【英语时差8,16】笑话的来源及演变（上）

Did you ever make up a joke? I mean entirely¹, start to finish, not using anybody else’s ideas or repeating something you’ve heard before? Not just filling in the blanks, as in the “knock knock” variety, or retelling a funny story? Did You Yourself Ever Make Up A Joke? Once I put those restrictions² on you, your first answer of “yes” probably became “well, not really.” Or, if you still said “yes,” I bet³ you only made up one, a few years ago. That’s interesting, because there are literally⁴ thousands of jokes floating around, all the time. The internet is full of jokes. Go to a party any weekend and you might hear several new jokes. Where Are They All Coming From?

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 bet   

v.打赌，以(与)...打赌；n.赌注，赌金；打赌

参考例句：

• I bet you can't do this puzzle.我敢说，你解决不了这个难题。
• I offered to bet with him.我提出与他打赌。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。