Lesson 29 Funny or not?
是否可笑?
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
What is the basis of 'sick' humour?
Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
我們覺得一則笑話是否好笑，很大程度取決于我們是在哪兒長(zhǎng)大的。
The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.
幽默感與民族有著神秘莫測(cè)的聯(lián)系。
A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
譬如，法國(guó)人聽完一則俄國(guó)笑話可能很難發(fā)笑。
In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
同樣的道理，一則可以令英國(guó)人笑出淚來的笑話，俄國(guó)人聽了可能覺得沒有什么可笑之處。
Most funny stories are based on comic situations.
大部分令人發(fā)笑的故事都是根據(jù)喜劇情節(jié)編寫的。
In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
盡管民族不同，有些滑稽情節(jié)卻能產(chǎn)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.
比如說，不管你生活在哪里，你看查理.卓別林的早期電影很難不發(fā)笑。
However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion.
然而，近來一種新式幽默流行了起來，這種幽默主要來自美國(guó)。
It is called 'sick humour'.
它被叫作“病態(tài)幽默”。
Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents.
喜劇演員根據(jù)悲劇情節(jié)諸如暴死，重大事故等來編造笑話。
Many people find this sort of joke distasteful. The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
許多人認(rèn)為這種笑話是低級(jí)庸俗的。下面是個(gè)“病態(tài)幽默”的實(shí)例，你可以據(jù)此自己作出判斷。
A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.
圣誕節(jié)前幾周，某人摔斷了右腿被送進(jìn)醫(yī)院。
From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home.
從他進(jìn)醫(yī)院那一刻時(shí)，他就纏住醫(yī)生，讓醫(yī)生告訴他什么時(shí)候能回家。
He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital.
他十分害怕在醫(yī)院過圣誕。
Though the doctors did his best, the patient's recovery was slow.
盡管醫(yī)生竭力醫(yī)治，但病人恢復(fù)緩慢。
On Christmas Day, the man still had his right leg in plaster.
圣誕節(jié)那天，他的右腿還上著石膏，
He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
他在床上郁郁不樂地躺了一天，想著他錯(cuò)過的種種歡樂。
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，醫(yī)生安慰他說，出院歡度新年的可能性還是很大的，
The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years' Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
那人聽后振作了精神。果然，除夕時(shí)他可以一瘸一拐地去參加晚會(huì)了。
To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him.
為了補(bǔ)償住院這一段不愉快的經(jīng)歷，那人喝得稍許多了一點(diǎn)。
In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
在晚會(huì)上他盡情娛樂，一再告訴大家他是多么討厭醫(yī)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.
晚會(huì)結(jié)束時(shí)，他嘴里還在嘟噥著醫(yī)院的事，突然踩到一塊冰上滑倒了，摔斷了左腿。
是否可笑?
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
What is the basis of 'sick' humour?
Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
我們覺得一則笑話是否好笑，很大程度取決于我們是在哪兒長(zhǎng)大的。
The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.
幽默感與民族有著神秘莫測(cè)的聯(lián)系。
A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
譬如，法國(guó)人聽完一則俄國(guó)笑話可能很難發(fā)笑。
In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
同樣的道理，一則可以令英國(guó)人笑出淚來的笑話，俄國(guó)人聽了可能覺得沒有什么可笑之處。
Most funny stories are based on comic situations.
大部分令人發(fā)笑的故事都是根據(jù)喜劇情節(jié)編寫的。
In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
盡管民族不同，有些滑稽情節(jié)卻能產(chǎn)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.
比如說，不管你生活在哪里，你看查理.卓別林的早期電影很難不發(fā)笑。
However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion.
然而，近來一種新式幽默流行了起來，這種幽默主要來自美國(guó)。
It is called 'sick humour'.
它被叫作“病態(tài)幽默”。
Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents.
喜劇演員根據(jù)悲劇情節(jié)諸如暴死，重大事故等來編造笑話。
Many people find this sort of joke distasteful. The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
許多人認(rèn)為這種笑話是低級(jí)庸俗的。下面是個(gè)“病態(tài)幽默”的實(shí)例，你可以據(jù)此自己作出判斷。
A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.
圣誕節(jié)前幾周，某人摔斷了右腿被送進(jìn)醫(yī)院。
From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home.
從他進(jìn)醫(yī)院那一刻時(shí)，他就纏住醫(yī)生，讓醫(yī)生告訴他什么時(shí)候能回家。
He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital.
他十分害怕在醫(yī)院過圣誕。
Though the doctors did his best, the patient's recovery was slow.
盡管醫(yī)生竭力醫(yī)治，但病人恢復(fù)緩慢。
On Christmas Day, the man still had his right leg in plaster.
圣誕節(jié)那天，他的右腿還上著石膏，
He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
他在床上郁郁不樂地躺了一天，想著他錯(cuò)過的種種歡樂。
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，醫(yī)生安慰他說，出院歡度新年的可能性還是很大的，
The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years' Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
那人聽后振作了精神。果然，除夕時(shí)他可以一瘸一拐地去參加晚會(huì)了。
To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him.
為了補(bǔ)償住院這一段不愉快的經(jīng)歷，那人喝得稍許多了一點(diǎn)。
In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
在晚會(huì)上他盡情娛樂，一再告訴大家他是多么討厭醫(yī)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.
晚會(huì)結(jié)束時(shí)，他嘴里還在嘟噥著醫(yī)院的事，突然踩到一塊冰上滑倒了，摔斷了左腿。