20、Dr Wiseman started “the laugh lab” project in September 2001. It is the largest study of humor. Participants（参加者）are invited to log on to the laugh lab website, give a few personal details, tell their favorite jokes and judge the jokes told by other people.

　　The project will last for a year, and the organizers hope to finally discover the world’s funniest joke. But there is also a serious purpose. The researchers want to know what people from different nations and cultures find funny. And they want to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humor. The idea is that if we want to understand each other, we have to find out what makes us laugh.

　　This is a subject that has long interested psychologists（心理学家）and philosophers（哲学家）. Most of the time, people are not completely honest. We do things that society expects us to and say things that help us get what we want. But laughing cannot be controlled. When we laugh, we tell the truth about ourselves.

　　By December 2001 over 10, 000 jokes had been submitted. This gave the scientists enough evidence （证据）to make early conclusions. It seems that men and women do have different senses of humor, for instance.

　　“Our findings show the major differences in the ways in which males and females use humor, ”　said Dr.Wiseman. “Males use humor to appear superior（优越）to others, while women are more skilled in languages and prefer word play. ”

　　Researchers also found that there really is such a thing as a national sense of humor. the British enjoy what is usually called “toilet humor”. But the French like their jokes short and sharp: “You’re a high priced lawyer. Will you answer two questions for 500?” “Yes. What’s the second question?”

　　The Germans are famous for not having a sense of humor. But the survey found that German participants were more likely to find submitted jokes funny than any other nationality. Perhaps that proves the point. Is this joke funny? I don’t know, but let’s say yes, just to be safe.

　　Dr Wiseman and his workmates also submitted jokes created by computer. But none of those who took part in the survey found any of them amusing. Perhaps this is relief. Computers already seem like they can do everything. At least they should leave the funny stuff to us.

1．Scientist started“ the laugh lab” project________

　    A．to find the funniest joke in European countries

　    B．to know what funny people are from different nations and cultures

       C．to find out the differences between the male and female sense of humor

       D．to get more personal details about participants

2．We can infer from the passage that________.

       A．most of the people all over he world are completely honest

       B．psychologists and philosophers take interest in the “laugh lab” project

　    C．ordinary people are not interested in “the laugh lab” project at all

　    D．people tell the truth about themselves only when they laugh

3．The writer gave the examples of the British, the French and the Germans________.

　    A．to show that French people have a better sense of humor

　    B．to prove the British people have a sense of “toilet humor”

　    C．to show people from different nations have different senses of humor

　    D．to prove that the Germans have no sense of humor

4．Which statement is true according to the passage?

       A．The jokes by computer are less funny than those by humans.

　    B．The Germans cannot find the submitted jokes amusing.

　    C．Males are better at word play compared with women.

　    D．Females like to use humor to show that they are superior.

18、I have done much of the work. Could you please finish ________ in two days?

A．the rest          B．the other          C．another             D．the others

17、---Do you think the Labor Bill will be passed?

---Oh, yes. It’s ______ that it will.

A．sure        B．surely           C．likely           D．certainly

16、We are taught that a business letter should be written in a formal style _______in a personal one.

A．better than           B．more than            C．less than        D．rather than

15、---I’m sorry, but there’s no smoking on this flight.

---Oh, I______ that. Sorry, I won’t again.

A．don’t know.          B．didn’t know.           C．won’t know               D．haven’t known.

14、---If our parents would listen more to us, they would understand us better.

---___________.They just expect us to listen.

A．I believe not.                                   B．No problem.               

C．I can’t agree more.                 D．Good idea.

13、It is rather difficult to make friends with her, but her friendship, _______, is truer than any other’s.

A．while gaining          B．after gaining          C．when to gain           D．once gained

12、Playing video games can make children aggressive and ________ attention disorders. So children who play video games a lot seem to have more trouble in school.

A．contribute to                              B．result from   

C．lie in                                          D．come about

11、---Can I pay the bill by check?

---Sorry, sir. But it is the management rules of our hotel that payment _____be made in cash.

A．need           B．will         C．shall             D．can