Page 48 - index

2022 ‫מועד סתיו‬ - 47 - ‫ פרק שני‬- ‫אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) Laughter, according to an old saying, is the best medicine. Although few physicians
would prescribe it for their patients in place of conventional remedies, some do
recommend it as a way of alleviating certain symptoms. Interest in the medical benefits
of laughter was largely inspired by the 1979 book Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived

(5) by the Patient by journalist Norman Cousins. The book deals with the author's
experiences coping with a rare and painful illness. Cousins felt that negative emotions
such as stress and anxiety made his condition worse, so in consultation with his
physician, he developed a treatment regimen that included a nightly dose of humorous
movies and television shows. Although this was not enough to cure him, Cousins did

(10) find that ten minutes of laughter provided him with two hours of pain-free sleep.

But does laughter really offer physiological benefits? Researchers do not fully
understand the effects of laughter on the brain, but experiments have shown that
laughter causes an increase in levels of catecholamines, hormones that enhance mental
functions such as alertness and memory. In addition, laughter reduces secretion of the

(15) stress hormone cortisol, high levels of which are associated with depression and lower
life expectancy. Another study shows that laughter can lower blood sugar levels,
suggesting it may be useful in the treatment of diabetes. Furthermore, laughter seems to
activate certain antibodies – substances that help fight viruses and infection.

However, Robert R. Provine, a neuroscientist and psychologist who has studied
(20) laughter extensively, is not convinced that all these benefits can be attributed

specifically to laughter. He argues that proponents of the medical benefits of laughter
are overlooking alternate explanations. For example, he agrees that laughter can dull
pain, but this may simply be because it provides a distraction; a compelling drama may
be just as effective as a comedy. Research shows that people who laugh frequently are
(25) more likely to be in good health, but this could be because a person who does not feel
well is less likely to laugh. Provine's own studies have found that when people laugh, it
is most often in the context of social interaction. This leads him to believe that the
companionship that usually accompanies laughter may well be the main factor that
contributes to improved health.

Questions

13. The main purpose of the text is to -

(1) argue that doctors should use laughter to treat their patients
(2) discuss the reasons why some people laugh more than others
(3) describe the physiological processes that produce laughter
(4) explore claims regarding the effects of laughter on health

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬
.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