英语笑话听力+文本：我是镇上唯一的掘墓人

Only gravedigger in town 镇上唯一的掘墓人
词汇扫描
seminar ['seminɑ:] 讨论班
make up 补偿
insist [in'sist] 坚持
postpone¹ [p?ust'p?un] 推迟
英文原文
One of my students could not take my college seminar final exam
because of a funeral.
No problem, I told him. Make it up the following week.
That week came,
and again he couldn't take the test due to another funeral.
"You'll have to take the test early next week," I insisted.
"I can't keep postponing² it."
"I'll take the test next week if no one dies," he told me.
By now I was suspicious.
"How can you have so many people
you know pass away in three weeks?"
"I don't know any of these people," he said.
"I'm the only gravedigger in town."
中文大意
逐句对照
One of my students could not take my college seminar final exam
because of a funeral.
No problem, I told him. Make it up the following week.
That week came,
and again he couldn't take the test due to another funeral.
"You'll have to take the test early next week," I insisted.
"I can't keep postponing it."
"I'll take the test next week if no one dies," he told me.
By now I was suspicious.
"How can you have so many people
you know pass away in three weeks?"
"I don't know any of these people," he said.
"I'm the only gravedigger in town."
多学一点
seminar 讨论班，研究班
make up 弥补，补偿
make up the price difference（补上差价）
make up the lost goods（补偿丢失的货物）
make up 编造，捏造
make up an excuse（编造一个借口）
make up 化妆
She spent an hour to make up before the date.
insist 坚持
He insists on having another cup.
强烈的、持续的主张
We insist that you accept these gifts.
postpone 推迟，延期
The match is postponed³ to the next week.
The meeting is postponed until Tom is back.
pass away 去世，过世
dead
pass away
pass on，pass over，be gone
重新听一次故事原文
One of my students could not take my college seminar final exam
because of a funeral.
No problem, I told him. Make it up the following week.
That week came,
and again he couldn't take the test due to another funeral.
"You'll have to take the test early next week," I insisted.
"I can't keep postponing it."
"I'll take the test next week if no one dies," he told me.
By now I was suspicious.
"How can you have so many people
you know pass away in three weeks?"
"I don't know any of these people," he said.
"I'm the only gravedigger in town."

1 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

2 postponing   

v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He tried to gain time by postponing his decision. 他想以迟迟不作决定的手段来争取时间。 来自辞典例句
• I don't hold with the idea of postponing further discussion of the matter. 我不赞成推迟进一步讨论这件事的想法。 来自辞典例句

3 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。