August 8th, 2009 
ghostlei } Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up. The sense of humor 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.
} National differences/Culture shock
national differences 不是指国家的区别，种族的区别。比如大街上你一看就知道这是一个中国人，或者看出这是一个日本人。一看就知道，因为在不同的文化背景，不同的国别里边，表现出来的气质是不同的。这种就叫做 national differences。Culture shock 你刚出国的时候可能会听到这个词，它是指当你去到一个新国家，你会觉得跟你想像的不一样，跟传说中的更不一样，你可能会有一种震惊的感觉 shock；这种文化的差别就是 culture shock。
} universal language/rule
universal 统一的。大家都能听懂的语言 universal language, 大家都知道的规则 universal rule
} Say
you can pick it up tonight.Say, 8:30.
这里的 say 在口语里边相当like，在这没什么意思，只是说话时的一个停顿，可能说话者在想，是8点20分，还是30分。你今天玩上可以来拿，嗯…八点半吧。就这样翻译的。
Let’s say, I don’t know, you met someone in the pediatrician’s office.
这里的 let’s say 是 for example 的意思。翻译成：比如说，我也不太清楚啦，你在儿科医生办公室碰到一个人
} 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.
} Judge:
这个词作名词时是法官的意思；动词是指武断地判断别人，不是很褒义的一个词，但是是很微妙的一个词
Take a moment before you judge a person.
当你给一个人下结论的时候，最好不要那么快
we‘ll need you to testify before a judge.
我们需要你在法官面前作证。
Testify/testimonial
这里作证用的是testify，它的名词是testimonial，有时候看国外的网站，有一个小方框，客户在上面写着这个网站怎么好，这个就是testimonial
} 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 doctors did his best, the patient’s recovery was slow.
} from the moment I met you, I knew I Ioved you.
遇见你的那一刻我就知道我爱上了你
} I was lost from the moment I saw you.
} 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.
} If we have sex again, it‘ll doubIe our chances of getting pregnant.
如果我们再做一次爱的话，我们怀小孩的几率会加倍。这是电视剧的台词。chances 几率，机会
} Have sex/make love
中国人说起做爱都会想起make love , 其实在口语里面，have sex 用得比较多。Make love 老外也说，但是挺少的，没有have sex 用得多。
You just make her think you wanna have sex with her! It’ll totally freak her out!
你让她觉得你会跟她上床做爱，这样就会吓跑她的
} The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Years’ 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.
} Compensate/make up
补偿；在口语里面用得是 make up
I‘m sorry about last night and I really want to make it up to you.
昨天晚上的事对不起，我真的想补偿你
I feeI so bad. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?
我觉得挺愧疚的，有什么能补偿你吗？
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