VOA慢速英语:'Gelotophobia' Is No Laughing Matter

No Laughing Matter不是闹着玩的事

例句：It's no laughing matter. 
       这不是好笑的事儿。

       We feel that life is no laughing matter. 
       我们觉得人生绝非是开玩笑的事情。

2.They worry that something they say or do will make others laugh at them.

laugh at嘲笑, 取笑

例句：Are you laughing at me?
      你在嘲笑我吗?

      No one laughed at her when she failed.
      当她失败时, 没人讥笑她。

后面的that引导的是宾语从句。they say or do是定语从句，修饰something。

3.But some people worry much more than others about being the target of laughter.

much more than，much修饰比较级。

一、much修饰比较级

修饰比较是副词much的常见用法，“much + 比较级”的意思是“更……”“……得多”。如：

It’s much colder today than it was yesterday. 今天比昨天冷得多。

It was much worse than I thought. 它比我想像的还要糟得多。

We will be a much better football team next year. 明年我们将会成为一支更好的足球队。

二、much修饰最高级

much修饰最高级应置于最高级前的定冠词之前，而不是之后。“much + the + 最高级”的意思是“最最……”“绝对是最……”。如：

This is much the most difficult. 这是最最难的。

That’s much the best plan. 那绝对是最好的计划。

Of the three boys Nick is much the cleverest. 这三个男孩中，尼克最最聪明。

三、much修饰副词too

much too 为习语，其中的much修饰副词too；much too可视为too的加强说法，其语气比单独用too更强。如：

He spoke much too fast. 他说话说得太快了。

This is much too heavy for you to lift. 这东西太重，你拿不起来。

注意：much too与too much词序不同，用法也不同。从句法功能上看，much too的用法与too相同，但比too的语气更强；而too much在用法上则与much相同，但比much 语气更强。比较：

He drives much too fast. 他开车开得太快了。

The shoes are much too small for me. 这鞋子我穿太小了。

There is too much rain. 雨水太多了。

You have given me too much. 你已经给我太多了。

4.Fear of being laughed at, being made fun of, is a common emotion.

make fun of嘲笑,嘲弄,取笑

例句：He liked to make fun of the way that she walked.
      他喜欢取笑她走路的样子。