Lesson 29  Funny or not?  是否可笑？
    
本课的flash不全

New words and expression 生词和短语
★Largely  adv.在很大程度上
-- His success was largely due to luck.

★Universal  adj.普遍的
universal agent  n.全权代理人
universal time  n.(= Greenwich Time)世界时间,格林尼治时
universal joint  n.[机]万向接头
万向接头：一种接头或连轴节，能使互相不在一条线上的机械零件在传输旋转运动时在任意方向上具有有限的运动自由度。
Universality  n.普遍性, 一般性, 多方面性, 广泛性
Universally  adv.普遍地, 全体地, 到处
-- Acknowledged  adj.公认的
-- It’s universally acknowledged that English is get more and more important.
Universe  n.宇宙, 世界, 万物

★Comic  adj.喜剧的, 可笑的
Comedian  n.滑稽演员, 喜剧演员
Comedy  n.喜剧, 喜剧性的事情
-- Tragic  adj.悲惨的, 悲剧的
-- Tragedy  n.悲剧, 惨案, 悲惨, 灾难
-- Tragedian  n.悲剧演员, 悲剧作家

★Distasteful  adj.讨厌的 （adv. distastefully）---unpleasant
Unpleasant  adj.使人不愉快的, 讨厌的
Displeasing  adj.使人不愉快的, 令人发火的
-- The idea is distasteful to me.

★Pester  v.一再要求, 纠缠 （assail vt.攻击, 困扰）
pester sb. to do sth.  以某事烦扰某人; 缠住某人讨取某物; 麻烦某人做某事
pester sb. with sth.  以某事烦扰某人; 缠住某人讨取某物; 麻烦某人做某事
-- He continually pesters his boss with demands.
pester sb. for sth.  以某事烦扰某人; 缠住某人讨取某物; 麻烦某人做某事
-- Don’t pester me for the trifle.（n.小事, 琐事, 微不足道的东西）

★Dread  v.惧怕 --have great fear
Dread + 名词, 动名词, 动词不定式
-- We were dreading his arrival.  我们正担心他来呢！
-- He dreaded having to meet his parents.
-- I dread to think what will happen if he finds out.
Dreadful  adj.令人恐惧的, 令人不快的
-- a dreadful disaster 可怕的灾难
dreaded  adj.感到恐惧的
in dread of….  害怕某人[某事]
-- We are in dread of insects.（insect n.昆虫）
terrify  vt.使恐怖, 恐吓
horrify  v.使恐怖, 使极度厌恶, 惊骇
fear  v.害怕, 畏惧, 为...担心

★Recovery  n.康复
Plaster  n.熟石膏

★console  v.安慰, 慰问 ---give comfort
-- Grief  n.悲痛, 伤心事, 不幸, 忧伤
-- He is consoling his friend in grief for the loss of child.

★hobble  v.瘸着腿走
-- I hurt my foot while getting off the bus, and had to hobble home.
我在下公共汽车时脚受了伤, 只好一拐一拐地走回家。
Hobble  n.困难, 窘惑
-- be in (get into) a hobble 陷于窘境

★compensate  v.补偿
to compensate sb. For  为…向某人赔偿
-- Nothing can compensate the young mother for the loss of her favrourite daughter.
年轻的妈妈丧失了自己心爱的女儿是任何东西也弥补不了的。
Compensate  v.酬报（for）
-- The company compensates her for extra work. 公司因她的额外工作而给她报酬。

★mumble  v.喃喃而语
-- He mumbled sth. to me but I could not hear what he said.
他对我咕哝了几句，可是我没听清他说的什么。
mumbler  n.说话含糊的人

★basis  n.基础, 基本, 根据
★basic  adj.基本的 n.基本, 要素, 基础 n.[计]BASIC语言, 基本高级语言
★bring up  教育, 养育
★mysteriously  adv.神秘的
★bind  vt.vi.（bound, bound, binding）缚, 绑
-- be bound up with  与...有密切关系
★sense  n.意思, 意义 n.感觉, 知觉, 感知
★characteristic  n.特性, 特征
★Russian  n.俄国人, 俄语 adj.俄国的, 俄国人的, 俄语的
★Situation  n.情形, 境遇
-- Comic situation  喜剧情节
★appeal  n.魅力, 吸引力, 感染力
★stem  vi.[美]起源, 发生  n.【植】茎, 干, 花梗, 叶柄
★tragic  adj.悲惨的, 悲剧的
★violent  adj.猛烈的, 狂暴的, 剧烈的
-- a violent death 横死, 暴死
★judge  vi.下判断, 作出裁判
★celebration  n.庆祝, 庆典
★eve  n.前夕, 前日 n.节日的前夜（-- New Year's Eve除夕）
n.（重大事件的）前夕（-- on the eve of the great war 大战前夕）

Text 课文
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
What is the basis of ‘sick’ humour?

Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up. The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics. A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke. In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
Most funny stories are based on comic situations. In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal. No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films. However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion. It is called' sick humour '. Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents. Many people find this sort of joke distasteful. The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas. From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home. He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. Though the doctor did his best, the patient's recovery was slow. On Christmas day, the man still had his right leg in plaster. He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing. 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. The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party. To compensate for his unpleas-
ant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him. In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals. He was still mumbling some-
thing about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.

参考译文
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。幽默感与民族有着神秘莫测的联系。譬如，法国人听完一则俄国笑话可能很难发笑。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。
大部分令人发笑的故事都是根据喜剧情节编写的。尽管民族不同，有些滑稽的情节却能产生普遍的效果。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。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。它被叫作“病态幽默”。喜剧演员根据悲剧情节诸如暴死，重大事故等来编造笑话。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，你可据此自己作出判断。
圣诞节前几周，某人摔断了右腿被送进医院。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。他十分害怕在医院过圣诞。尽管医生竭力医治，但病人恢复缓慢。圣诞节那天，他的右腿还上着石膏，他在床上郁郁不乐地躺了一天，想着他错过的种种欢乐。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，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。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。在晚会上他尽情娱乐，一再告诉大家他是多么讨厌医院。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。

Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.

The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.

A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
I found it difficult to finish the work in a day.
It was difficult not to be attempted.

In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.

Most funny stories are based on comic situations.
be based upon…  基于…
-- This news report is based entirely on fact. 这篇新闻报导是完全根据实际情况写成的。

In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.

No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.

However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion.
stem from 源自, 起源于
-- His feeling of hate stem from envy.（n.羡慕, 妒嫉）
-- Her interest in flowers stemmed from her childhood in the country.
stem from 源自, 起源于
= come from 出身于, 由...引起, 是...的结果, 是在...生长大的
= arise from 由...而引起, 由...而产生
= originate from 由某人发起(首创)
Originate  vi.发源, 开始, 发生
-- The quarrel originated in a misunderstanding. 争吵是由于误解而引起的。
-- The film originated from a short story. 这部电影取材于一篇短篇小说。
Originate  vt.使产生, 创始, 创办, 发明, 发起, 引起
-- They originated the plan. 他们首先提出这一计划。

come into fashion 流行起来, 开始风行
come into power (开始)掌权, 上台
come into being 使产生, 使出现, 建立, 成立

It is called‘sick humour’.

Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations like violent death or serious accidents.

Many people find this sort of joke distasteful.

The following example of‘sick humour’will enable you to judge for yourself.

A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.

From the moment he arrived there, he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home.

He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital.
Dread to do = dread doing

Though the doctor did his best, the patient's recovery was slow.

On Christmas Day, the man still had his right leg in plaster.

He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
Miserable  adj.痛苦的, 悲惨的, 可怜
A miserable day = a terrible day
think of  考虑, 设想, 想象
-- When I saw you I thought of my sister
think of doing sth
-- He is thinking of setting a school.
Spend time doing sth.
By通过某种方式
-- I arrive here by train.

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.
Chance在表达机会这个概念的时候, 经常采用复数形式。
One’s chances of doing sth are good  某人做某事的可能性很大
-- My chances of passing the examination are good.
-- His chances of being dismissed are good.
remote  adj.遥远的, 偏僻的
adj.极小的, 细微的, 模糊的（= slight adj.轻微的, 微小的）
One’s chances of doing sth are remote  某人做某事的可能性很小
-- His chances of arriving here by bicycle are remote.

The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
take heart  鼓起勇气, 打起精神
-- He took heart when he got the good news.
lose heart  灰心, 泄气
-- If they knew how difficult it was to drill through the hard rock they would lose heart.

