# 第三册 Lesson 29 Funny or not? 是否可笑？

## 一、课文原文

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 unpleasant 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 something about hospitals at the end of the party when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| largely | /'la:dʒli/ | adv. | 在很大程度上 | =to a great extent |
| comic | /'kɔmik/ | adj. | 喜剧的，可笑的 | comedy n. 喜剧；comedian n. 喜剧演员 |
| universal | /'ju:ni'və:səl/ | adj. | 普遍的 | universe n. 宇宙 |
| distasteful | /dis'teistfəl/ | adj. | 讨厌的 | distaste n. 厌恶；taste n. 品味 |
| pester | /'pestə/ | v. | 一再要求，纠缠 | pester sb. to do sth. 纠缠某人做某事 |
| dread | /dred/ | v. | 惧怕 | dread doing sth. 害怕做某事 |
| recovery | /ri'kʌvəri/ | n. | 康复 | recover v. 恢复 |
| plaster | /'pla:stə/ | n. | 熟石膏 | have one's leg in plaster腿上打着石膏 |
| console | /kən'səul/ | v. | 安慰，慰问 | console sb. with...用……安慰某人 |
| hobble | /'hɔbəl/ | v. | 瘸着腿走 | =limp |
| compensate | /'kɔmpənseit/ | v. | 补偿 | compensate for补偿…… |
| mumble | /'mʌmbəl/ | v. | 喃喃而语 | =murmur, mutter |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. whether引导的名词性从句
- **Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.**
- whether从句在句中作**主语**
- =It largely depends on whether we find a joke funny or not...

### 2. be bound up with——与……联系在一起
- **The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.**
- =be closely connected with

### 3. say作插入语
- **you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films**
- say = for example / let's say
- 意为"比如说"

### 4. stem from——起源于
- **a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U. S.**
- =originate from / come from

### 5. come into fashion——开始流行
- =become popular / come into vogue

### 6. judge for yourself——你自己来判断
- =decide for yourself

### 7. take heart——振作精神
- =be encouraged / cheer up

### 8. 比较级中的省略结构
- **the man drank a little more than was good for him**
- than后面**省略了主语what**
- =than what was good for him

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. Whether...or not largely depends on...
- "是否……很大程度上取决于……"
- whether从句作主语，depends on后接where从句作宾语
- 整句结构：主语从句 + 谓语 + 宾语从句

### 2. fail to see anything amusing
- **fail to do** = 没能做某事
- 与find it hard形成对照

### 3. No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at...
- **No matter where** = wherever 无论在哪里
- **find it difficult not to do** 双重否定：觉得不难笑出来=很难不笑

### 4. 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**此处表示"这时突然"（just then）
- 戏剧性转折：刚出院参加聚会，又摔断了另一条腿
- 这就是"病态幽默"的典型结构

## 五、课文翻译

我们觉得一则笑话是否好笑，很大程度上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，有些滑稽情节却能产生普遍的效果。比如说，不管你生活在哪里，你看了查理·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，你可以据此自己作出判断。

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。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
- **议论+举例**：先讨论幽默的民族性，再举"病态幽默"的实例
- **病态幽默的结构**：不幸→康复→更不幸，形成悲剧性的喜剧效果
- **反讽手法**：刚摔断右腿出院参加聚会，又摔断左腿
- **递进叙事**：住院→不能过圣诞→出院→聚会→又摔伤

### 文化背景
- **Charlie Chaplin（查理·卓别林）**：英国喜剧大师，以默片时代的"流浪汉"形象闻名
- **Sick Humour（病态幽默/黑色幽默）**：20世纪中叶兴起的一种幽默形式，以悲剧性内容制造笑料
- 幽默的民族差异：不同文化对"好笑"的定义不同

## 七、课后练习要点

1. 词汇：掌握largely, comic, universal, distasteful, pester, dread, console, hobble, compensate等重点词
2. 语法：whether引导的主语从句；be bound up with；比较级省略结构；say作插入语
3. 句型：No matter where; take heart; stem from; come into fashion; compensate for
4. 理解："病态幽默"的基础是什么？——以悲剧性情境（如暴力死亡、严重事故）为基础

## 八、本课小结

- 核心词汇：largely, comic, universal, distasteful, pester, dread, console, hobble, compensate
- 核心语法：whether主语从句、be bound up with、比较级省略结构
- 核心句型：No matter where, take heart, stem from, come into fashion, compensate for
- 写作特色：议论+举例、病态幽默结构、反讽手法、递进叙事