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Whether we find a joke funny or not
我们觉得一则笑话是否好笑
largely depends on where we have been brought up.
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,
譬如 法国人
might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
听完一则俄国笑话可能很难发笑
In the same way,
同样的道理
a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke
一则可以令英国人笑出泪来的笑话
which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
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,
尽管民族不同
certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
有些滑稽的情节却能产生普遍的效果
No matter where you live,
比如说 不管你生活在哪里
you would find it difficult not to laugh at,
你看查理.卓别林的早期电影
say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.
很难不发笑
However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the US,
然而 近来一种新式幽默流行了起来
has recently come into fashion.
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
喜剧演员根据悲剧情节
like violent death or serious accidents.
诸如暴死 重大事故等来编造笑话
Many people find this sort of joke distasteful.
许多人认为这种笑话是低级庸俗的
The following example of 'sick humour'
下面是个病态幽默的实例
will enable you to judge for yourself.
你可据此自己作出判断
A man who had broken his right leg
圣诞节前几周
was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.
某人摔断了右腿被送进医院
From the moment he arrived there,
从他进医院那一刻时
he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him
他就缠住医生
when he would be able to go home.
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,
然而 第二天
the doctor consoled him by telling him
医生安慰他说
that his chances of being able to leave hospital
出院欢度新年的可能性
in time for New Year celebrations were good.
还是很大的
The man took heart and, sure enough,
那人听后振作了精神 果然
on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
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,
为了补偿住院这一段不愉快的经历
the man drank a little more than was good for him.
那人喝得稍许多了一点
In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly
在晚会上他尽情娱乐
and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
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
晚会结束时 他嘴里还在嘟哝着医院的事
when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.
突然踩到一块冰上滑倒了 摔断了左腿
