Q: 1 always figured that comedians were the best kind of people to hang around with as a kid. They tell funny stories, make joke after joke, and happiness seems never to leave them. But time goes on, and we come to see these same people as clowns on the outside, but crying a river in the inside. Comedy from these people comes from a deep pain and sadness in their lives, or out of a deep-seated anger they have at the world around them.

Look at Richard Pryor, need I say more? Richard seemed to have everything. For Superman m , he ended up getting more money than Christopher Reeve did. Yet he said while he was in his forties that the last truly happy moment he remembered in his life was when he was jumping around in the dirt while pretending to be a cowboy at the age of 10. This guy set himself on fire, and he played that for laugh while performing live at the Sunset Strip ! Comedy was his constant weapon against pain, and he never held anything back.

The movie Funny People understand very well this gloomy field many comedians have to survive in. It stars Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a famous comedian in the movie. Simmons has it all: a beautiful mansion overlooking the sea, a swimming pool,great cars, and so on. But in his eyes, we see that he is a sad man who has come to truly look down upon himself for what he has become. All the wealth he has collected only serves to separate him from the rest of the world and it makes him defensive when around total strangers who cannot see him as a normal person. But now, he hears from his doctor that he has a terminal disease and has only months left to live. Simmons reacts to this news as if someone took away his blood in the heart, and it makes him clearly see just how much he hates his life. So now he has to make every minute count.

Then come a series of funny stories.

Comedy is just life as it is, isn't it?

1. Adam Sandler
2. They were the best kind of people to hang around with
3. They tell funny stories, make joke after joke, and happiness seems never to leave them
4. Their comedy comes from deep pain and sadnessde. Comedy from these people comes from a deep pain and sadness in their lives
5. This guy set himself on fire
6. For a laugh
7. Christopher Reeve did.
8. Jumping around in the dirt while pretending to be a cowboy.
9. f 10
10. Comedy is just life as it is
11. He has only months to live
12. As if someone took away the blood in his heart
13. That he hates his life and now needs to make every minute count

Numbered questions:
1. Who is the lead in Funny People?
2. What did the author like about comedians as a child?
3. Why?
4. What truth did he come to find out about them?
5. What outrageous thing did Richard Pryor do?
6. Why did he do that?
7. Who played the original Superman?
8. What was the last happy moment that Richard Pryor remembers?
9. How old was he at that time?
10. What is the author's conclusion about comedy?
11. What bad news did George Simmons get?
12. And what was his reaction to this news?
13. And what does he come to realize?

CHAPTER 7

Mr and Mrs Squeers at Home

Mr Squeers, being safely landed, left Nicholas and the boys standing with the luggage in the road, to amuse themselves by looking at the coach as it changed horses, while he ran into the tavern and went through the leg-stretching process at the bar. After some minutes, he returned, with his legs thoroughly stretched, if the hue of his nose and a short hiccup afforded any criterion; and at the same time there came out of the yard a rusty pony-chaise, and a cart, driven by two labouring men.

'Put the boys and the boxes into the cart,' said Squeers, rubbing his hands; 'and this young man and me will go on in the chaise. Get in, Nickleby.'

Nicholas obeyed. Mr. Squeers with some difficulty inducing the pony to obey also, they started off, leaving the cart-load of infant misery to follow at leisure.

'Are you cold, Nickleby?' inquired Squeers, after they had travelled some distance in silence.

'Rather, sir, I must say.'

'Well, I don't find fault with that,' said Squeers; 'it's a long journey this weather.'

'Is it much farther to Dotheboys Hall, sir?' asked Nicholas.

'About three mile from here,' replied Squeers. 'But you needn't call it a Hall down here.'

Nicholas coughed, as if he would like to know why.

'The fact is, it ain't a Hall,' observed Squeers drily.

'Oh, indeed!' said Nicholas, whom this piece of intelligence much astonished.

'No,' replied Squeers. 'We call it a Hall up in London, because it sounds better, but they don't know it by that name in these parts. A man may call his house an island if he likes; there's no act of Parliament against that, I believe?' What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. what are they waiting on?
2. why did they stop traveling for a bit?
3. what was he doing inside?
4. How long did he spend in there?
5. Where did they put their belongings?
6. where did they get in?
Answer:
1. Mr Squeers
2. the tavern
3. the leg-stretching process
4. some minutes
5. into the cart
6. the cart