Book pages 66 and 67
Book Page 66 and 67
Some sentences have been removed from this article. Read the article and the sentences. Then decide which sentence fits in each gap.
Write the letters for the sentences on the lines.
There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.
Benefits of smiling and laughing
by Jennifer Smith
Smiling and laughing can have a positive effect on your well-being, but as you make the transition from child to adult, you often tend to lose the habit of indulging in these behaviours. A good example of this is a children’s playground.
1. You often see the kids running around, constantly laughing and smiling ______, while the parents sit round the edge, full of stress that modern life can bring, with the occasional grin breaking their otherwise serious facial expressions. Adults can benefit from taking a lead from children and making more room in life for smiling and laughter. Research has shown that there is a number of health benefits attributed to smiling and laughing. In addition to improving health, these simple facial expressions and common human behaviours can have distinctive positive effects on other factors in all areas of your life. When you smile and laugh, a number of physiological changes occur in your body, mostly without you being consciously aware of it happening.
2. Endorphins are released when you smile - These are triggered by the movements of the muscles in your face, which is interpreted by your brain, which in turn releases these chemicals. Endorphins are responsible for making us feel happy, and they also help lower stress levels. Faking a smile or laugh works as well as the real thing – ______ the positioning of the facial muscles in the same way. This is known as the facial feedback hypothesis. The more we stimulate our brain to release this chemical, the more often we feel happier and relaxed.
3. Endorphins make us feel happier and less stressed - They also act as the body’s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be very effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over. While the release of endorphins is increased, the stress hormone cortisol is reduced - Cortisol is more active when we feel stressed or anxious and contributes to the unpleasant feelings we experience, and ______.
4. Laughing expands the lungs, stretches the muscles in the body and stimulates homeostasis - This exercises the body, replenishing the cells from a lungful of oxygen and gaining all the benefits of exercising the body. A good laugh can be an effective way to release emotions - A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle up inside. Everything looks a little bit better after a good laugh and ______. Smiling and laughing have positive social implications as well.
5. Smiling is an attractive expression, which is more likely to draw people to you rather than push them away - Smiling makes you appear more approachable. Interaction with others is easier and more enjoyable when smiles and laughs are shared, and these behaviours are contagious, making others feel better too, and ______. This, in turn, will have a positive effect on your well-being.
6. A happy, positive expression will serve you well in life - This is particularly true for challenging situations such as job interviews: a smiling, relaxed persona ______. This will also be beneficial in your career, building healthy relationships with colleagues and being seen in a favourable light by your employers.
