEFITS OF HUMOUR

Humans start developing a sense of humour as early as six weeks old, when babies begin to laugh and smile in response to stimuli. Laughter is universal across all human cultures and even exists in some form in rats, chimps, and bonobos. Like other human emotions and expressions,

laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, ranging from the development of language to the neuroscience of social perception. Theories focusing on the evolution of laughter point to it as an important adaptation for social communication. Take, for example, the recorded laughter in TV comedy shows. Back in 1950, US sound engineer Charley Douglass hated dealing with the unpredictable laughter of live audiences, so started recording his own 'laugh tracks'. These were intended to help people at home feel like they were in a social situation, such as a crowded theatre. Douglass even recorded various types of laughter, as well as mixtures of laughter from men, women, and children. In doing so, he picked up on a quality of laughter that is now interesting researchers: a simple 'haha' communicates a remarkable amount of socially relevant information.

In one study conducted in 2016, samples of laughter from pairs of English-speaking students were recorded at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A team made up of more than 30 psychological scientists, anthropologists, and biologists then played these recordings to listeners from 24 diverse societies, from indigenous tribes in New Guinea to city-dwellers in India and Europe. Participants were asked whether they thought the people laughing were friends or strangers. On average, the results were remarkably consistent: worldwide, people's guesses were correct approximately 60% of the time.

Researchers have also found that different types of laughter serve as codes to complex human social hierarchies. A team led by Christopher Oveis from the University of California, San Diego, found that high-status individuals had different laughs from low-status individuals, and that strangers' judgements of an individual's social status were influenced by the dominant or submissive quality of their laughter. In their study, 48 male college students were randomly assigned to groups of four, with each group composed of two low-status members, who had just joined their college fraternity group, and two high-status members, older students who had been

active in the fraternity for at least two years. Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at being teased by the others, involving the use of mildly insulting nicknames. Analysis revealed that, as expected, high-status individuals produced more dominant laughs and fewer submissive laughs relative to the low-status individuals. Meanwhile, low-status individuals were more likely to change their laughter based on their position of power; that is, the newcomers produced more dominant laughs when they were in the 'powerful' role of teasers. Dominant laughter was higher in pitch, louder, and more variable in tone than submissive laughter.

A random group of volunteers then listened to an equal number of dominant and submissive laughs from both the high- and low-status individuals, and were asked to estimate the social status of the laugher. In line with predictions, laughers producing dominant laughs were perceived to be significantly higher in status than laughers producing submissive laughs. 'This was particularly true for Iow-status individuals, who were rated as significantly higher in status when displaying a dominant versus submissive laugh,' Oveis and colleagues note. 'Thus, by strategically displaying more dominant laughter when the context allows, Iow-status individuals may achieve higher status in the eyes of others. ' However, high-status individuals were rated as high-status whether they produced their natural dominant laugh or tried to do a submissive one.

Another study, conducted by David Cheng and Lu Wong of Australian National University, was based on the hypothesis that humour might provide a respite from tedious situations in the workplace. This 'mental break' might facilitate the replenishment of mental resources. To

test this theory, the researchers recruited 74 business students, ostensibly for an experiment on perception. First, the students performed a tedious task in which they had to cross out every instance of the letter 'e' over two pages of text. The students then were randomly assigned to watch a video clip eliciting either humour, contentment, or neutral feelings. Some watched a clip of the BBC comedy Mr. Bean, others a relaxing scene with dolphins swimming in the ocean, and others a factual video about the management profession.

The students then completed a task requiring persistence in which they were asked to guess the potential performance of employees based on provided profiles, and were told that making 10 correct assessments in a row would lead to a win. However, the software was programmed such that it was nearly impossible to achieve 10 consecutive correct answers. Participants were allowed to quit the task at any point. Students who had watched the Mr. Bean video ended up spending significantly more time working on the task, making twice as many predictions as the other two groups.

