歌词
--- lesson 29 Funny or not?
是否可笑?
--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
^听录音，然后回答以下问题。
--- What is the basis of 'sick' humour?
Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
^我们觉得一则笑话是否好笑，很大程度取决于我们是在哪儿长大的。
The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.
^幽默感与民族有着神秘莫测的联系。
A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
^譬如，法国人听完一则俄国笑话可能很难发笑。
In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
^同样的道理，一则可以令英格兰人笑出泪来的笑话，俄国人听了可能觉得没有什么可笑之处。
Most funny stories are based on comic situations.
^大部分令人发笑的故事都是根据喜剧情节编写的。
In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
^尽管民族不同，有些滑稽情节却能产生普遍的效果。
No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.
^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。
However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion.
^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。
It is called 'sick humour'.
^它被叫作“病态幽默”。
Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents.
^喜剧演员根据悲剧情节诸如暴死，重大事故等来编造笑话。
Many people find this sort of joke distasteful. The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
^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，你可以据此自己作出判断。
A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.
^圣诞节前几周，某人摔断了右腿被送进医院。
From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home.
^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。
He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital.
^他十分害怕在医院过圣诞。
Though the doctor did his best, the patient's recovery was slow.
^尽管医生竭力医治，但病人恢复缓慢。
On Christmas Day, the man still had his right leg in plaster.
^圣诞节那天，他的右腿还上着石膏，
He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
^他在床上郁郁不乐地躺了一天，想着他错过的种种欢乐。
The following day, however, the doctor consoled him by telling him that his chances of being able to leave hospital in time for New Year celebrations were good.
^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，
The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years' Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
^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。
To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him.
^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。
In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
^在晚会上他尽情娱乐，一再告诉大家他是多么讨厌医院。
He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.
^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。
专辑信息