Questions 27-31
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in boxes 27-31
on your answer sheet.
27. When referring to laughter in the first paragraph, the writer emphasises
28. What does the writer suggest about Charley Douglass?
29. What makes the Santa Cruz study particularly significant?
30. Which of the following happened in the San Diego study?
31. In the fifth paragraph, what did the results of the San Diego study suggest?
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "its effect on language.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Like other emotions and expressive behaviours, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, from language development to the neuroscience of social perception.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "its role in human culture.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Like other emotions and expressive behaviours, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, from language development to the neuroscience of social perception.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is correct. Choice C matches the question because "its importance for scientific research." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Like other emotions and expressive behaviours, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, from language development to the neuroscience of social perception.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "its presence across animal societies.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Like other emotions and expressive behaviours, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, from language development to the neuroscience of social perception.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
Like other emotions and expressive behaviours, laughter and humour provide psychological scientists with rich resources for studying human psychology, from language development to the neuroscience of social perception.
(A) is correct. Choice A matches the question because "He recognised the importance of enjoying humour in a group setting." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "These recordings were meant to help people watching at home feel as if they were sharing a social situation, such as a crowded theatre.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "He thought that TV viewers at home needed to be told when to laugh.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "These recordings were meant to help people watching at home feel as if they were sharing a social situation, such as a crowded theatre.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "He wanted his shows to attract audiences across the social spectrum.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "These recordings were meant to help people watching at home feel as if they were sharing a social situation, such as a crowded theatre.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "He preferred shows where audiences were present in the recording room.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "These recordings were meant to help people watching at home feel as if they were sharing a social situation, such as a crowded theatre.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
These recordings were meant to help people watching at home feel as if they were sharing a social situation, such as a crowded theatre.
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "the several different types of laughter that were studied", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "On average, the findings were strikingly consistent around the world: people guessed correctly about 60% of the time.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is correct. Choice B matches the question because "the similar results produced across a wide range of cultures" is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "On average, the findings were strikingly consistent around the world: people guessed correctly about 60% of the time.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "the number of separate academic disciplines involved", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "On average, the findings were strikingly consistent around the world: people guessed correctly about 60% of the time.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "the many types of people whose laughter was recorded", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "On average, the findings were strikingly consistent around the world: people guessed correctly about 60% of the time.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
On average, the findings were strikingly consistent around the world: people guessed correctly about 60% of the time.
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "Some participants became extremely upset.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at teasing the others and being teased with mildly insulting nicknames.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is correct. Choice B matches the question because "Participants swapped roles." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at teasing the others and being teased with mildly insulting nicknames.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "Participants who had not met before became friendly.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at teasing the others and being teased with mildly insulting nicknames.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is incorrect. Choice D says "Some participants were not able to laugh.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at teasing the others and being teased with mildly insulting nicknames.". Because Choice D does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
Associated Text:
Laughter was recorded as each student took a turn at teasing the others and being teased with mildly insulting nicknames.
(A) is incorrect. Choice A says "It is obvious whether a dominant laugh is produced by a high- or low-status person.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "High-status individuals, however, were rated as high-status whether they used their natural dominant laugh or attempted a submissive one.". Because Choice A does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(B) is incorrect. Choice B says "Low-status individuals in a position of power will still give submissive laughs.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "High-status individuals, however, were rated as high-status whether they used their natural dominant laugh or attempted a submissive one.". Because Choice B does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(C) is incorrect. Choice C says "The submissive laughs of low- and high-status individuals are unexpectedly similar.", but the passage evidence for the correct answer is "High-status individuals, however, were rated as high-status whether they used their natural dominant laugh or attempted a submissive one.". Because Choice C does not express that same idea, it should not be chosen.
(D) is correct. Choice D matches the question because "High-status individuals can always be recognised by their way of laughing." is the idea supported by the passage evidence: "High-status individuals, however, were rated as high-status whether they used their natural dominant laugh or attempted a submissive one.". The wording may be paraphrased, but it points to the same meaning.
Associated Text:
High-status individuals, however, were rated as high-status whether they used their natural dominant laugh or attempted a submissive one.
Questions 32-36
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-H, below.
- laughter
- relaxing
- boring
- anxiety
- stimulating
- emotion
- enjoyment
- amusing
Use F, "emotion", because each video was designed to create a different emotional state.
Associated Text:
They were then randomly assigned to watch one of three videos, each designed to produce a different emotion.
Use H, "amusing", because the group that watched the humorous Mr. Bean clip persisted longest.
Associated Text:
Some watched an amusing video clip from the BBC comedy Mr. Bean, others saw a relaxing scene of dolphins swimming in the ocean, and a third group watched a neutral factual film about management.
Use C, "boring", because the second study used a boring long-multiplication task.
Associated Text:
Once again, people who had watched the humorous clip worked for significantly longer on this boring task and answered more questions correctly than those in either comparison group.
Use D, "anxiety", because the option matches the idea that humour reduces stress.
Associated Text:
Once again, people who had watched the humorous clip worked for significantly longer on this boring task and answered more questions correctly than those in either comparison group.
Use E, "stimulating", because the passage says humour has an energising effect.
Associated Text:
Cheng and Wang argued instead that humour is not merely enjoyable but, more importantly, energising.
Questions 37-40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? In boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not give enough information to confirm the statement. The closest relevant evidence is: "In a 2016 study at the University of California, Santa Cruz, researchers recorded laughter from pairs of English-speaking students.". This may discuss a related idea, but it does not prove the statement in the question.
Associated Text:
In a 2016 study at the University of California, Santa Cruz, researchers recorded laughter from pairs of English-speaking students.
The answer is YES because the statement agrees with the passage. The key evidence is: "As expected, high-status individuals produced more dominant laughs and fewer submissive laughs than low-status participants.". This evidence says the same thing as the question statement, so the statement is supported.
Associated Text:
As expected, high-status individuals produced more dominant laughs and fewer submissive laughs than low-status participants.
The answer is NO because the statement contradicts the passage. The key evidence is: "Participants could stop whenever they wished.". This evidence gives a different meaning from the question statement, so the statement is not correct.
Associated Text:
Participants could stop whenever they wished.
The answer is NO because the statement contradicts the passage. The key evidence is: "Once again, people who had watched the humorous clip worked for significantly longer on this boring task and answered more questions correctly than those in either comparison group.". This evidence gives a different meaning from the question statement, so the statement is not correct.
Associated Text:
Once again, people who had watched the humorous clip worked for significantly longer on this boring task and answered more questions correctly than those in either comparison group.
