Ha, Ha, Ha...I Feel Better!一笑治百病
A group of men and women are standing around in a circle. First, someone starts to laugh. Then a few more people chuckle1. Soon, the whole gang is cracking up. They are not laughing because someone said something funny. Instead, this group of people is practicing laughter2 therapy3.
When we laugh from being tickled or after hearing a joke, our bodies and minds feel good. Laughing is also contagious4. When one person laughs, the people around him or her will soon start laughing, too.
The use of laughter therapy has been in hospitals since the 1970s. A doctor in the US found that getting his patients to laugh helped them recover better. His story was later made into the movie Patch Adams, which starred Robin Williams. In India, Dr. Madan Kataria started a laughter club in 1995 to encourage good health. From then on, this form of therapy has spread around the world. People in these groups may feel uncomfortable at first because the laughter feels forced. But once they give in and fully enjoy the 45-minute activity, they feel at ease. People who take part in laughter therapy learn what scientists have known for years—laughter is the best medicine.
一群男女正圍成一個圓圈站著。起初有人先開始笑。接著其他一些人低聲笑了出來。很快地，整群人都哄堂大笑。他們之所以大笑，並非有人說了什麼好笑的事。這群人是在進行笑聲療法。
當我們被人搔癢或聽了笑話而哈哈大笑時，我們的身心都會覺得舒暢。笑聲也具有感染力。當一個人笑的時候，他或她身邊的人很快也會開始大笑。
從1970年代起，醫院裡便運用了笑聲療法。一位美國醫生發現讓他的病患大笑，會幫助他們復原得更好。他的故事爾後被拍成由羅賓‧威廉斯所主演的電影－－《心靈點滴》。印度的馬當‧卡塔利亞博士也於1995年創立了一個歡笑俱樂部來促進健康。從此之後，這種療法便流傳到全世界。在這些團體裡的人起初會覺得不舒服，因為他們覺得笑聲是被逼出來的。不過一旦他們臣服其中，然後盡情享受這長達四十五分鐘的活動時，他們就會覺得輕鬆自在。參與笑聲療法的人會瞭解一項科學家長年以來就知道的事－－笑聲是最佳良藥。
1. What do people do during laughter therapy?
(A) They tell each other jokes so that they can laugh.
(B) They laugh because doctors tickle them.
(C) They try to laugh along with other people for health purposes.
(D) They form a circle and laugh at one person.
1. 人們在進行笑聲療法時會做什麼？
(A) 他們會講笑話給彼此聽，好讓他們自己發笑。
(B) 他們會因為醫生搔他們的癢而笑。
(C) 他們會為健康的目的而試著與其他人一起笑。
(D) 他們會圍成一個圓圈，然後嘲笑某人。
2. What can we learn from this article?
(A) Scientists have long known that laughter is the best medicine.
(B) Robin Williams is a famous doctor in the US.
(C) People feel comfortable right from the start when practicing laughter therapy.
(D) Laughter therapy is limited to the US and India.
2. 我們從本文可以得知什麼？
(A) 科學家長久以來就知道笑聲是最佳良藥。
(B) 羅賓‧威廉斯是美國的一位知名醫生。
(C) 人們在進行笑聲療法時，打從一開始就會覺得很舒服。
(D) 進行笑聲療法的地方僅限於美國和印度。
答案：1. (C) 2. (A)
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. practice vt. 實行
Everyone should practice their right to vote.
每個人都應該執行他們投票的權利。
2. tickle vt. 搔癢
The child laughed when his dad tickled him.
父親搔他孩子癢時，孩子便笑了。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. crack up 捧腹大笑
We're all cracking up because of that joke.
我們全都因為聽了那個笑話而捧腹大笑。
2. give in 屈服；讓步
The government cannot give in to terrorists' demands.
政府不能對恐怖份子的要求做讓步。
3. at ease 放鬆；不拘束
The relaxing music soon put me at ease.
這個舒服的音樂很快就使我放鬆下來。
4. be limited to... 侷限於……
Damage from the earthquake was limited to the north coast.
地震僅對北海岸造成災害。
《Extra Word》
1. chuckle vi. 低聲輕笑；暗自笑
2. laughter n. 笑；笑聲（本文中亦作形容詞用）
3. therapy n. 療法，治病術
4. contagious a. 有感染性的
《GRAMMAR CHECK》
From then on, this form of therapy has spread around the world.
（從此之後，這種療法便流傳到全世界。）
"from then on"為表動作從過去某時間持續到現在時所使用，可用現在完成式或現在完成進行式，用法即等於"(ever) since then"。例：
I hurt my knees three years ago. From then on, I haven't been able to run fast.
