高中牛津英语模块6-unit1-Reading

Standupforyourhealth!Peoplehavealwaysenjoyedlaughing,andtherehasalwaysbeenhumour.Onefavouritetypeofcomedyiscalledstand-up.Stand-upisakindofcomedythatisdoneonastagebyacomediantalkingstraighttoaudiencemembers.Astand-upcomedianmayteaseanaudiencemember,ormightdecidetotelldifferentjokesdependinguponhowtheaudiencereactedtohisorherpreviousjokes.Typesofstand-upThereareavarietyofdifferentstylesofstand-upcomedy.Somecomedianstelljokesaboutthewaypeoplebehaveoraboutdailylife.Forexample,theymaytalkabouthowpeopleactwhentheyqueueup.ortheymayaskwhyitonlyrainswhenyouforgetyourumbrella.Othercomediansrelyonvisualhumour.Theirhumourmaybeinspiredbyobjects.Forexample,onecomedianusesahugehammertobreakwatermelonswhilehemakesjokesaboutwhatheisdoing.Anothercomedianpointstoavideotennisgameandsays,‘I’vebeenplayingtenniseverydayforamonth.Idon’tunderstandwhyIamnotlosingweight!’Yetothercomediansmaytripoverchairs,walkintodoors,andfalldownonstageinordertomakepeoplelaugh.Thiskindofabsurdhumourisnotveryfunnyifyouareonlylisteningandnotwatchingthecomedian’sperformance.Thelastkindofcomediandoesimpressions-heorshewillactorspeaklikeawell-knownpersoninordertomakefunofthatperson.Whilethiskindofhumourmaysoundcruel,itusuallyonlyworksifboththecomedianandtheaudiencehaveaffectionfororadmirethepersonbeingmadefunof.AfamouscomedianOnlyafewstand-upcomedianshavebecomefamousastelevisionandfilmperformerslateroninlife.OnesuchpersonisBillyCrystal.Likeotherstand-upcomedianswhohavegoneontoactinfilms,Crystalstillenjoysstand-up.PeoplearoundtheworldenjoywatchinghimwhenhehoststheAcademyAwards.Hehashostedtheshowninetimes.Eachtime,heperformshisstand-uproutineinfrontofmillionsofpeoplewhentheshowisbroadcastliveonTV.Onelittle-knownfactisthatwhenCrystalisthehostoftheAcademyAwards,healwayskeepsatoothbrushinhispocketforgoodluck.Hesaysitisbecausewhenhestartedpracticingstand-upasachild,hetoldhimselfjokeswhilestandinginfrontofthemirror,brushinghisteeth.OnereasonCrystalhasbecomesofamousisthatheisveryquickthinking,andisoftenabletocomeupwithnewjokesaboutthepeopleandthingsaroundhim.WhenCrystalwasthehostofthe2004AcademyAwards,averyoldactor,whohadactedinfilmsbeforetheyhadsound,gaveaspeech.Hetalkedforseveralminutes,buttherewasatechnicalproblem,andnooneintheaudiencecouldhearhim.Theycouldonlyseehimstandingtheremovinghislips.Insteadoftellingthejokehehadplanned,Crystalmadeupanewone.Hesaid,’Itseemsappropriatethathegothisstartinsilentfilms!’Theaudiencehowledwithlaughter.Crystalispopularwithallagegroupsandhastheabilitytoamusepeopleallovertheworld.Thisprovesthatstand-upcanbeenjoyedbyeveryone.YoucanexpecttohearalotmorefromBillyCrystal-hehasnoplanstostopmakingfilms,ortostoptellingjokes.Hehopestofollowinthefootstepsofotherfamouscomedians,workinguntilnearlytheendoftheirlives.Laughterisgoodforyourhealth!Nowadays,stand-upcomedyispopularallovertheworld.Doctorshavebeenresearchingwhateffectstand-upandotherformsofcomedyhaveonus,andhavediscoveredthatpeoplewholaughalotlivelonger,Theysaythisisbecausewhenyoulaugh,yourbrainsendschemicalsaroundyourbodythataregoodforyou.Laughinghelpsyourbodystayhealthyandcanevenhelpyoufightpain.MaybethisexplainsthelonglivesofmenlikeBobHopeandGeorgeBurns.Whateverthereason,researchshowsthatintheend,theEnglishsaying,‘Laughteristhebestmedicine’,maybetrueafterall.So,goandmakesomeonelaugh-itjustmighthelpthem(andyou)livelonger.