passage seven (the most important of all human qualities is a sense of humor

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1、英语100篇精读汇粹（中级篇）【TypeBySimonLau（8029）】PassageSeven(TheMostImportantofAllHumanQualitiesisaSenseofHumor)Biologically,thereisonlyonequalitywhichdistinguishesusfromanimals:theabilitytolaugh.Inauniversewhichappearstobeutterlydevoidofhumor,weenjoythissupremeluxury.Anditisaluxury,forunlikeanyotherbodilypro

2、cess,laughterdoesnotseemtoserveabiologicallyusefulpurpose.Inadivideworld,laughterisaunifyingforce.Humanbeingsopposeeachotheronagreatmanyissues.Nationsmaydisagreeaboutsystemsofgovernmentandhumanrelationsmaybeplaguedbyideologicalfactionsandpoliticalcamps,butweallsharetheabilitytolaugh.Andlaughter,int

3、urn,dependsonthatmostcomplexandsubtleofallhumanqualities:asenseofhumorCertaincomicstereotypeshaveauniversalappeal.Thiscanbestbeseenfromtheworld-widepopularityofCharlieChaplin’searlyfilms.Thelittlemanatoddswithsocietyneverfailstoamusenomatterwhichcountrywecomefrom.Asthatgreatcommentatoronhumanaffair

4、s,Dr.SamuelJohnson,onceremarked,‘Menhavebeenwiseinverydifferentmodes;buttheyhavealwayslaughedinthesameway.’Asenseofhumormaytakevariousformsandlaughtermaybeanythingfromarefinedtingletoanearthquakingroar,buttheeffectisalwaysthesame.Humorhelpsustomaintainacorrectsenseofvalues.Itistheonequalitywhichpol

5、iticalfanaticsappeartolack.Ifwecanseethefunnyside,wenevermakethemistakeoftakingourselvestooseriously.Wearealwaysremindedthattragedyisnotreallyfarremovedfromcomedy,sowenevergetalopsidedviewofthings.Thisisoneofthechieffunctionsofsatireandirony.Humanpainandsufferingaresogrim;wehoversooftenonthebrinkof

6、war;politicalrealitiesareusuallyenoughtoplungeusintototaldespair.Insuchcircumstances,cartoonsandsatiricalaccountsofsomberpoliticaleventsredressthebalance.Theytakethewindoutofpompousandarrogantpoliticianswhohavelosttheirsenseofproportion.Theyenableustoseethatmanyofourmostprofoundactionsaremerelycomi

7、corabsurd.WelaughwhenagreatsatiristlikeSwiftwritesaboutwarinGulliver’sTravels.TheLilliputiansandtheirneighborsattackeachotherbecausetheycan’tagreewhichendtobreakanegg.Welaughbecausewemeanttolaugh;butweareme