Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected, means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. It can be used for patching up differences, apologizing, saying “no,” criticizing, getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losing face. For some jobs, it’s the only tool that can succeed. It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialogue may start a quarrel. For example, many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerance than people in any other forum.
Humor is often the best way to keep a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. Recently a neighbor of mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. Airborne, he felt miserable, and he knew she did, too. Two hours after she returned home, she received a long-distance phone call. “Person-to-person for Mrs. I. A. Pologize,” intoned the operator. “That’s spelled ‘P’ as in…” In a twinkling, the whole day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire.
An English hostess with a quick wit was giving a formal dinner for eight distinguished guests whom she hoped to enlist in a major charity drive. Austerity（节俭）was a fashion in England at the time, and she had asked her children to serve the meal. She knew that anything could happen—and it did, just as her son, with the studied concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large roast turkey. He successfully elbowed the swinging dining-room door, but the backswing threw the bird onto the dining-room floor.
The boy stood rooted: guests stared at their plates. Moving only her head the hostess smiled at her son,” No harm, Daniel,” she said. “Just pick him up and take him back to the kitchen”… she enunciated clearly so he would think about what she was saying… “and bring in the other one.”
A wink and a one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a conspiracy of fun.
小题1:What is the main idea of the passage?
A．Humor is the key to success in our work and our lives.
B．Humor enables us to cope with difficult situation effectively.
C．Humor is the only best way to criticize someone without losing his face.
D．Humor makes fun of any difficult situations.小题2:Which of the following is NOT stated in the passage?
A．Comedians on TV are believed to have done a lot in making people more tolerant of racial and religious differences.
B．To make up differences, humor is a most acceptable as well as a most effective means.
C．People often turn to humorous ways when meeting with difficult situations because of its effectiveness.
D．Only by adopting the means of humor can one succeed in some jobs.小题3:By saying “and bring in the other one,” the hostess meant that_________.
A．the son had to cook another turkey for the guests
B．she already had made more than one turkey ready for the dinner
C．some other dish would be served instead of a turkey
D．the son could serve the same turkey after it was cleaned
