Lesson29FunnyorNotWhetherwefindajokefunnyornotlargelydependsonwherewehavebeenbroughtup.我们觉得一则笑话是否好笑(名词性从句,作主语),很大程度取决于我们是在哪儿长大的。Whetherthepopstarwillcome(ornot)isnotdecided.Yoursuccesswilllargelydependuponwhatyoudoandhowyoudoit.你的成功主要取决于你做的事情和做的方式。Thesenseofhumourismysteriouslyboundupwithnationalcharacteristics.AFrenchman,forinstance,mightfindithardtolaughataRussianjoke.幽默感与民族(性格)有着神秘莫测的联系。譬如,法国人听完一则俄国笑话可能很难发笑。Thefailureofthehousingmarketisboundupwiththedebtcrisis.HehasbecomeusedtotheideathathowhewillbejudgedasprimeministerisboundupwithwhathappensinIraq.Inthesameway,aRussianmightfailtoseeanythingamusinginajokewhichwouldmakeanEnglishmanlaughtotears.同样的道理(方式/情况),一则可以令英国人笑出泪来的笑话(定从),俄国人听了可能觉得没有什么可笑之处(未发现有趣之处)。failtodo失败;未做成neverfailtodo从未做不到;双重否定表示肯定Mostfunnystoriesarebasedoncomicsituations.Inspiteofnationaldifferences,certainfunnysituationshaveauniversalappeal.Nomatterwhereyoulive,youwouldfinditdifficultnottolaughat,say,CharlieChaplin’searlyfilms.大部分令人发笑的故事都是根据喜剧情节编写的。尽管民族不同,有些滑稽的情节却能产生普遍的效果。比如说,不管你生活在哪里,你看查理.卓别林的早期电影很难不发笑。bebasedon/upon…基于…inspiteof(=despiteof不管)comic喜剧的comicbookcomedy喜剧silentcomediescomedian喜剧演员clown小丑tragicadj.悲剧的tragedyn.悲剧universaladj.普遍的universalagentn.全权代理人universaltimen.(=GreenwichTime)世界时间,格林尼治时universalwheeln.万向轮universalityn.普遍性,一般性,多方面性,广泛性universallyadv.普遍地,全体地,到处However,anewtypeofhumour,whichstemslargelyfromtheU.S.,hasrecentlycomeintofashion.然而,近来一种新式幽默流行了起来,这种幽默主要来自美国。stemvi.[美]起源,发生n.植物的茎,干,花梗,叶柄stemsfrom=springfrom起源于=comefrom出身于,由...引起=arisefrom由...而引起,由...而产生=originatefrom由某人发起(首创)comeintofashion=becomefamouscomeintopower(开始)掌权,上台comeintobeing使产生,使出现,建立,成立Itiscalled‘sickhumour.Comediansbasetheirjokesontragicsituationslikeviolentdeathorseriousaccidents.它被叫作“病态幽默”。喜剧演员根据悲剧情节诸如暴死,重大事故等来编造笑话。baseAonB:把A建立在B的基础上humourn.幽默(等于humor)illhumour情绪不佳goodhumour愉快的心情blackhumour(=darkcomedy)黑色幽默coldhumour冷笑话crackajoke开玩笑beyondajoke并非戏言Manypeoplefindthissortofjokedistasteful.Thefollowingexampleof‘sickhumour”willenableyoutojudgeforyourself.许多人认为这种笑话是低级庸俗的。下面是个“病态幽默”的实例,你可据此自己作出判断。distastefuladj.讨厌的(adv.distastefully)unpleasantadj.使人不愉快的,讨厌的displeasingadj.使人不愉快的,令人发火的I'llgiveyouallthefactssothatyoucanjudgeforyourself.AmanwhohadbrokenhisrightlegwastakentohospitalafewweeksbeforeChristmas.圣诞节前几周,某人摔断了右腿(定从)被送进医院。Fromthemomenthearrivedthere,hekeptonpesteringhisdoctortotellhimwhenhewouldbeabletogohome.从他进医院那一刻时,他就缠住医生,让医生告诉他什么时候能回家。pesterv.一再要求,纠缠(同义词:annoy,worry,bother,disturb,bug,torment,harass)pestersb.todosth.