1、Unit FiveSolve that Problem With Humor 用幽默化解難題Table of ContentsLanguage PointsDifficult SentencesReview of the TextKey to the ExerciseBackground InformationLocker roomCaricatureCheshire catRAFLanguage Points1. Chalk up a win (3) 獲得勝利，得分Seattle chalked up another win last night with Denver.In 1989, s

2、he chalked up the first of her five successive championships.1989年，她贏得了五連冠的第一次冠軍。2. Tardiness (6) 遲到Language Points3. Patch up (23) 修復關系，解決問題Any ill feeling between them could be patched up with a phone call.兩人之間無論有什么不愉快，只要打個電話就和好如初了。They sent him home to patch things up with his wife.他們讓他回家趕快和老婆和好。

3、The meeting was intended to patch up relations between two sides.會議旨在修復雙邊關系。4. De rigueur (42) 符合禮儀要求的，符合潮流的Evening dress is de rigueur at the Casino.賭博娛樂場要穿晚禮服。It was de rigueur for bands to grow their hair long.那個時候樂團的人都以留長頭發為時髦。Each room contained the de rigueur American antiques.Language Points5

4、. one-liner (54), gag (86), 俏皮話，6. Let somebody off the hook (57) 不追究某人的責任I dont believe his boss has let him off the hook again.我不相信老板這次又放過他了。We almost sued the magazine for libel, but in the end we let them off the hook.我們差一點就起訴那家雜志告他們誹謗罪，但最終我們還是放過了他們。7. Turn out (70) 出席，露面，出門參加Only 62% the electo

5、rate turned out to vote.只有62% 的選民參加了投票。A vast crowd turned out to watch the match.大量的觀眾到場觀看比賽。The whole village turned out to welcome the pope.全村的人都出來歡迎教皇。Language Points8. fend off (90) 抵御，抵擋The minister had to fend off some awkward questions from reporters.部長需避開記者提出的某些尷尬的問題。He tried to kiss her bu

6、t she fended him off.他試圖吻她，但她把他擋開了。A bag or briefcase can be used to fend off an attacker.手袋和手提箱可以用來作為抵御攻擊你的人的防身工具。9. labor to do something (101) 努力,奮力做某事Three hours after the explosion, rescue teams were still laboring to free those trapped.爆炸發生3小時后，救援隊員還在奮力解救被困人員。Tom had little talent but labored

7、to acquire the skills of a writer.湯姆雖沒有什么寫作天分，但他努力地掌握寫作技能。a locker room: a room containing lockers, as in a gymnasium, factory, or school, for changing clothes and for the storage of personal belongings(學校,體育館等設有瑣柜的)更衣室，衣帽間; 寄物柜 grinning like a Cheshire catsmiling very widely. This phrase comes from

8、 Lewis Carrolls famous childrens story Alice in Wonderland which features a Cheshire cat who is known for its broad, devilish-looking grin. paraphrasein Cheshirean complicity: RAF celebrated its 90th birthday on 1 April 2008.Difficult sentences1. A lot of us (13)在面對生活中較為激烈的沖突時，我們中有許多人因采用直截了當的回擊而敗下陣來

9、，而來點幽默，也許就能使我們贏得勝利。 We are mounting (開展，發起) a campaign to recruit more volunteers.我們正在開展一個活動來招募更多的志愿者。Government forces have mounted (發起) an attack on a rebel base.He says he hasnt got any money when (盡管) in fact hes got thousands of dollars in his account. I dont understand he can say that everythi

10、ng is fine when its so obvious that its not.我不明白為什么他要說一切都很好，實際情況顯然并非如此。Difficult sentences2. The supervisor clamped off a smile and walked back to his office. (1819)上司忍著笑，走回自己的辦公室去了。 3. In a twinkling, the whole day changed from grim to lovely at both ends of the wire. (39)一眨眼功夫，電話線兩端的人的整個一天由陰轉晴。 Di

11、fficult sentences4. He successfully elbowed (46 48)男孩很順利地用胳膊肘推開餐廳的雙開式彈簧門，但是門又反彈了回來，把雞撞到餐廳的地板上了。 5. The trick is to assign friendly motive (58).其訣竅就是權當你的對手是心懷好意，微微一笑適可而止。 Difficult sentences6. If he crossed it, he might (64)如果他越過這條線，可能一下子就會讓政府陷入棘手的勞工爭端問題。 7. Suddenly the graying moustache (68)突然，他臉上的

12、那一點灰白胡子向兩邊微微一翹，像柴郡貓一樣咧嘴笑道，“你們都出來看我，真是太好了！” Difficult sentences8. Next time you find yourself (74)以后當你陷入有關種族問題的尷尬境地時，借鑒歐洲共同市場的外交代表們的作法。 9. One method is the laugh based on national caricatures. (79)有一種方法就是對民族特征的調侃。 Difficult sentences10. Of course, laugh is often more than (84 88)當然，幽默通常不僅僅只是笑笑而已。當幽默

