Passage

Medium

I do not claim to tell a story as it ought to be told, but I know how a story should be told, for I have been in the company of expert storytellers for years. There are several kinds of stories, but only one difficult kind-the humorous story. The humorous story depends for its effect upon the manner of telling; the comic and the witty story, upon the matter.

A humorous story can be long and meander without arriving at a particular point, but comic and witty stories must be brief and end with a punch. The humorous story is a high and delicate art that requires an artist to tell, whereas the comic and witty stories do not need artistic skill. The humorous story is told gravely, with the teller attempting to conceal the humor. The comic storyteller, on the other hand, announces beforehand that the story is very funny and laughs at his own jokes.

Often, a rambling, humorous story may finish with a point, but the storyteller drops it casually, with the pretense that he does not know it is a nub. In contrast, the comic storyteller does not slur the nub; he shouts it at you and when he prints it he emphasizes the punchline with italics and exclamation marks, which is very depressing, and makes one want to renounce joking and lead a better life.

The writer portrays humorous stories as being of a higher level than comic stories by emphasising that

a humorous story is grave in spite of being humorous

a humorous story is difficult and superior due to its American descent

a humorous story is a great and delicate art that requires an artist to tell

unlike the comic and witty stories, humorous stories do not depress the reader

✅ Correct Option: 3

Option 1 -> While the passage mentions the grave manner of telling, this describes the technique, not why it's considered higher level.

Option 2 -> The passage makes no mention of American descent or cultural origins.

Option 3 -> The passage explicitly states humorous stories are "a high and delicate art that requires an artist to tell, whereas comic and witty stories do not need artistic skill" - directly establishing superiority.

Option 4 -> Though comic stories are described as "depressing," this is a secondary observation, not the main reason for the hierarchy.

Hence, Option 3 -> The writer directly contrasts the artistic skill required for humorous stories against the lack of such requirement for comic stories, making this the central argument for positioning humorous stories at a higher level -> correct

Question 1

How is the humour in a humorous story typically conveyed?

Question 2

The expression "In contrast, the comic storyteller does not slur the nub" implies that the comic story teller_

Question 3

Which of the following best describes the difference between a humorous story and a comic story?

The writer portrays humorous stories as being of a higher level than comic stories by emphasising that

Solution

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