Using LanguageⅡ国家优质课一等奖

Background information：

1. Humour The Roman writer Seneca once commented:“All things are cause either for laughter or weeping. ”It is understood that laughing and crying are closely related emotional responses to some kind of outside stimulation.

Almost everything that can beseen may be perceived as humourous by someone, no matter howserious the intent. A horror film may cause an audienceto laugh because its dramatic effects are exaggeratedor seemingly ridiculous. Visual humour frequently relies on transforming the normal or serious into theunexpected or absurd.Humour in the form of words may be either written or spoken. One of the most common kinds of verbal humour is the play on words. This type includes puns, riddles, and some limericks (funny poems). Of all types of verbal humour, the jokeis probably the most popular. The joke may be as short as a one-liner, or it may be a long and complex story with a surprise ending. Many jokes depend for their success on the unexpected, or bringing together two ways of thinking about the same thing that would not normally occur to someone. Others depend on exaggeration, insult, or absurdity.

However, something humourous does not necessarily amuse everyone. Sometimes the reason is cultural. Each society has its own notion of what is comic. An American viewing a british comedy on stage or television may find little to laugh at because the origin of the humour is not understood. The foreigner does not know what the rest of the le audience finds funny. Even within one culture there are different responses to humour. Young children, teenagers, and adu do not laugh at the same things 2. Charlie Chaplin Charlie Chaplin was born in London on April 16 1889. His parents were music hall performers, and he first appeared on the stage in a dance act at the age of Tht While making his short films, Chaplin put together the character of the tramp. He developed this foolish mischievous, yet lovable little man through successive films, creating a character that audiences laughed at yet sympathized with at the same time. Chaplins tramp appeared in such classic films as The Kid(1921)and The Gold Rush(1925). In Modern Times (1936), he combined comedy

with social commentary and fine technical craftsmanship. As World War II began, Chaplin made The Great Dictator(1940), which was intended to ridicule the German dictator Adolf Hitler In 1972 he visited the United States to accept a special film award, and in 1975 he was knighted by the queen of England. He died in Switzerland on Dec

ember 25,1977 3. Rowan Atkinson(Mr Bean The first episode of the original Mr Bean series starring Rowan Atkinson was first broadcast on Januar1st. 1990. Since then Mr Bean has become known all over the world. Mr Bean has a unique way of approaching everyday problems in a rather roundabout way, which has made him a family favourite. He is a lovable character who everyone would like to help out of his sticky situations 4. Edward Lear The English humourist Edward Lear made famous the limerick form of verse(funny poems)and illustrated his work with amusing pictures. He was born in 1812 in London and died in 1888, in Italy, where he had spent his last years. The gentle, friendly man was always fond of children, and most of his writing was done for their pleasure. A limerick is a short, humourous verse form consisting of five lines usually with the rhyme scheme aabba, for example, There was an Old Man who supposed i That the street door was partially closed But some very large rats Ate his coats and his hats While that futile Old Gentleman dozed