Funny or not?是否可笑？
Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
我們覺得一則笑話是否好笑，很大程度上取決於我們是在哪兒長大的。
🎈結構劃分：Whether we find a joke funny or not（主語從句） / largely depends on （謂語）/where we have been brought up（賓語從句）.
🎈此處find 表示「覺得」，不能譯為「發現」。
🎈largely ['lɑ:dʒli] adv. 在很大程度上，主要地 ,廣泛的，相當於to a great extent; chiefly
mostly相當於in most cases 大多數情況下
🎈depend on ... 取決於.同義替換表達有rest on .../rely on... /ride on ... /hinge on .../lean on ...
be dependent on ...依賴依靠，取決於 /be based on ... 基於/be built on ... 基於/be founded on ... 基於
be decided by ... 取決於/be dictated by ... 由...決定/be determined by ... 由...決定
🎈bring up sb. 撫養某人
raise sb. 撫養
foster / adopt sb. 收養
adopted son 養子
adoptive parents 養父母
foster-parents 養父母
be brought up to do 從小就.
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.
幽默感與民族有著神秘莫測的聯繫。譬如，法國人聽完一則俄國笑話可能很難發笑。
🎈The sense of humour表示「幽默感」，下面是幾個常見的the sense of...結構：
the sense of pride 自豪感
the sense of honor 榮譽感
the sense of accomplishment 成就感
the sense of responsibility 責任感
the sense of superiority 優越感
the sense of inferiority 自卑感
🎈be bound up with ... 與...聯繫在一起
be closely connected with ... 與...密切相關
bind v.
be bound to do ... 一定做，一定會.
be / feel bound to do ... 感到有義務做……
be / feel obliged to do ... 感到有義務做……
🎈might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke字面意思為「可能覺得一個俄羅斯笑話很難發笑」參考譯文增譯了「聽完」，處理為了 「聽完一則俄國笑話可能很難發笑」。
In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
同樣的道理，一則可以令英國人笑出淚來的笑話，俄國人聽了可能覺得沒有什麼可笑之處。
🎈結構劃分：In the same way（狀語）,/ a Russian might fail to see anything amusing（主句） /（狀語）in a joke /which would make an Englishman laugh to tears（定語從句）.
🎈in the same way 同樣地，相當於likewise /similarly /by the same token
🎈laugh to tears 笑出眼淚
be bored to tears / death 無聊的要哭/死
laugh one’s head off 笑掉大牙
Most funny stories are based on comic situations. In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
大部分令人發笑的故事都是根據喜劇情節編寫的。儘管民族不同，有些滑稽的情節卻能產生普遍的效果。
🎈comic ['kɒmɪk] adj. 喜劇的；可笑的
comic comedy 喜劇
funny 滑稽的 amusing 有趣的 diverting 有趣的
tragic a. tragedy n.悲劇
farcical a. farce n.鬧劇
dramatic a. drama n.戲劇
🎈universal [ju:nɪ'vɜ:sl] adj. 普遍的
cosmic宇宙的
global 全球的
international 世界的，國際的
world-wide全球的
universally 普遍地
It is universally known that ... 眾所周知
No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.
比如說，不管你生活在哪裡，你看查理·卓別林的早期電影很難不發笑。
🎈(let’s) say :say放中間，插入語，表示「比如說」。也可以當連詞來用放句首引導條件狀語從句。
However, a new type of humour, which stems largely from the U.S., has recently come into fashion. It is called 'sick humour'.
然而，近來一種新式幽默流行了起來，這種幽默主要來自美國。它被叫作「病態幽默」。
🎈stem from源於
arise from ... 源於
come / hail from ...源於
🎈come into fashion 變得流行
be in fashion 流行
be out of fashion 過時，不流行
fashionable clothes / ideas / hairstyles … 時髦的衣服/想法/髮型……
come into use 啟用
come into effect 生效
come into blossom 開花
come into being 形成
Comedians base their jokes on tragic situation like violent death or serious accidents. Many people find this sort of joke distasteful.
喜劇演員根據悲劇情節諸如暴死，重大事故等來編造笑話。許多人認為這種笑話是低級庸俗的。
🎈comedian [kə'mi:diən] n. 喜劇演員，丑角
comedian comedienne 喜劇女演員 comedy 喜劇
tragedian tragedienne tragedy 悲劇
🎈base their jokes on tragic situation 字面意思為「把他們的笑話基於悲劇情節」，參考譯文處理為「根據悲劇情節來編造笑話」，增譯了「編造」，更符合中文表達習慣。
🎈distasteful [dɪs'teɪstfl] adj. 討厭的，令人不愉快的
be distasteful to sb. 對於某人而言是厭惡的
it is distasteful to me to say this, but . 我不喜歡這樣說，但是
I hate to say this, but .同義
The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
下面是個「病態幽默」的實例，你可據此自己作出判斷。
🎈the following example 接下來的例子，以下例子
the ensuing example/the under-mentioned example /the example below
the previous example 以上事例/the preceding example /the above-mentioned example /the example above
🎈enable sb. to do 使能夠
allow / permit sb. to do 允許某人做某事
make it possible for sb. to do 使某人有可能做某事
🎈do sth for oneself 為自己做某事，自己，親自
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.
