内容正文:
Unit 1 Laugh out loud!
教材原文助读2
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读文清障 文本助解释疑
①human behaviour人类行为
behaviour n.[U]行为;举止
②medieval [ˌmediˈi:v(ə)l] adj.中世纪的,中古时期的
③be filled with...=be full of...充满……
④throw light on使(问题等)较容易理解
⑤emotive [ɪˈməʊtɪv] adj.使情绪激动的
emotion n.[C,U]情感;情绪
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⑥issue n.[C]问题
environmental issues环境
问题
⑦be remembered for...
因为……而被铭记
⑧combine...with...
使……与……结合
⑨mischievous [ˈmɪstʃɪvəs]
adj.调皮的,淘气的
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⑩classic adj.经典的
classical adj.古典的
⑪cross out划掉;删掉
⑫remark [rɪˈmɑːk] n.言论;意见,评论v.谈论;评论
make remarks about sth.=remark on sth.就某事发表评论
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⑬interaction [U,C]
[ˌɪntərˈækʃ(ə)n] n.交流
interact [ˌɪntərˈækt] vi.
交流,沟通;合作;相互影响,相互作用
interact with sb./sth.
与某人沟通/与某物相互作用
⑭a barber's shop理发店
barber [ˈbɑːbə] n.男理发师
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⑮shave [ʃeɪv] n.& vi.& vt.
刮脸,刮胡子
get/have a shave刮脸
⑯recognise vt.认出
recognise...as...承认/
认可……是……
recognition n.[U]识别;
[usually sing.,U]承认
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⑰response n.[C,U](口头的或书面的)回答;答复
respond vt.& vi.回答
vi.作出反应
make a response to=respond to对……作出反应/回复
⑱just one's luck(对自己的遭遇并不惊讶)常不走运;就这运气
⑲fellow [ˈfeləʊ] n.男人;家伙
⑳lecture vi.(尤指在大学里)演讲;讲授,讲课
㉑brand of humour某种类型的幽默
brand [brænd] n.[C]类型;品牌,牌子
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㉒essay [ˈeseɪ] n.短文,论说文
㉓fewer than 少于,不到
㉔conclude [kənˈklu:d] v.
作出……结论,推断出
㉕amusing [əˈmju:zɪŋ] adj.逗人发笑的,好笑的,有趣的
㉖attitude towards/to 对……的态度
㉗flatter [ˈflætə] v.奉承,讨好
㉘gentle [dʒentl] adj.和蔼友善的,温和的,温柔的
gently adv.温和地;轻柔地
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㉙in the third place 第三名
㉚on...occasion在……场合下
㉛be scheduled to do sth.被安排做某事,定于做某事
㉜podium [ˈpəʊdiəm] n.表演台,讲台
㉝last name姓
first name名
㉞start with=begin with
以……开始
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㉟illuminate [Iˈlu:mIneIt] v.
照亮,照明
㊱pour(...)into大量投入(精力或时间等)
㊲cannot help but do sth.
禁不住;情不自禁地
㊳smooth sailing一帆风顺,顺利
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㊴complicated [ˈkɒmplIkeItId]
adj.难处理的;难懂的
㊵cruel [ˈkru:əl] adj.残忍的
cruelty n.[U](尤指蓄意的)残酷,残忍,残暴;[C,usually pl.] 残暴的行为
㊶enthusiasm [ɪnˈθju:ziæzəm] n.热情,热忱
㊷in the words of...用……的话说
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The Importance of Humour
Humour has been an essential part of human behaviour<m></m> for thousands of years. There is comedy in the texts of Ancient Greece, and medieval<m></m> writings are filled with<m></m> jokes.<m></m><uw>While these same jokes might not be as funny to us now as they were then, their authors understood that humour could not only entertain but also throw new light on<m></m> sensitive or emotive<m></m> issues<m></m>.</uw>
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[1]本句中While引导让步状语从句,意为“虽然、尽管”,该状语从句中又包含“as...as...”结构,表示同级比较;“that humour...issues”为that引导的宾语从句,其中“not only...but also...”连接并列谓语。
Closer to modern times, someone who is remembered for<m></m> his ability to combine humour with<m></m> more serious messages is American writer, Mark Twain. Twain's particular style of writing is funny and often mischievous<m></m>.For example, in his classic<m></m> novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, he famously says, “Writing is easy. <m></m><uw>All you have to do is cross out<m></m> the wrong words.</uw>” But he is equally well known for his witty remarks<m></m> in his
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everyday interactions<m></m> with people. For instance, <m></m><uw>while on a lecture tour of the United States</uw>, Twain went into a barber's shop<m></m> to get a haircut and a shave<m></m>. The barber, <m></m><uw>not recognising<m></m> him</uw>, asked if he had a ticket to the lecture. When Twain replied that he didn't, the barber told him that if he wanted to go to the event he would have to stand, as there were no seats left in the theatre. Twain's response<m></m> was, “That's just my luck<m></m>. I always have to stand when that fellow<m></m> lectures<m></m>!”
