新概念英语美音版第三册:Lesson 29 Funny or not?

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，一则可以令英国人笑出泪来的笑话，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 doctors 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。