聖誕節前幾周，某人摔斷了右腿被送進醫院。從他進醫院那一刻時，他就纏住醫生，讓醫生告訴他什麼時候能回家。他十分害怕在醫院過聖誕。
🎈A man who had broken his right leg為「一個摔傷了右腿的人」，who had broken his right leg定語從句此處參考譯文處理成了原因，譯為「某人摔斷了右腿被送進醫院」。
🎈keep (on) doing 繼續做，一直做，老是做某事（令人厭煩的意味在裡面）
🎈pester ['pestə(r)] v. 糾纏，一再要求
pester sb. for sth. 因某事糾纏某人
pester sb. with sth. 用某事糾纏某人
🎈dread + n. / doing 害怕某事/做（一種習慣態度，無將來意味）
dread to do 害怕去做
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.
儘管醫生竭力醫治，但病人恢復緩慢。聖誕節那天，他的右腿還上著石膏，他在床上鬱鬱不樂地躺了一天，想著他錯過的種種歡樂。
🎈do / try one’s best to do 盡力做某事，全力以赴
do / try one’s utmost to do /do everything / all one can to do /give one’s all to do /spare no effort to do/go all out to do /go to great lengths to do
🎈recovery [rɪ'kʌvərɪ] v. 恢復原狀；康復
recovery from ... 從...中恢復
recovery from illness 病好了
recovery from defeat 從挫敗中恢復
🎈 He spent a miserable day in bed字面意思「他在床上度過了悲慘的一天」，如果這麼直接譯過於歐化，參考譯文處理為「他在床上鬱鬱不樂地躺了一天」，更符合中文表達習慣，避免翻譯腔。
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，醫生安慰他說，出院歡度新年的可能性還是很大的，那人聽後振作了精神。
🎈結構劃分：The following day（時間狀語）, /however（插入語）, /the doctor consoled him(主句) /（方式狀語）by telling him /（賓語從句）that his chances /of being able to leave hospital in time for New Year celebrations（介詞短語做修飾語）/ were good.
🎈console [kən'səʊl] v. 安慰，慰問
console sb. for sth. 為某事安慰某人
console sb. with sth.用某事安慰某人
comfort 使安慰
soothe 撫慰
calm sb. down 使冷靜
🎈chances are good表示「可能性很大」，「可能性很小」用chances are remote表示。
The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years' Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
果然，除夕時他可以一瘸一拐地去參加晚會了。
🎈take heart = be encouraged 振作起來，受到鼓舞
lose heart 灰心
lose one’s heart to ... 傾心於，愛上
🎈sure enough表示「果然」，相當於as expected。
🎈along 此處表示「向前」，hobble along 表示「一瘸一拐地向前走」。
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.
為了補償住院這一段不愉快的經歷，那人喝得稍許多了一點。在晚會上他盡情娛樂，一再告訴大家他是多麼討厭醫院。
🎈compensate ['kɒmpenseɪt] v. 彌補，補償
compensate (sb.) for sth. 補償(某人)某事
make up for ... 彌補
redeem ... 恢復，補償
offset ... 抵消
🎈a little more than was good for him可理解為省略了what，即 a little more than what was good for him，此處表示「喝得稍許多了一點」。
🎈In the process, 此處字面意思為「在過程中」，根據語境表示「在晚會上」。
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.
晚會結束時，他嘴裡還在嘟噥著醫院的事，突然踩到一塊冰上滑倒了，摔斷了左腿。
🎈主句 (進行時 / be about to do) + when ... 「when」應譯為「這時」或「突然」，重點在when 從句後面的內容，更多例句見文末。
🔥【New words and expressions】
largely ['la:dʒli] ad.在很大程度上
comic ['kɔmik] a.喜劇的，可笑的
universal ['ju:ni'vә:sәl] a.普遍的
comedian [kә'mi:djәn] n.滑稽演員，喜劇演員
distasteful [dis'teistful] a.討厭的
pester ['pestә] v.一再要求，糾纏
dread [dred] v.懼怕
recovery [ri'kʌvәri] n.康復
plaster ['pla:stә] n.熟石膏
console [kәn'sәul] v.安慰，慰問
hobble ['hɔbl] v.瘸著腿走
compensate ['kɔmpenseit] v.補償
mumble ['mʌmbl] v.喃喃而語
🔥【語法】
原文重現：Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up. 我們覺得一則笑話是否好笑，很大程度上取決於我們是在哪裡長大的。
【表示「是否」時不能用 if 的幾種情況：】
1、主語從句位於句首時
If she likes the present is not clear to me. X
It is not clear to me if / whether she likes the present. √ 我不清楚她是否喜歡這個禮物。
Whether she likes the present is not clear to me. √
2、引導表語從句時
The question is if we have enough money. X
The question is whether we have enough money. √問題是我們是否有足夠的錢。
3、引導同位語從句時
You have yet to answer my question if I can count on your help. X
You have yet to answer my question whether I can count on your help. √ 你還沒有回答我的問題，我是否能指望你的幫助
4、作介詞賓語時
He was worrying about if he had hurt her feelings. X
He was worrying about whether he had hurt her feelings. √ 他擔心是否傷害了她的感情。
5、引導動詞不定式時
I don’t know if to see my doctor today. X
I don’t know whether to see my doctor today. √ 我不知道今天是否去看醫生。
6、直接跟 or not 時
Please tell me if or not you agree. X
Please tell me whether or not you agree. √ 請告訴我你是否同意。
Please tell me if you agree or not.√
🔥【主句 (進行時 / be about to do) + when ... 「when」應譯為「這時」或「突然」 】
●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.
●The idea never appealed to me very much, but one day, after a heavy shower, I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants.
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