Whatmadeyoulaugh
Wouldyouliketoknowalanguageeveryoneintheworldunderstands?Youalwaysdo—becauseyoulaugh.Anytwopeoplefromdifferentcultureswhodon’tspeakawordoftheother’slanguagestillknowexactlywhatismeantwhentheotherpersonlaughs.
Thinkoflaughterastheunofficiallanguageoftheearth.Yethowmuchdoanyofusreallyunderstandabouthumor?
Somebiologists(生物学家)believethatlaughterhasmoretodowithfearthanfunniness.Earlyhumansmighthavelaughedoncetheyrealizedthatathreat—say,asaber-toothedtiger(剑齿虎)—hadpassed.Nothingwasfunnyaboutnearlybecominglunch.Thelaughterescapedastheirbodies’waytoeasetension(紧张).Thoughsaber-toothedtigersmaybelonggone,laughingtorelievestressisnot.
Levelsofstressrelatedirectlytohealthandwellness.Manypeoplebelievethatlaughteristhebestmedicine.NormanCousins,aneditorandprofessor,lookedforcommontreatmentforapainfuldiseasebutfeltlittleimprovement.ThenhetriedtohealhimselfbywatchingalotoffunnymoviesandTVshowsandreadinghumor.Finallyhesaidhappilythatlaughingdidhelphimrecover(痊愈).