Be Slightly Funnier
How would you feel if a colleague suggested you take a comedy class to improve your sense of humor? I felt embarrassed.
At home that evening, I asked my other half whether he thinks I'm funny.
Yet, according to Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas-authors of the book Humor, Seriously and experts on the subject, humor is not something you are born with or without.
This undoubtedly explains why future masters of the universe are eagerly signing up for the humor course Aaker and Bagdonas teach at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. They agreed to teach me how to find my funny bones, too.
In our first call, Aaker, a social psychologist (心理学家), explains that many of us leave humor behind when we arrive at adulthood: A four-year-old laughs up to 300 times a day.
Next, we discuss the common misunderstandings that stop many of us in our comedy tracks. The first, Aaker says, is the belief that humor has no place in certain situations, especially at work.
| A．Rather, it's a muscle you can strengthen |
| B．Then there is the idea that it is too risky |
| C．We worry about not being taken seriously |
| D．My first interaction with the pair is over e-mail |
| E．Then I texted my best friend and my sister-in-law |
| F．But a 40-year-old takes ten weeks to laugh as much |
| G．It is far more important to show you have a sense of humor |
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【推荐1】I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. The author tidied up the room most probably because ________.| A．she was scared by Kate’s anger | B．she hated herself for being so messy |
| C．she wanted to show her care | D．she was asked by Kate to do so |
| A．By analyzing causes. | B．By showing differences. |
| C．By describing a process. | D．By following time order. |
| A．The benefit of being organized. |
| B．The daily routine in a dormitory. |
| C．The effort into developing friendships. |
| D．The sharing of learning to be roommates. |
【推荐2】Technology has changed the way we communicate. We send emails, not letters, text messages, not phone calls.
Pick up the phone and dial. Robert has called every employee to welcome them to the company. Sometimes he calls people on their last day of work. When people leave, sometimes they’re franker than they ever were when they were still at the company.
Answer questions with honesty. You know how it feels when you go into an elevator and someone says, “How was your weekend?” It might have been the best weekend ever and you would say, “Good, how was yours?”
Nobody succeeds alone. The more you can take time to develop genuine relationships, the more you’re going to be able to realize your dreams.
| A．Write a letter. |
| B．Try to make a difference. |
| C．Technology has made it easier to communicate. |
| D．If you want to connect with people, then you have to open up. |
| E．Authentic relationships lie in daily communication and are not easy to maintain. |
| F．Thus, it’s a great opportunity to get valuable information that is very hard to get otherwise. |
| G．And you’re going to know there’s a network of people to cheer you on and to support your efforts. |
【推荐3】It’s never easy to say no, especially when we’re invited somewhere by someone close to us.
Put off your response. Avoid immediately responding to a request that you believe you will turn down. A quick “No” will deprive (剥夺)you of time to come up with a kind refusal. Instead, a simple “Let me check my calendar and get back to you” will often work.
Check your calendar for conflicts. If you are lucky, you may discover a scheduling conflict that enables you to honestly decline due to the previous promise.
Remember to respond.
| A．Avoid admitting your schedule is open. |
| B．Identify the exact reason why you want to decline. |
| C．However, the person may ask you for another time. |
| D．This gives you time to create a response in your head. |
| E．But often, we find ourselves saying yes and later regretting it. |
| F．Keep these in mind if the other party asks why you are declining. |
| G．Forgetting a request may hurt people or make you an impolite person. |
