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2013 ‫מועד דצמבר‬ - 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) Clowns do not usually attend medical conventions. But at this year's meeting of the
American Association for Therapeutic Humor (AATH), there were as many clowns as
doctors. Even the doctors, nurses and psychologists at the convention got into the
clown spirit by sporting big red noses. The convention's participants discussed the

(5) therapeutic benefits of laughter as well as methods of encouraging sick people to laugh.

Barry Bittman, a neurologist, described a study he had conducted, which
demonstrated that laughter can strengthen the immune system, thereby helping to
prevent and cure disease. Bittman used medical students as subjects for his study.

One group of students sat quietly for an hour, while, in another room, the second group
(10) watched a comedy video. Tests performed afterwards showed that the group that had

watched the video had higher levels of disease-fighting antibodies in their blood. They
also had higher levels of what doctors call "natural killer cells," which find and destroy
cancer cells and viruses. "When you're laughing, smiling, or telling jokes, biological
changes occur," said Bittman. He emphasized, however, that humor should be used
(15) along with, not instead of, conventional medicine. "I think humor is a valuable tool," he
said, "but you can't cure people with humor alone."

Stuart Copans, a child psychiatrist, believes that laughter can be especially useful in

working with children. Humor can help young patients feel more comfortable, making

it easier for them to talk about painful memories and experiences. For some particularly

(20) troubled children, laughter may be the key to releasing repressed emotions. As Copans

explains, a laugh is an emotional reaction, and for these children, feeling any emotion at

all is the first step in confronting long-buried feelings.

Questions

13. It can be understood from the first paragraph that an outsider might have been surprised

at the number of at the AATH meeting.

(1) clowns
(2) doctors
(3) sick people
(4) participants

)‫© 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