13、以更為巧妙的形式出現時，就具有特洛依木馬的特性：沒人會提防它；我們接受它，只是因為它看上去有點像個小小的木制玩具。然而，它一旦進來了，就能在城市內引起改革、反叛和抵抗。 11. When life has us in a tight corner, one of the first questions is , “Can I solve this with a laugh” (96)當生活把我們逼到絕境中時，我們首先要問的一個問題或許就是，“我們可以用笑聲來解決這個問題嗎？”Drive/force/put somebody into a corner/tight corner 使某人陷入困境P

14、aint oneself into a corner The president is likely to be forced into a corner over his latest plans for welfare spending.Difficult sentences12. In increasingly tense debates with the President (107 109)在與總統越來越激烈的爭論中，馬歇爾據理力爭，并開始遭到更強有力的反駁。13. Shortly thereafter he made a more (115117)很快，他更加客觀地研究了馬歇爾的建

15、議，終于采納了加強地面部隊這一方案。 Difficult sentences14. Occasionally, humor goes beyond (118 119)有時候，幽默不僅僅能避免爭論，挽回面子或者保住工作；它還能挽救生命。 15. As the shrinking (121 126)隨著幸存的囚犯人數越來越少，囚犯的生活條件越來越惡劣，弗蘭克爾和他最親密的難友極力尋找辦法來求生。在這些侮辱人格的集中營中，除了營養不良、勞累和疾病以外，因絕望而自殺是最大的殺手。 Difficult sentences16. As a psychiatrist, (127 129 )作為一個精神病學家

16、，弗蘭克爾知道幽默是人最好的求生武器之一，因為它能讓人遠離恐怖，即使是片刻的遠離也好。 17. If humor can be used successfully against such odds, what cant you and I do with it in daily life?如果在如此艱難的情況下，幽默能成功地運用的話，那么你我在日常生活中還有什么不能用它來解決的呢？Odds 困難，不利條件Left alone , they were fighting against overwhelming odds.Against all the odds, we won the case

17、 on appeal.盡管困難重重，我們還是上訴打贏了官司。Against all the odds, she achieved her dream of becoming a ballerina. Review of the text1.他的上司也許正在房間里來回踱步，在演練著開除他的演說詞了。(pace up and down)His supervisor was probably pacing up and down with a dismissal speech rehearsed. (7)2.在處理我們生活中難以應付的局面時，幽默是一種非常有效的、但卻又常常被忽視了的手段。(effe

18、ctive, neglected, handling)Humor is a most effective, yet frequently neglected means of handling the difficult situations in our lives. (21)3.幽默通常是防止小誤會升級到大問題的最佳方法。(keep something from escalating into)Humor is often the best way to keep a small misunderstanding from escalating into a big deal. (31)

19、Review of the text4. 最近，我的一位鄰居在妻子開車送他去機場的路上，與她發生了一點口角。 (have a squabble with somebody)Recently a neighbor of mine had a squabble with his wife as she drove him to the airport. (34)5.那時英國盛行簡樸，所以她派孩子們端菜送飯 。 (de rigueur, draft somebody to do something)Austerity was de rigueur in England at the time, an

20、d she had drafted her children to serve the meal. (42)Review of the text6. 一個眼神，一句幽默，飯桌上令人臉紅的尷尬場面很快就變成了心照不宣的樂趣了。(one-liner, conspiracy of fun)A wink and a one-liner instantly changed the dinner from a red-faced embarrassment to a conspiracy of fun. (54)7. “我的朋友，你讓我脫身，我也讓你走人。” (let somebody off the h

21、ook)You let me off the hook, my friend, and Ill let you off. (57)8. “你們都出來看我，真是太好了！”他的聲音低沉而有回響，“謝謝你們。我們可以進去了嗎？” (turn out, boom, )“How very nice of you all to turn out to see me!” he boomed. “Thank you. Shall we go in” (71)Review of the text9. 有一種方法就是對民族特征的調侃。 (national caricatures)One method is the

22、 laugh based on national caricatures. (79)10.當然，幽默通常不僅僅只是笑笑而已。(is more than) Of course, humor is often more than a laughing matter. (84)11. 例如，有人認為，在第二次世界大戰中，英國人擋住了德軍的占領，除了英勇的英國皇家空軍以外，還有英國式的幽默也起了很大作用。(do the most to fend off) Some believe, for instance, that, next to the heroic British RAF, British

23、humor did the most to fend off a German takeover in World War II. (88)Review of the text12. 當生活把我們逼到絕境中時，我們首先要問的一個問題或許就是，“我們可以用笑聲來解決這個問題嗎？” (have somebody in a tight corner)When life has us in a tight corner, one of the first questions we might ask is, “Can I solve this with a laugh?” (96)13. 最后，在一次

24、異常激烈的會議上，一貫板著臉的馬歇爾擠出一絲笑容，笑著說道：“總統先生，您最好還是不要把海軍說成我們，把陸軍說成他們吧。” (Marshall, particularly hot session, stone-faced, forced a grin)Finally, during a particularly hot session, the usually stone-faced Marshall forced a grin. “At least , Mr. President,” he said, “ You might stop referring to the Navy as us and the Army as them.” (109)Review