Page 117 - SpringBoard_ELA_CA_Smapler_Flipbook

acTIVITY 4.2 continued
Teacher Notes
256 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 8
256 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 8
9781457304644_TCB_LA_SE_L8_U4.indd 256 15/04/15 1:47 A
aCTIVITy 4.2
continued
Understanding the Complexity of Humor
my Notes
2. Craft and Structure: In paragraph 7, what purpose does the sentence in parentheses serve?
The sentence provides additional information and humor, addressing a question that arises in the reader’s mind, “Since when would anyone tickle a rat?” RI.8.4
3. Key Ideas and Details: As discussed in paragraphs 16–19, why is unplanned humor often funnier than planned humor?
Unplanned humor is funnier because it is based on a shared context. RI.8.3
4. Craft and Structure: What context clues in paragraph 21 help you understand the meaning of the word “retrospect”?
Keenen Ivory Wayans describes a common situation: something terrible happens, and we are only able to find the humor in it afterwards, “in retrospect.” His quote that follows, “But a comedian doesn’t need retrospect; he realizes it’s funny while he’s in the eye of the storm,” confirms that retrospect speaks to the past as “the eye of the storm” speaks to the present. RI.8.4
5. Key Ideas and Details: Based on paragraphs 26–27, what distinction can you make between what makes children laugh and what makes adults laugh? Why might children laugh more often than adults?
Children like more physical humor and humor based on sounds, whereas adult humor is more intellectual. Physical humor and sounds happen naturally and more frequently than intellectual humor, and so we can conclude that children laugh more than adults. RI.8.3
6. Key Ideas and Details: There are four known techniques for telling jokes well as explained in paragraph 32. How do the first two techniques relate to narrative writing?
Keeping to the point and knowing when to use details are also rules in narrative writing. RI.8.3
7. Knowledge and Ideas: What is the author’s argument in this essay? Cite specific evidence from the text in your response.
The author’s argument as presented in the first paragraph is that while laughter is universal, the reasons we laugh vary. Answers that support his argument include the following: how the LaughLab project examined what makes different groups of people laugh, how babies laugh from instinct, how timing affects humor, how different comedians use different approaches, and how people laugh the hardest at everyday comments. RI.8.8
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© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
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