LAUGHING ALL THE WAY
Understanding jokes is part of the process of native language acquisition, and jokes are part of the charm that belongs to any language. Learning to understand jokes in a new language is both a cause, and a consequence, of language proficiency (Cook 2000).
The most obvious benefit of understanding jokes is that it can help students feel more comfortable in their new language. A shared moment of humor lowers the affective filter, that invisible barrier that makes learners feel awkward and uncomfortable. A low affective filter is one of the cornerstones of successfully learning a new language (Krashen 1982). If a class can laugh together, they are likely to learn better together, too. Jokes based on wordplay have additional benefits because they build metalinguistic awareness, or conscious awareness of the forms of language, and this, ___( I )___, helps in learning more language (Ely and McCabe 1994; Zipke 2008; Lems 2011). In particular, metalinguistic awareness boots reading comprehension and encourages higher-order thinking.
___( II )___ native speakers need to access a great deal of linguisticinformation and background knowledge to “get” a joke (Aarons 2012). At the same time, jokes that are based on wordplay in another language can be really hard to understand because they need to be processed very quickly. In a social setting where everyone is standing around chatting, understanding a joke that comes up may seem like a high-stakes test. Not understanding a joke in this situation can make someone feel like an outsider and create a sense of isolation. ___( III )___, an important partof learning a new language is learning to enjoy its jokes.
Puns: A special form of joke
Puns are a special form of humor based on double meanings. Puns are sometimes nicknamed “the lowest form of humor” and often greeted with groans, but in fact, the language knowledge needed to understand a pun is very sophisticated (Pollack 2011).___( IV )__ they require processing the sound and meaning of words twice, puns demand considerable language agility. __( V )__ humor based on sight gags, funny facial expressions, or amusing visual arrangements, the humor ofpun is based on language play.
ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM – VOLUME 51 NUMBER 1 2013
The text states that
LAUGHING ALL THE WAY
Understanding jokes is part of the process of native language acquisition, and jokes are part of the charm that belongs to any language. Learning to understand jokes in a new language is both a cause, and a consequence, of language proficiency (Cook 2000).
The most obvious benefit of understanding jokes is that it can help students feel more comfortable in their new language. A shared moment of humor lowers the affective filter, that invisible barrier that makes learners feel awkward and uncomfortable. A low affective filter is one of the cornerstones of successfully learning a new language (Krashen 1982). If a class can laugh together, they are likely to learn better together, too. Jokes based on wordplay have additional benefits because they build metalinguistic awareness, or conscious awareness of the forms of language, and this, ___( I )___, helps in learning more language (Ely and McCabe 1994; Zipke 2008; Lems 2011). In particular, metalinguistic awareness boots reading comprehension and encourages higher-order thinking.
___( II )___ native speakers need to access a great deal of linguisticinformation and background knowledge to “get” a joke (Aarons 2012). At the same time, jokes that are based on wordplay in another language can be really hard to understand because they need to be processed very quickly. In a social setting where everyone is standing around chatting, understanding a joke that comes up may seem like a high-stakes test. Not understanding a joke in this situation can make someone feel like an outsider and create a sense of isolation. ___( III )___, an important partof learning a new language is learning to enjoy its jokes.
Puns: A special form of joke
Puns are a special form of humor based on double meanings. Puns are sometimes nicknamed “the lowest form of humor” and often greeted with groans, but in fact, the language knowledge needed to understand a pun is very sophisticated (Pollack 2011).___( IV )__ they require processing the sound and meaning of words twice, puns demand considerable language agility. __( V )__ humor based on sight gags, funny facial expressions, or amusing visual arrangements, the humor ofpun is based on language play.
ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM – VOLUME 51 NUMBER 1 2013
The word cornerstones in the text means
LAUGHING ALL THE WAY
Understanding jokes is part of the process of native language acquisition, and jokes are part of the charm that belongs to any language. Learning to understand jokes in a new language is both a cause, and a consequence, of language proficiency (Cook 2000).
The most obvious benefit of understanding jokes is that it can help students feel more comfortable in their new language. A shared moment of humor lowers the affective filter, that invisible barrier that makes learners feel awkward and uncomfortable. A low affective filter is one of the cornerstones of successfully learning a new language (Krashen 1982). If a class can laugh together, they are likely to learn better together, too. Jokes based on wordplay have additional benefits because they build metalinguistic awareness, or conscious awareness of the forms of language, and this, ___( I )___, helps in learning more language (Ely and McCabe 1994; Zipke 2008; Lems 2011). In particular, metalinguistic awareness boots reading comprehension and encourages higher-order thinking.
___( II )___ native speakers need to access a great deal of linguisticinformation and background knowledge to “get” a joke (Aarons 2012). At the same time, jokes that are based on wordplay in another language can be really hard to understand because they need to be processed very quickly. In a social setting where everyone is standing around chatting, understanding a joke that comes up may seem like a high-stakes test. Not understanding a joke in this situation can make someone feel like an outsider and create a sense of isolation. ___( III )___, an important partof learning a new language is learning to enjoy its jokes.
Puns: A special form of joke
Puns are a special form of humor based on double meanings. Puns are sometimes nicknamed “the lowest form of humor” and often greeted with groans, but in fact, the language knowledge needed to understand a pun is very sophisticated (Pollack 2011).___( IV )__ they require processing the sound and meaning of words twice, puns demand considerable language agility. __( V )__ humor based on sight gags, funny facial expressions, or amusing visual arrangements, the humor ofpun is based on language play.
ENGLISH TEACHING FORUM – VOLUME 51 NUMBER 1 2013
The words that properly fill in blanks I, II, III, IV and V, in the text, are
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Has anyone counted the number of books, films and even songs (Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind”, for example) that have been dedicated to the life and death of Marilyn Monroe (1926-62)?This is in addition to all the movies __( I )__ Marilyn herself made during her brief career. Nearly 50 years after her death, the Monroe industry is alive and well. The latest example is My Week With Marilyn (__( II )__ received its US release in November, and is scheduled for Brazil on February 24). It tells the story of the film star’s trip to Britain, during the course___( III )__ she worked with Sir Laurence Olivier. Seen through the eyes of Olivier’s assistant, Colin Clark (__( IV )__ Marilyn had an affair), it stars Michelle Williams as Marilyn (pictured above), Kenneth Branagh as Olivier, and Judi Dench, __( V )__ plays another great actress, Dame Sybil Torndike.
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The words that properly fill in blanks I, II, III, IV and V, in the text, are
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Has anyone counted the number of books, films and even songs (Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind”, for example) that have been dedicated to the life and death of Marilyn Monroe (1926-62)?This is in addition to all the movies __( I )__ Marilyn herself made during her brief career. Nearly 50 years after her death, the Monroe industry is alive and well. The latest example is My Week With Marilyn (__( II )__ received its US release in November, and is scheduled for Brazil on February 24). It tells the story of the film star’s trip to Britain, during the course___( III )__ she worked with Sir Laurence Olivier. Seen through the eyes of Olivier’s assistant, Colin Clark (__( IV )__ Marilyn had an affair), it stars Michelle Williams as Marilyn (pictured above), Kenneth Branagh as Olivier, and Judi Dench, __( V )__ plays another great actress, Dame Sybil Torndike.
www.speakup.com.br
According to the text,