= I hurt my knees three years ago. Since then, I haven't been able to run fast.
（我在三年前弄傷了膝蓋。從此以後我就跑不快。）
When we laugh from being tickled or after hearing a joke, our bodies and minds feel good. Laughing is also contagious4. When one person laughs, the people around him or her will soon start laughing, too.
The use of laughter therapy has been in hospitals since the 1970s. A doctor in the US found that getting his patients to laugh helped them recover better. His story was later made into the movie Patch Adams, which starred Robin Williams. In India, Dr. Madan Kataria started a laughter club in 1995 to encourage good health. From then on, this form of therapy has spread around the world. People in these groups may feel uncomfortable at first because the laughter feels forced. But once they give in and fully enjoy the 45-minute activity, they feel at ease. People who take part in laughter therapy learn what scientists have known for years—laughter is the best medicine.
一群男女正圍成一個圓圈站著。起初有人先開始笑。接著其他一些人低聲笑了出來。很快地，整群人都哄堂大笑。他們之所以大笑，並非有人說了什麼好笑的事。這群人是在進行笑聲療法。
當我們被人搔癢或聽了笑話而哈哈大笑時，我們的身心都會覺得舒暢。笑聲也具有感染力。當一個人笑的時候，他或她身邊的人很快也會開始大笑。
從1970年代起，醫院裡便運用了笑聲療法。一位美國醫生發現讓他的病患大笑，會幫助他們復原得更好。他的故事爾後被拍成由羅賓‧威廉斯所主演的電影－－《心靈點滴》。印度的馬當‧卡塔利亞博士也於1995年創立了一個歡笑俱樂部來促進健康。從此之後，這種療法便流傳到全世界。在這些團體裡的人起初會覺得不舒服，因為他們覺得笑聲是被逼出來的。不過一旦他們臣服其中，然後盡情享受這長達四十五分鐘的活動時，他們就會覺得輕鬆自在。參與笑聲療法的人會瞭解一項科學家長年以來就知道的事－－笑聲是最佳良藥。
1. What do people do during laughter therapy?
(A) They tell each other jokes so that they can laugh.
(B) They laugh because doctors tickle them.
(C) They try to laugh along with other people for health purposes.
(D) They form a circle and laugh at one person.
1. 人們在進行笑聲療法時會做什麼？
(A) 他們會講笑話給彼此聽，好讓他們自己發笑。
(B) 他們會因為醫生搔他們的癢而笑。
(C) 他們會為健康的目的而試著與其他人一起笑。
(D) 他們會圍成一個圓圈，然後嘲笑某人。
2. What can we learn from this article?
(A) Scientists have long known that laughter is the best medicine.
(B) Robin Williams is a famous doctor in the US.
(C) People feel comfortable right from the start when practicing laughter therapy.
(D) Laughter therapy is limited to the US and India.
2. 我們從本文可以得知什麼？
(A) 科學家長久以來就知道笑聲是最佳良藥。
(B) 羅賓‧威廉斯是美國的一位知名醫生。
(C) 人們在進行笑聲療法時，打從一開始就會覺得很舒服。
(D) 進行笑聲療法的地方僅限於美國和印度。
答案：1. (C) 2. (A)
《Building Your Vocabulary》
1. practice vt. 實行
Everyone should practice their right to vote.
每個人都應該執行他們投票的權利。
2. tickle vt. 搔癢
The child laughed when his dad tickled him.
父親搔他孩子癢時，孩子便笑了。
《Phrases for Learning》
1. crack up 捧腹大笑
We're all cracking up because of that joke.
我們全都因為聽了那個笑話而捧腹大笑。
2. give in 屈服；讓步
The government cannot give in to terrorists' demands.
政府不能對恐怖份子的要求做讓步。
3. at ease 放鬆；不拘束
The relaxing music soon put me at ease.
這個舒服的音樂很快就使我放鬆下來。
4. be limited to... 侷限於……
Damage from the earthquake was limited to the north coast.
地震僅對北海岸造成災害。
《Extra Word》
1. chuckle vi. 低聲輕笑；暗自笑
2. laughter n. 笑；笑聲（本文中亦作形容詞用）
3. therapy n. 療法，治病術
4. contagious a. 有感染性的
《GRAMMAR CHECK》
From then on, this form of therapy has spread around the world.
（從此之後，這種療法便流傳到全世界。）
"from then on"為表動作從過去某時間持續到現在時所使用，可用現在完成式或現在完成進行式，用法即等於"(ever) since then"。例：
I hurt my knees three years ago. From then on, I haven't been able to run fast.
= I hurt my knees three years ago. Since then, I haven't been able to run fast.
（我在三年前弄傷了膝蓋。從此以後我就跑不快。）
