A taste of English humourWarming up

1、Two Pieces of CakeTom: Mom, can I have two pieces of cake, please?Mom: Certainly - take this piece and cut it two!BirthdayProfessor: When is your birthday?Kid: May 30.Professor: Which year?Kid: Every year.Are the jokes funny? Where does the humour come in the jokes?These funny jokes are humourous in

2、 the last line which called the “punchline” in English hummour.Policeman: Why did you have to break into the same shop three times?Thief: Well, I stole a dress from that shop but my wife didnt like it. So I had to go back and change it twice?Teacher: You say that John Jones has a cold and cannot com

3、e to school today. Who am I speaking to?Voice: Oh, this is my father.How many kinds of humour do you know?funny poemscross talk 相声相声Types of humorfunny storiescomedy mime 哑剧哑剧sketch小品小品jokes The chart shows some typical actors or writers of English humour.Types of humourTypical actors / writers of E

4、nglish humournonverballmimeCharlie ChaplinMr Beanverbal ljokes, funny stories, funny poemslcomedyMark TwainEdward LearMarx BrothersNonverbal humour does not use words but relies on facial expressions and gesture. Charlie ChaplinMr Bean is funny because he makes funny faces and acts silly behaviour.V

5、erbal humour uses words as well.Mark Twain Life on the Mississippi Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Tom SawyerEdward LearPoems by Edward LearThere was an Old Man with a BeardThere was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, “It is just as I feared! Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,ha

6、ve all built their nests in my beard.There was an old man on the BorderThere was an old man on the Border, Who lived in the utmost disorder; He danced with the cat, and made tea in his hat, which vexed (烦扰烦扰) all the folks on the Border.Examples of Chinese humour funny moviesWhat do you know about C

7、harlie Chaplin?Charlie Chaplin He was a great silent movie star. Modern Times, The Little Tramp, The Gold Rush, City Light are his masterpieces (代表作代表作). He was very popular in his time. Charlie Chaplin The Gold Rush A Master of Nonverbal HumourThe text is about the life and work of Charlie Chaplin

8、who _ the lives of Americans and British through two world wars and _. brightenedthe hard yearsin betweenpara.1para.2para.3para.4para.5Find out the main idea of each paragraph.c) His achievementse) An example of a sad situation that he made funnya) What his most famous character was likeb) Why peopl

9、e needed cheeringd) What Charlies childhood was likeRead the passage again and do True or False.1. Charlie Chaplin was poor when he was a small boy. 2. People who dont know English cannot enjoy Chaplins films.3. The Gold Rush is set in California in the late of the nineteenth century. TFF4. In The G

10、old Rush Chaplin and his friend are fortunate to find some gold.5. In the film the meal he eats is hard to chew.6. Chaplin not only acted in films but wrote and directed films as well.FTTNotes about Charlie Chaplins career:BornDied JobType of actingCharacter 18891977Actor Mime and farce (笑剧笑剧)“littl

11、e tramp”, a poor and homeless personReason forsuccessCostume Large trousers, worn-out shoes, small round black hat and a walking stickBecause he has optimism and determination to overcome difficulties and he is always kind a small black hat a moustache a stick very wide trousersHe wore a small black

12、 hat, very wide trousers, a moustache and carried a stick that he swung in the air as he walked.Charlie ChaplinEarly lifeHe was _ in a poor family in 1889 and was taught to sing and dance as a little child.His fathers death made the family _ so he spent his childhood looking after his sick mother an

13、d his brother.By his _, he had become one of the most popular child actors in England.bornworse offteensMost famous film _, a poor, homeless man with a moustache, wore large trousers, worn-out shoes and a small round black hat, and walked around stiffly carrying a walking stick.This character was a

14、social _ but was loved for his optimism and determination to _ all difficulties.characterThe little trampfailureovercomePerforming skillsHe could mime and act the fool doing _ everyday tasks.His subtle acting made everything _.ordinaryentertainingAchievementsHe wrote, _ and produced the films he sta

15、rred in.In 1972 he got a special Oscar for his _ work in films.He is loved and remembered as a great actor who could _ people with great confidence. directedoutstandinginspire Summary In Britain and America people were feeling miserable because of the bad economic situation. Charlie understood their

16、 problems. His character “the little tramp” was poor and homeless, but everybody loved him for his kind heart and the way he dealt with his difficult situation. Charlie Chaplin made people laugh at some of these terrible situations like being without food or money. He wrote and directed his own film

17、s and received an Oscar for his outstanding work.Discussion1. Do you think his poor childhood helped him in his work? Why? Yes, because he understood the problems of people who were very poor.2. Why did people like The Little Tramp?3. Do you think Chaplins eating boiled shoes funny? Why?Because it gives people courage to overcome difficulties. Yes. Because he made the terrible situation “real” for his audience.And he was able to show the humanity and kindness in the most difficult circumstances.4. Why do you think he was so successful?Because he was a wonderful