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We all want to believe that laughter is good for what makes us ill, but the science backing that up is thin.Most studies have been small and have relied on selfreported assessments.
However, a few studies relying on lab testing do show some benefits.“A big laugh leads to the release (释放) of endorphins (chemicals that can make you feel happier) from the brain，” says Michael Miller from the University of Maryland Medical Center.
A 2005 study by Miller measured the blood flow of 20 volunteers before and after watching a funny movie and a sad movie.After the sad movie, blood flow was more restricted in 14 of the 20 viewers.But after the movie that made them laugh, average blood flow increased by 22 percent.
Financial backing for laughter and humor research is weak — so weak that when Mary Bennett, director of the Western Kentucky University School of Nursing, wanted to look into the effect of laughter on the immune (免疫) system, she found herself asking other researchers for equipment from their labs.“It's really hard to get taken seriously when you say you study laughter，” she says.
But her study of 33 healthy women, published in 2003, showed that those who laughed at a humorous movie had higher levels of natural killer cell activity, which increased their ability to fight off disease.However, the effect was seen only in the subjects who laughed out loud, not in those who quietly watched the comedy.
But most of the research on laughter and health depends on personal feelings or opinions rather than scientific facts.One study of 70 depressed elderly women found that laughter yoga was just as effective as exercise in improving mood, as measured by selfsatisfaction reports by subjects.
When Bennett is asked whether laughter cures or prevents any disease, her quick answer is a simple “No.” Still, she adds, “I think it's a useful addon to real medicine.If you're receiving medicinal treatment, anything you can do to help you stay healthy through something unpleasant will help.”
语篇解读：笑一笑，十年少。不过这一说法缺乏科学证据，目前针对笑的研究还很有限。
1.What does the 2005 study show?
A．Funny movies may cause blood problems.
B．Endorphins may make people happier.
C．Sad movies are harmful to patients.
D．Laughter may benefit health.
解析：选D 推理判断题。由第二、三段可知，这项研究表明，笑可能有益健康。
2．What is a difficult problem for Bennett?
A．How to lead a research team.
B．How to study laughter and humor.
C．How to get support for her research.
D．How to do research on the immune system.
解析：选C 细节理解题。由第四段可知，对于Bennett来说，如何获得研究支持很困难。
3．Who got health benefits from watching comedies in the 2003 study?
A．Those who watched quietly.
B．Those who laughed aloud.
C．Those who watched often.
D．Those who laughed a lot.
解析：选B 细节理解题。由第五段中的“However, the effect was seen only in the subjects who laughed out loud”可知，在2003年的研究中，观看喜剧只对那些大笑的实验参与者有健康效果。
