Unit 3 A Taste of English Humor

Period 1 warming up

1 Collect Chinese humor from students and share in the class.

Examples given to choose from:

(1)一人上班老是放響屁,同事忍不住說:你能不能不出聲?然后便見他坐在那里抖個不停,問他干什么? 答: 我現在已經調成振動啦…

(2)有一個學生放學不走校門,他爬墻.被校長抓住,問他:有校門為什么要翻墻?

學生指了指身上的衣服說:邦威---不走尋常路.

校長說:墻那么高,你是怎么翻過去的?

學生指了指身上的褲子說:李寧----一切皆有可能

校長問:翻墻有什么感覺?

學生指了指腳上的鞋說: 特步----飛一般的感覺

校長說那我要記你大過,學生問:為什么?

校長說:動感地帶---我的地盤聽我的

2 Why do you laugh? It is quite humorous,funny,entertaining

3 After listening to the stories, how do you feel now? what can humor bring us?

It can bring us a lot of good: laughter, happiness, joy,relaxation,entertainment,amusement,pleasure,appreciation,comfort,good mood, at least forget problems for a while.

4 Besides funny stories, what others can make us laugh?

body language, make faces, make fun of others, play tricks on others,

stereotypes of different nationalities, foreigners speak with an accent,word play,

laughing matter: tongue twister, comedy, Nonverbal mime and farce, Verbal jokes, funny stories, funny poems, pantomime(啞劇),funny plays, cross talk. Sketch,limerick and so on

5 Their characteristics and famous humorists (Chinese and foreign)

Nonverbal Mime and farce:use body language to make people fun, Charlie chaplin

Verbal jokes:

Funny stories: Mark twain

Funny poems: Edward lear

Pantomime:劉全和，劉全利

Funny plays:陳佩斯

Cross talk: two speakers make many jokes and funny conversations姜昆

Mark Twain: a popular and humorous American author, He was the most famous humorous novelist in America. (funny stories)

Edward Lear (1812-1888):an artist. “A book of nonsense”

Mr. Bean: he is funny because he makes funny faces, acts silly, seems to be quite stupid, and the things he does are strange.

(1)A funny story

Little Johnny feels sorry for teacher

A new teacher was trying to make use of her psychology(哲學) courses. She started up her class by saying "Everyone who thinks you're stupid, stand up!"

After a few seconds, Little Johnny stood up.

The teacher said, "Do you think you're stupid, Little Johnny?"

"No, ma'am, but I hate to see you standing there all by yourself!!

(2)An English limerick(打油詩)(P60)

A clumsy（笨重的） young fellow named Tim,

Was never taught how to swim.

He fell off a dock,

And sunk like a rock,

And that was the end of him.

(3) clowns

make people laugh without talking. I’m dressed in a funny way, always wearing bright and big clothing, a special hat and shoes. We usually wear make-up and most have a red nose, walking in a funny way and doing something silly. I love my job because we make people laugh and forget their problems.

(4)tongue twister:

1 Betty bought some butter, but the butter was bitter, so she bought some better butter to make the bitter butter better.

2 I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.

3 If white chalk chalks white on a black blackboard, will black chalk chalk black on a whiteboard then?

6 When do we use humor?

Break the silence, lessen the stress, cheer sb up, catch other’s eye, join in and share with others, happy occasions…

7 Are you humorous/ a humorist? Do you want to make friends with those with a sense of humor? Why?

Optimistic, easy to get along with, easygoing, life is full of laughter…

Life is challenging, meet it.

Life is various, make it.

Life is beautiful, discover it.

Life is humorous, enjoy it.

Laughing is better than medicine.

Laughter is the best medicine in the world.

8 Is humor always kind?

Mean ill on purpose, make fun of sb, play tricks on others, embarrass someone, laugh at someone, look down upon…

9 Share varieties of humor in our textbook(p22+p60)