Question: Sudha Chandran, a famous dancer from India, had to have her right leg cut after a car accident. She was also cut off on her career road. Though the accident brought her bright career to a stop, she didn't give up. In the painful months that followed, Sudha met a doctor who developed a man-made leg for her. So strongly, she wanted to go back to dancing. Sudha believed in herself and she thought she could realize her dream. After every public recital , she would ask her dad about her performance. "You still have a long way to go" was the answer she used to get in return. In January 1984, Sudha made a historic comeback by giving a public recital in Bombay. She performed in such a great manner that it moved everyone to tears. That evening when she asked her dad the usual question, he didn't say anything. He just touched her feet as a praise. Sudha's comeback was so moving that a film producer decided to make the story into a hit film. When someone asked Sudha how she had managed to dance again, she said quite simply, "YOU DON'T NEED FEET TO DANCE." Nothing is impossible in this world. If you have the will to win, you can achieve anything. 1. What kind of activity does Sudha do?
2. What stopped her career?
3. Did she get hurt?
4. Who did she meet next?
5. What did he build for her?
6. What year did she start performing again?
7. Where was it?
8. Did they shoot a movie about it?
9. Why was it movie worthy?
10. Who watches her perform?
11. Did he talk much?
12. Does Sudah say she requires legs to perform?
13. What do you need?
14. Does her father think she has to work hard?
15. Were her performances private?
16. How did the people react?
17. Who chose to turn it into a movie? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers: 1. dancing
2. a car accident
3. yes
4. Sudha met a doctor
5. a man-made leg
6. 1984
7. Bombay
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Her dad
11. No
12. No
13. The will to win
14. Yes
15. No
16. They were moved to tears
17. a film producer

Question: The White family moves to a new city, but Mrs White's son, Bob, is not happy, because he doesn't have any friends to play with there. "Don't worry!" says Mrs White, "you'll soon make friends here." One morning, there is a knock on the door. Mrs White opens it and sees their neighbour Mrs Miller standing there. She comes to borrow two eggs to make some cakes. Mrs White gives her two eggs. In the afternoon, Mrs Miller's son, Jack comes to their home. He says to Mrs White, "my mother asks me to give some cakes and two eggs to you." "Well, thank you," says Mrs White. "Come in and meet my son, Bob." After Bob and Jack have the cakes, they go out to play football together. Jack says, "I am glad you live next door." Bob says, "I must thank your mother for coming to borrow eggs." Jack laughs and tells Bob, "My mother doesn't need any eggs, but she wants to make friends with your mother." Bob says, "Oh, I see. That's a clever way to make friends." 1. Where did the White's move to?
2. Why is Bob sad?
3. Who is his new friend?
4. Where does he live?
5. Who set them up to be friends?
6. Who knocked on the door?
7. Who answered?
8. What did she want?
9. For what?
10. Does Mrs. White loan them to her?
11. Did she really need the eggs?
12. Why did she ask for them?
13. What does Bob want to thank her for?
14. What does Jack think about that?
15. What does Jack bring over?
16. Who eats the cake?
17. What do they do after?
18. What does Bob think about the ploy to make friends?
19. What does Mrs. White say to Jack when he brings the cake
20. Who does she want him to meet? Provide a numbered list of answers.
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A numbered of answers: 1. a new city
2. because he doesn't have any friends to play with there
3. Jack
4. next door
5. Jack's mom
6. Mrs Miller
7. Mrs White
8. two eggs
9. To make some cakes
10. Yes
11. No
12. To make friends with Mrs White
13. Borrowing the eggs.
14. Glad
15. Cakes and eggs
16. Jack and Bob
17. play football
18. That it's clever
19. "Well, thank you"
20. Bob

Question: A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor. Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes, who, in "On Nature", disliked humor, "Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others." He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness.

However, Mordechai Gordon, Ph. D of Education, insists, "Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious." I agree with Gordon. Learning to look at the world through humor is important.

In the United States, every four years an election occurs. Without humor as a way to express their feelings, how else would Americans keep from clawing their eyes out and going the way of lemming? Television shows like "The Daily Show" have become important parts of American culture. They are mothering the masses by metaphorically airplane-ing politics into our mouths. They make politics fun.

Of course, politics is only one type of humor. Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition. American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self- image. On the topic of self-image, Hari Kondabolu stands out. He has a joke about the popular musical group "The Pussycat Dolls", describing their hit song "Don't Cha" as a negative representation of women. He points out an obvious offence in American culture.

A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner. Amongst other things, mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner.

Of course, humor is not always used for good purposes. Humor can be linked to vulgarity and racism, but, like everything else, it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves, our failures and our connection with one another.

Though 1ife may seem tough and depressing at times, all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of.

With that in mind, remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity. 1. Is humor important in the opinion of the author?
2. Where was the study done showing we look for humor when dating?
3. What is mirrored by a culture?
4. Who didn't like humor?
5. What did he think it was?
6. Who said it helps us see things less seriously?
7. When do we elected politicians in America?
8. Is laughter important in this process?
9. What television show provides an outlet for this?
10. Who jokes about a song?
11. What is it's name
12. By whom?
13. Is humor only used to help?
14. What is something less than positive that may appear there?
15. What might it be linked to?
16. What does the author see in his reflection?
17. What do they tell him?
18. And what should we chuckle at besides ourselves? Provide a numbered list of answers.
****
A numbered of answers:
1. yes
2. Loyola University
3. its humor.
4. Thomas Hobbes
5. a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness
6. Mordechai Gordon
7. every four years
8. Yes
9. "The Daily Show"
10. Hari Kondabolu
11. "Don't Cha"
12. "The Pussycat Dolls",
13. No
14. representation of women
15. vulgarity and racism
16. increased wrinkles
17. That there is a comedy in everything.
18. our failures and connection with one another.