IELTS Reading #111: Having a laugh

Questions 1–5: Multiple Choice

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

1. When referring to laughter in the first paragraphs, 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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 low- and high-status individuals are surprisingly similar. D) High-status individuals can always be identified by their way of laughing.

Questions 6–10: Summary Completion

Complete the summary below.
Drag words from the box into the blanks.
Write your answers in boxes 6–10.

Word Box:

laughter relaxing boring anxiety stimulating emotion enjoyment amusing

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 (6) . When all participants were then given a deliberately frustrating task to do, it was found that those who had watched the (7) 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 (8) task produced similar results. According to researchers David Cheng and Lu Wang, these findings suggest that humour not only reduces (9) and helps build social connections but it may also have a (10) Effect on the body and mind.

Questions 11–13: Yes/No/Not Given

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer?
Write YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
Write NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
Write NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

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

YES NO NOT GIVEN

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

YES NO NOT GIVEN

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

YES NO NOT GIVEN

14. Cheng and Wang’s conclusions were in line with established notions regarding task performance.

YES NO NOT GIVEN

IELTS Reading Practice Test: Having a laugh

Reading Passage Content Summary

Question Types Included

Test Information

Reading Passage Content

Questions 1–5: Multiple Choice

Questions 6–10: Summary Completion

Word Box:

The benefits of humour

Questions 11–13: Yes/No/Not Given

Reading Passage Content

Questions 1–5: Multiple Choice

Questions 6–10: Summary Completion

Word Box:

The benefits of humour

Questions 11–13: Yes/No/Not Given