[2]本句中不定代词All作主语;“you have to do”是省略了关系代词that的定语从句,修饰先行词All。由于修饰主语的定语从句中含有实义动词do,所以作表语的动词不定式to cross out省略了to。
[3]此处为“连词+介词短语”省略结构,可看作是时间状语从句“while he was on a lecture tour of the United States”的省略形式。while在此意为“在……期间”。
[4]此处为现在分词短语作状语,修饰The barber, recognise与The barber之间为逻辑上的主谓关系,因此用现在分词形式。
Like Twain, but on the other side of the world, the Chinese writer Wang Zengqi <m></m><uw>was soon to become famous for his own unique brand of humour<m></m></uw>. In his essay<m>㉒</m> “On Humour”, Wang used fewer than<m></m> 600 characters to introduce several humorous examples of famous people, concluding<m></m> that, “The world is full of amusing<m></m> things. The thought of them would always <m></m><uw>make you laugh out loud</uw>, even when you're just sitting by yourself.”
[5]此处为be to do结构,表示注定要发生的事情。
[6]此处为“make+宾语+宾语补足语”结构。
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<m></m><uw>Wang believed that humour not only shows one's personality, but also reflects a person's attitude towards<m></m> life.</uw> He himself gives the best example to the word “humour”. One day, one of his readers flattered<m></m> him by saying, “Gaoyou is famous for, first, the poet Qin Shaoyou, and second, Wang Zengqi.” Wang didn't show any displeasure but only gave a gentle<m></m> response, “No. Gaoyou salted duck eggs are much more famous than me.
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I can only stay in the third place<m></m>.” On another occasion<m></m>, Wang was invited to give a speech in the US and was scheduled to<m></m> speak last. He walked to the podium<m></m> and began, “Unfortunately, none of today's speakers have last names<m></m> starting with<m></m> X, Y, or Z, so I am the last one to speak.Speaking last is difficult <m></m><uw>because everyone is already very tired</uw>. But don't worry. My speech will be as short as a rabbit's tail.”
[7]本句中that引导宾语从句,作谓语动词believed的宾语,其中还含有“not only...but also...”的结构,其中also可省略。
[8]此处为because引导原因状语从句。
Both Twain and Wang understood that humour isn't just about laughter, but is a way of life and a tool that can be used to illuminate<m></m> the world. Wang once said, “Life may be like a dream, <m></m><uw>short and uncertain</uw>. But I pour my true feelings into<m></m> it. The world gave me its love first, so I cannot help but<m></m> love it back.” Life is never smooth sailing<m></m> and sometimes can be
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complicated<m></m> and cruel<m></m>. But humour can help us maintain our enthusiasm<m></m> for life. <m></m><uw>In fact, some may argue that our need for humour is almost as great as our need for water and air.</uw> In the words of<m></m> Mark Twain, “Humor is mankind's greatest blessing”.
[9]此处为形容词(短语)作原因状语,相当于“because life is short and uncertain”。
[10]本句中that引导宾语从句,作argue的宾语;“as...as...”为同级间的比较。
幽默的重要性
几千年来,幽默一直是人类行为的重要组成部分。古希腊的文字记载中有喜剧,中世纪的作品中也不乏笑话。虽然这些同样的笑话现在对我们来说可能不像当时那么有趣,但它们的作者明白,幽默不仅可以带来快乐,还可以为敏感问题或易引起激烈争论的问题提供新的启示。
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近现代时期,有一个人以能将幽默和更严肃的信息相结合而被铭记,这个人就是美国作家马克·吐温。马克·吐温独特的写作风格有趣而诙谐。例如,在他的经典小说《汤姆·索亚历险记》中,他有一句名言:“写作容易。你所要做的就是把错误的单词划掉。”但他同样因日常人际交往中的风趣言辞而闻名。例如,有一次在美国巡回演讲时,马克·吐温走进一家理发店理发和刮脸。理发师没有认出他,问他是否有那场演讲的票。当马克·吐温回答说没有时,理发师告诉他,如果他想去参加那个活动他必须站着,因为剧院里没有多余的座位了。
马克·吐温回答道:“我总是这样倒霉。当那个家伙演讲时,我总是站着!”
在世界的另一端,像马克·吐温一样,中国作家汪曾祺很快也因其独具一格的幽默风格而出名。在他的文章《论幽默》中,汪曾祺用不到600个字就介绍了几个名人的幽默例子,并从中得出结论:“世界上充满了有趣的事情。一想到它们,总会让你哈哈大笑,即使当你只是一个人坐着的时候。”
汪曾祺认为幽默不仅体现一个人的个性,而且反映一个人对生活的态度。他自己就是“幽默”这个词最好的例子。有一天,他的一位读者奉承他说:“高邮以诗人秦少游闻名,其次是汪曾祺。” 汪曾祺没有表现出任何不满,只是温和地回答说:“不,高邮的咸鸭蛋比我出名得多。我只能排在第三位。” 另外一次,汪曾祺应邀在美国发表演讲,并且被安排在最后发言。他走到讲台上开始说:“不幸的是,今天所有的发言人的姓氏都不是以X、Y或Z开头的,所以我是最后一个发言的。最后一个发言很难,因为大家都已经很累了。但是别担心。我的发言会像兔子的尾巴一样短。”
马克·吐温和汪曾祺都明白幽默不仅仅是笑,而且是一种生活方式,一种可以用来照亮世界的工具。汪曾祺曾经说过:“人生如梦,短暂而不确定。但我倾注了真挚的感情。世界先给了我爱,所以我情不自禁地爱它。” 生活从来不是一帆风顺的,有时会很复杂、很残酷。但幽默可以帮助我们保持对生活的热情。事实上,有人可能认为,我们对幽默的需求几乎和对水、对空气的需求一样强烈。用马克·吐温的话来说:“幽默是人类最伟大的恩赐”。
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