麻烦某人做某事pestersb.withsth.以某事烦扰某人pestersb.forsth.缠住某人讨取某物Theboykept/keptonaskingsomesillyquestionsinclass.HedreadedhavingtospendChristmasinhospital.他十分害怕在医院过圣诞。dread+名词,动名词,动词不定式--Weweredreadinghisarrival.--Hedreadedhavingtomeethisparents.--Idreadtothinkwhatwillhappenifhefindsout.dreadfuladj.令人恐惧的,令人不快的--adreadfuldisaster可怕的灾难indreadof….害怕某人[某事]--Weareindreadofinsects.(insectn.昆虫)Thoughthedoctordidhisbest,thepatient’srecoverywasslow.OnChristmasDay,themanstillhadhisrightleginplaster.Hespentamiserabledayinbedthinkingofallthefunhewasmissing.尽管医生竭力医治,但病人恢复缓慢。圣诞节那天,他的右腿还上着石膏,他在床上郁郁不乐地躺了一天,想着他错过的种种欢乐。amiserableday=aterribledayThefollowingday,however,thedoctorconsoledhimbytellinghimthathischancesofbeingabletoleavehospitalintimeforNewYearcelebrationsweregood.然而,第二天,医生安慰他说,出院欢度新年的可能性还是很大的。consolev.安慰,慰问consolationn.安慰consolationletter/spiritualconsolationIcanconsolemyselfwiththefactthatI'mnotalone.我可以用不只我一个人的这种事实来安慰自己。Themantookheartand,sureenough,onNewYear’sEvehewasabletohobblealongtoaparty.那人听后振作了精神。果然,除夕时他可以一瘸一拐地去参加晚会了。--Ihurtmyfootwhilegettingoffthebus,andhadtohobblehome.我在下公共汽车时脚受了伤,只好一拐一拐地走回家。hobblen.困难,窘惑--bein(getinto)ahobble陷于窘境Tocompensateforhisunpleasantexperiencesinhospital,themandrankalittlemorethanwasgoodforhim.为了补偿住院这一段不愉快的经历,那人喝得稍许多了一点。compensatev.补偿to表示目的性inordertotocompensatesb.for为…向某人赔偿intheprocessof…在...的过程中Intheprocess,heenjoyedhimselfthoroughlyandkepttellingeverybodyhowmuchhehatedhospitals.Hewasstillmumblingsomethingabouthospitalsattheendofthepartywhenheslippedonapieceoficeandbrokehisleftleg.在晚会上(过程中)他尽情娱乐,一再告诉大家他是多么讨厌医院。晚会结束时,他嘴里还在嘟哝着医院的事,突然踩到一块冰上滑倒了,摔断了左腿。Hemumbledafewwords.HecouldhearthelowmumbleofNavarro'svoice.Comprehensionquestions1.Whatwasthesenseofhumormysteriouslyboundupwith?Nationalcharacteristics.2.WouldaFrenchfinditeasytolaughataRussianjoke?No,hewouldn’t.3.WouldaRussianfindanEnglishjokefunny?No,hewouldn’t.4.Whataremostfunnystoriesbasedon?Comicsituations.5.Whatkindofappealdocertainfunnysituationshave?Auniversalappeal.6.WouldmostpeoplelaughatCharlieChaplin'searlyfilms?Yes,theywould.7.Wheredoesthenewkindofhumorcomefrom?TheUSA8.Whatisthenewkindofhumorcalled?Sickhumor.9.Whatdocomediansbasetheirjokeson?Tragicsituationslikeviolentdeathorseriousaccidents.10.Whatdomanypeoplethinkofthiskindofhumor?Theyfinditdistasteful.11.Amanwastakentohospital.Why?When?Becausehehadbrokenhisrightleg.AfewweeksbeforeChristmas.13.Whydidhekeeppesteringhisdoctor?toaskwhenhewouldbeabletogohome.