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GENERAL ENGLISH · VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

HUMOR

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1 Describing humor

Look at the following types of humor. Match them to their correct definitions on the right.

1. dark humor a. a remark that is funny in an ironic or critical way

2. dry humor b. humor in which a person makes fun of himself or herself

3. sarcasm c. humor related to taboo topics, especially someone’s death

4. self-deprecating humor d. humor that is presented in a clever way without showing

emotion
5. understatement e. making something serious seem not very serious

Read the examples below. What kind of humor are they examples of?

1. Mahatma Ghandi was asked by an English journalist what he thought of Western civilization.
Ghandi replied without expression: "Ahhh, that would be a very good idea."
2. American film producer Samuel Goldwyn on his partner Louis B. Mayer’s funeral: "The only reason
so many people attended his funeral was that they wanted to make sure he was dead."
3. Oscar Wilde: "I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying."
4. English poet Samuel Butler: "Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the
victims he intends to eat until he eats them."
5. During a British Airways flight on June 24th, 1982, volcanic ash caused all four engines of the
Boeing 747 aircraft to fail. Although the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude, Captain Eric Moody
still managed to make an announcement to the passengers: "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your
Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our best
to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress."

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HUMOR

Discuss the questions below.

1. What type of humor do you find funny?

2. What type of humor is popular in your country?

2 Collocations with ‘joke’

Match the different types of jokes to their correct definitions on the right.

1. an amusing joke a. a joke that is childish and silly

2. a hilarious joke b. a joke that is clearly making an effort to be funny but not
succeeding
3. a lame joke c. a joke that is extremely funny

4. an immature joke d. a joke that is mildly funny

5. a try-hard joke e. a joke that is not funny at all

6. a crude joke f. a joke that is rude and offensive

7. a corny joke g. a joke that is very unoriginal and therefore not funny

8. a practical joke h. a trick played on a person to embarrass him/her

The verbs below collocate with the word ‘joke’. Complete the sentences below. More than one answer
may be possible.

crack get make play share take tell

1. Patrick is hilarious. He’s really good at ing jokes.

2. Why are you laughing? Can’t you the joke?
3. Jim likes to practical jokes on his little sister. He’s really naughty.
4. I’m afraid I didn’t the joke. Can you explain it to me?
5. Simon can’t a joke. He’s very serious all the time. If you laugh at him he gets very
angry.
6. At work, we jokes all the time. It’s great fun.

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HUMOR

Answer the questions below in pairs.

1. Do people make jokes where you work or study? What kind?

2. What kind of jokes do you like/dislike?
3. Do you know anyone who can’t take a joke?
4. Do you get jokes very easily?
5. Do you know anyone who is good at telling jokes?
6. Do people play practical jokes on each other on April 1st in your country?
7. Are there some things we should never make jokes about?

3 Idioms in jokes

Read the following jokes. Match the idioms to their correct meaning below.

1. Commander: Fire at will! Recruit: Who’s Will?

2. A: Did you get the joke about the sky? B: No, it was over my head.
3. Why did the boy throw the clock out the window? To see if time flies.
4. Why are the baby strawberries crying? Because their parents are in a jam.
5. Why don’t robots panic? Because they have nerves of steel.
6. Why did the boy eat his homework? Because his father said it was a piece of cake.
7. Why did the student jump into the lake before deciding to take a full course? Because she wanted
to test the water first.
8. Why did the robber wash his hands? Because he wanted to make a clean getaway.

1. : too confusing to understand

2. : in a difficult situation

3. : something which is very easy to do

4. : at whatever time you please

5. : a safe escape

6. : to try to discover what a situation is really like before you become very
involved in it

7. : great patience and courage

8. : time passes very quickly

Now do you understand the jokes or are they over your head?

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HUMOR

In pairs, discuss any of the questions below.

1. Describe a situation when something was over your head.

2. Describe a time when you were in a jam.
3. Describe a situation which requires nerves of steel.
4. Can you remember anything that you thought would be difficult but turned out to be a piece of
cake? Talk about it.
5. In what situations is it a good idea to test the water first?
6. Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself. Do you agree with this statement?
7. Describe a situation in which you made a clean getaway.
8. Do you think politicians can lie at will?

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