Page 39 - Highlights for Children (April 2020)
P. 39

WHY IS

                                                                                                                        THAT
                                                             Nervous Laughter                                        FUNNY?


                                                                Have you ever found                                  What we find
                                                             yourself laughing when                                 funny depends
                                                             you’re “not supposed to”?
                                                                                                                   a lot on our age,
                                                             Laughing is one way we
                                                                                                                   personality, and
                                                             let go of tension. When
                                                                                                                    where we live.
                                                             we’re uneasy, our body
                                                                                                                     But here are
                                                             may respond with laughter.
                                                                                                                 some of the more
                                                             We don’t decide to laugh—
                                                                                                                   general reasons
                                                             it just happens.                                       people laugh.






                                                                 Do Animals Have

                                                                 a Sense of Humor?

                                                                    Your dog won’t be

                                                                 cracking up at your
                                                                 knock-knock jokes. But
                                                                                                                     We’re caught
                                                                 scientists have found that
                                                                                                                      by surprise.
                                                                 at least two animals—apes
                                                                 and rats—make “play”

                                                                 sounds when they’re
                                                                 tickled. Apes make panting
                                                                 sounds and rats chirp.










                                                                                                                      Others’ silly
                                                                                                                  mistakes make us

                                                                                                                  feel better about
                                                                                                                       ourselves.




















                                                                                                                          We’re

                                                                                                                  communicating
        GUFFAW                               SHRIEK                            HOWL                              friendly feelings.




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