Jokes and humor are often thought of as unimportant things. If the lawyer defending you in court couldn't stop joking, you’d be understandably alarmed.

However, regarding humour as insignificance is a mistake. Humour, jokes and laughter, have a vital role to play in human behaviour and interaction. They are a powerful part of social bonding and are genuinely beneficial for health via their stress-relieving properties.

Why do we respond, in such powerful and rewarding ways, to things that objectively make little sense? A substantial amount of data has been generated regarding how humour works in the brain and on the various types of recognizable jokes that trigger it.

Verbal puns, the most familiar type of joke, involve words that convey two meanings at once. For example, “Why did the golfer wear two pairs of trousers? In case he got a hole in one.” Here “hole in one” has two possible interpretations. Their simplicity and familiarity mean most people recognize the humour in puns. So, the brain’s humour processes are still engaged.

But where does humour arise from in the brain? Considerable research points towards a specific system in the brain for recognizing humour. This system seemingly detects and resolves incongruity (不和谐). Our brains know how things, like language and behaviors, should work. But, in the real world, many things don’t match our expectations. It seems our brains have evolved a system to recognize when this happens.

If normality is subverted, it means we don’t know what’s going to happen, which creates cognitive (认知) tension. However, the system that recognizes incongruity seemingly also resolves it, by providing an explanation, ｏｒ at least a confirmation that the incongruity has no negative consequences. This removes the uncertainty, relieving the tension. So, we experience a rewarding feeling. If the incongruity is not resolved, however, humour is absent. If the answer to “Why did the golfer wear two pairs of trousers?” is “in case the metal owl that lives in his gold bag attacks him”, that’s not funny. There’s unresolved incongruity.

Humour is essentially our brain going, “This isn’t how things usually work, but I’m okay with it!”

12. What does the author say about humor in the first two paragraphs?

A. Its positive role is often underrated. 

B. It mainly serves to entertain and amuse.

C. Its harmful effects shouldn’t be ignored. 

D. It is essential for professional communication.

13. Why does the author mention the “hole in one” example in paragraph 4?

A. To prove a theory. 

B. To draw a conclusion.

C. To illustrate a concept. 

D. To make a comparison.

14. What does the underlined word “subverted” in paragraph 6 probably mean?

A. Detected. 

B. Overturned. 

C. Established. 

D. Repeated.

15. What is the best title for the text?

A. How Jokes Affect Brain Structures 

B. Using Humor to Boost Brain Power

C. Jokes and the Brain’s Reward System  

D. Unlocking Brain Secrets Behind Humor

词汇锦囊

① regard...as... 把……视为……

② substantial adj. 大量的；重大的

③ trigger vt. 引起；触发

④ consequence n. 结果；后果

长难句分析

If normality is subverted, it means we don’t know what’s going to happen, which creates cognitive tension. (Para.6)

这是一个主从复合句。If引导______________从句；主句中含有一个由what引导的______________，和一个由which引导的______________，修饰整个主句，关系代词在从句中作______________。

【语篇解读】

本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了人们在听到笑话，并理解其中的幽默感时，大脑的工作机制。

【答案解析】

12. A 细节理解题。根据第一段“Jokes and humor are often thought of as unimportant.”和第二段“However, regarding humour as insignificant is a mistake.”可知，幽默给人们带来的积极作用和影响经常被低估。故选A。

13. C 推理判断题。根据第四段“Verbal puns, the most familiar type of joke, involve words that convey two meanings at once. For example, ‘Why did the golfer wear two pairs of trousers? In case he got a hole in one.’ Here ‘hole in one’ has two possible interpretations. Their simplicity and familiarity mean most people recognise the humour in puns. So, the brain’s humour processes are still engaged.”可知，此处在对pun(双关语)进一步的举例解释说明。故选C。

14. B 词句猜测题。根据第五段“But, in the real world, many things don’t match our expectations. It seems our brains have evolved a system to recognise when this happens.”以及画线词后“it means we don’t know what’s going to happen, which creates cognitive (认知) tension”可知，此处normality is subverted指的是正常的符合人们预期的表达被颠覆或者推翻会造成大脑的紧张感。故划线词意思是“推翻”。故选B。

15. D 主旨大意题。根据第二段“However, regarding humour as insignificant is a mistake. Humour, jokes and laughter, have a vital role to play in human behaviour and interaction. They are a powerful part of social bonding and are genuinely beneficial for health via their stress-relieving properties.”可知，本文旨在介绍人们在听到幽默或者笑话时，大脑是如何进行信息加工和处理，以便于人们能够领悟有幽默感的。D选项“解开幽默背后的大脑秘密”最符合文章标题。故选D。

【长难句分析答案】

条件状语；宾语从句；非限制性定语从句；主语

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