Cheng and Wang then replicated these results in a second study, during which they had participants complete long multiplication questions by hand. Again, participants who watched the humorous video spent significantly more time working on this tedious task and completed more questions correctly than did the students in either of the other groups.

'Although humour has been found to help relieve stress and facilitate social relationships, the traditional view of task performance implies that individuals should avoid things such as humour that may distract them from the accomplishment of task goals, ‘ Cheng and Wang conclude. We suggest that humour is not only enjoyable but, more importantly, energising. '

Questions 27-31

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

When referring to laughter in the first paragraph, the writer emphasises

A. its impact on language.

B. its function in human culture.

C. its value to scientific research.

D. its universality in animal societies.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: Like other human emotions and expressions, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, ranging from the development of language to the neuroscience of social perception.

Keywords: human, psychology, neuroscience

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 4-5

Explanation: The writer emphasises how crucial science is to understanding laughter. For psychologists, humour offers a window into human nature.

28. What does the writer suggest about Charley Douglass?

A. He understood the importance of enjoying humour in a group setting.

B. He believed that TV viewers at home needed to be told when to laugh.

C. He wanted his shows to appeal to audiences across the social spectrum.

D. He preferred shows where audiences were present in the recording studio.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: Charley Douglass hated dealing with the unpredictable laughter of live audiences, so started recording his own 'laugh tracks'.

Keywords: Charley Douglass, unpredictable

Keyword Location: Para 1, Line 8

Explanation: According to the text, Charley Douglass understood the value of shared laughter. Douglass sought to improve the enjoyment of humour even in huge, impersonal situations, like as packed theatres, by developing laugh tracks.

29. What makes the Santa Cruz study particularly significant?

A. the various different types of laughter that were studied

B. the similar results produced by a wide range of cultures

C. the number of different academic disciplines involved

D. the many kinds of people whose laughter was recorded

Answer: B

Supporting statement: On average, the results were remarkably consistent: worldwide, people's guesses were correct approximately 60% of the time.

Keywords: consistent, 60%

Keyword Location: Para 2, Lines 6-7

Explanation: According to the text, 24 diverse societies were made to listen to the recordings of people laughing and were asked who they thought was in the recording, with approximately 60% of people's answers being the same; results were remarkably consistent, which means similar results.

30. Which of the following happened in the San Diego study?

A. Some participants became very upset.

B. Participants exchanged roles.

C. Participants who had not met before became friends.

D. Some participants were unable to laugh.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at being teased by the others, involving the use of mildly insulting nicknames

Keywords: Laughter, recorded

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 8

Explanation: According to the text, 48 male college students were split up into groups of four for a study conducted in San Diego. As each student was made fun of by another in turn, laughter was captured on record. According to the findings, laughter was more common in the upper-class group than in the lower-class group. In contrast, the lower-class group's laughter may vary according to their purpose; that is, they would laugh dominantly when playing the part of the strong teaser.

31. In the fifth paragraph, what did the results of the San Diego study suggest?

A. It is clear whether a dominant laugh is produced by a high- or low-status person.

B. Low-status individuals in a position of power will still produce submissive laughs.

C. The submissive laughs of Iow- and high-status individuals are surprisingly similar.

D. High-status individuals can always be identified by their way of laughing.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Thus, by strategically displaying more dominant laughter when the context allows, Iow-status individuals may achieve higher status in the eyes of others.

Keywords: dominant, Iow-status

Keyword Location: Para 4, Line 7

Explanation: According to the passage, the lower class might uplift itself in the eyes of others through the production of dominant laughter. However, whether the upper class tries to make submissive laughter or naturally produces dominant laughter, they are always evaluated correctly.

Questions 32-36

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-H, below.