To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital, the man drank a little more than was good for him.
To = in order to
More than…  超出…范围
-- The cake is more than I can eat.
More than后面可以引导省略主语的比较从句, 从句中常见的形容词有：necessary, good,Possible, anticipate, expect, feel, suggest, report, require, think.
-- The man drank a little more than was good for him. = The man drank a little more than what was good for him.
-- There were more accidents than (what) was reported.
-- He eats more than (what/it) is good for him.
As后面可以引导省略主语的比较从句
-- He arrived as I expected. = He arrived as (what) was expected.
-- He eats as much as (what/it) is good for him.
-- The man drank as much as (what) was good for him.
比较：
1>-- He eats more than is good for him.  他总是吃的过多。
-- He eats as just much as is good for him.  他总是吃的正好。
2>-- The man drank a little more than was good for him.喝得过多
-- The man drank as much as was good for him.这个人喝得正好。

委婉的表达方式：
The man drank a little more than was good for him.
She is quite fat. = She isn’t right fat.（Right  adv.正确的, 合适的, 恰当的）

In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
in the process of…   在...的过程中=while doing sth.=during
In the process = during the party（上文中的party） 27-04
-- Yesterday I went swimming. In the process, I had a very good time.
-- I was looking for your house and got lost in the process.
Keep telling = keep on telling
How much = To what extent
-- How much can I trust him? = To what extend can I trust him?
Extent  n.程度, 范围, 广度, 宽度, 长度

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.
When = at that moment

Multiple choice questions 多项选择
1> Whether you find ‘sick humour’ funny or not will depend on _____ .
a. your having been brought up in America
b. the joke being related to a fundamentally comic situation
c. your ability to see the funny side of an unpleasant event
d. your ability to laugh until you cry
----C    the funny side of…  …可笑方面的
fundamentally  adv.基础地, 根本地
be related to…  与…有关系
2>The man spent Christmas Day feeling miserable because _____ .
a. the doctor had failed to attend to him
b. he was not able to be with his friends.
c. being unable to walk, he did not enjoy the celebrations at the hospital
d. he thought he might also miss the New Year’s Eve celebrations
---B
3>The point of the joke taken to illustrate ‘sick humour’ is that _____ .
a. no sooner was the man out of hospital than he had to go back in again
b. the man should not have said how much he hated hospitals
c. the man would be unable to walk for the rest of his life
d. the man had not got a leg to stand on
--A  point  n.要点  taken  过去分词做后置定语 illustrate  vt.阐明
4>4  _____ , for instance, might find it hard to … (ll.3-4)
a. The French    b. A French    c. A man in Frnace    d. If you were French
---A    The French 法国人的总称
a French应改为a Frenchman（任意一个法国人） a man in France 一个在法国的人
5>_____ amusing stories are based on comic situations. (l.7)
a. Most    b. Most of    c. The majority    d. Mostly
---A
most  adj.最多的, 多数的, 大部分的
adv.最, 最多, 很, 十分, 最, 最大的, 其中大多数, 极其
n.大多数, 大部分
-- most student
-- most of the student
majority  n.（常与of连用）多数；半数以上  the majority of…  大多数…
-- The majority of children in our class have brown eyes. 我们班大多数孩子是棕色眼睛。
Mostly  adv.主要地, 大部分, 通常
6> A man _____ broken was taken to hospital … (l.13)
a. whose right leg had been    b. who had the right leg
c. with one right leg            d. to whom the right leg had been
---A  who had the right leg  who had had the right leg（应该用过去完成时）
7> He had no sooner arrived there _____ pestering his doctor … (ll.13-14)
a. and then he began    b. than he gegan    c. he began    d. to begin
---B    no sooner…than…
8>The man compensated for his unpleasant exeriences in hospital _____ a little more than … (ll.19-20)
a. drinking    b. to drink    c. by drinking    d. and drunk
---C    by drinking
By通过某种手段 （是重点, 在损坏的部分）
9>Though the doctor _____ … (l.15)
a. worked very well    b. could not have been better   c. was extremely skilled    d. did all he could
---D    do one's best = try one's best  尽全力
10>The doctor him by _____ … (l.17)
a. felt    b. advised    c. pleased    d. comforted
---D    console = comfort  vt.安慰, 藉慰
11>----and kept telling everyone _____ hehated hospitals. (l.21)
a. at great lengths that    b. to their cost    c. to what extent    d. why
---C    how much = to what extend
at length（adv.最后, 详细地）= in detail（adv.详细地）
to one's cost  付出了代价才..., 吃亏后才...
-- Wasp’s stings are serious, as I know to my cost.
-- Wasp（n.黄蜂）                        Sting（n.刺, 刺痛, 针刺）
12>He was still mumbling something _____ at the end … (ll.21-22)
a. in the same way    b. to the same effect    c. of comon sense   d. of some sort
---B
in the same way  adv.同样地
to the same effect  以相同的意思,诸如此类的事情。