ESL Podcast 498 – Joking and Making Fun of People

Dmitry: Stan is really miffed at you. All of that teasing at lunch really upset him.

Charlene: What? I was just poking¹ fun at him for trying to hit on the new, young receptionist.

Dmitry: You called him an old goat.

Charlene: I said that tongue in cheek. If he didn’t find that funny, then he can’t take a joke.

Dmitry: What about last week when you told that joke about fat people trying to dance and you made him the butt² of the joke?

Charlene: Everybody knows I’m the class clown around here, and I make wisecracks about everybody. Nobody else is as thin-skinned as Stan.

Dmitry: I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I suggest you watch your back. The next joke may be on you.

Charlene: Why? What have you heard?

Dmitry: Oh, nothing. I just think it may be time for some payback – big time!


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

2 butt   

n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶

参考例句：

• The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
• He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。