The benefits of humour

In one study at Australian National University, randomly chosen groups of participants were shown one of three videos, each designed to generate a different kind of (32)............... When all

participants were then given a deliberately frustrating task to do, it was found that those who had watched the (33)............. Video persisted with the task for longer and tried harder to accomplish the task than either of the other two groups. A second study in which participants were asked to perform a particularly (34) ......... task produced similar results. According to researchers David Cheng and Lu Wong, these findings suggest that humour not only reduces (35)..................and helps build social connections but it may also have a (36)............... effect on the body and mind.

A laughter

B relaxing

C boring

D anxiety

E stimulating

F emotion

G enjoyment

H amusing

32…………

Answer: F

Supporting statement: The students then were randomly assigned to watch a video clip eliciting either humour, contentment, or neutral feelings.

Keywords: randomly, eliciting

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 6-7

Explanation: According to the text, participants were randomly assigned to watch one of three video categories in an experiment that looked at how emotions affect task performance: a neutral, educational video about the management profession; a serene scene of dolphins gliding through the ocean to evoke contentment; and a sidesplitting Mr. Bean clip to induce humour.

33……………

Answer: H

Supporting statement: The students then completed a task requiring persistence in which they were asked to guess the potential performance of employees based on provided profiles

Keywords: persistence, potential

Keyword Location: Para 6, Lines 1-2

Explanation: Participants who viewed a humorous Mr. Bean film demonstrated greater resolve in dealing with a challenging activity. Compared to the other two groups, they made twice as many attempts and worked on the job for a far longer period. This implies that humour can increase motivation and effort.

34………….

Answer: C

Supporting statement: Cheng and Wang then replicated these results in a second study, during which they had participants complete long multiplication questions by hand.

Keywords: Cheng, Wang

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 1

Explanation: Participants in a second study were given a particularly difficult task: answering long multiplication questions by hand. Those who viewed the funny film answered more questions correctly, indicating that their results were similar.

35…………

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Although humour has been found to help relieve stress and facilitate social relationships

Keywords: stress, relationships

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 1

Explanation: Researchers David Cheng and Lu Wong claim that the findings imply that humour not only lowers anxiety but also builds relationships.

36…………

Answer: E

Supporting statement: We suggest that humour is not only enjoyable but, more importantly, energising. '

Keywords: enjoyable, energising

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 8

Explanation: According to the finding of Cheng and Wang, humour is not only interesting but more importantly it has a stimulating effect on the body and the mind.

Questions 37-40

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in

Reading Passage 3?

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks this

37. Participants in the Santa Cruz study were more accurate at identifying the laughs of friends than those of strangers.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: NO information is given in the text about whether participants in the Santa Cruz study were more accurate at identifying the laughs of friends than those of strangers.

38. The researchers in the San Diego study were correct in their predictions regarding the behaviour of the high-status individuals.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: Analysis revealed that, as expected, high-status individuals produced

Keywords: Analysis, high-status

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 9-10

Explanation: According to the text, a group in San Diego discovered that laughter differed among upper-class and lower-class individuals, and that laughter affected strangers' judgments of their social status. The findings showed that whether upper-class individuals attempted to fake submissive laughter or naturally produced dominant laughter, they were consistently evaluated correctly.

39. The participants in the Australian National University study were given a fixed amount of time to complete the task focusing on employee profiles.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: Participants were allowed to quit the task at any point.

Keywords: Participants, quit

Keyword Location: Para 6, Lines 4-5

Explanation: The Participants in the Australian National University study were allowed to quit the task given to them at any point in time, which is contrary to the above-asked question.

40. Cheng and Wang's conclusions were in line with established notions regarding task performance.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: 'Although humour has been found to help relieve stress and facilitate social relationships,

Keywords: relieve, facilitate

Keyword Location: Para 7, Line 1

Explanation: The traditional viewpoint on task performance was called into doubt by Cheng and Wang's findings. According to their research, humour can help reduce stress and foster social relationships, despite the conventional wisdom that advises avoiding distractions like humour and concentrating only on the work at hand.

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