What is the basis of 'sick' humour?
"病态"幽默的基础是什么？
Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
我们是否觉得笑话有趣很大程度上取决于我们在哪里长大。
The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.
幽默感与民族特色神秘地联系在一起.
A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.
例如，法国人可能会发现很难嘲笑俄罗斯的笑话。
In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke
以同样的方式，一个俄罗斯人可能不会在笑话中看到任何有趣的东西
which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.
这会让一个英国人笑到流泪。
Most funny stories are based on comic situations.
大多数有趣的故事都是基于漫画的情况。
In spite of national differences, certain funny situations have a universal appeal.
尽管存在国家差异，但某些有趣的情况具有普遍的吸引力。
No matter where you live,
无论你住在哪里,
you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.
你会发现很难不嘲笑查理卓别林的早期电影。
However, a new type of humour,
然而，一种新型的幽默,
which stems largely from U.S., has recently come into fashion.
这主要源于美国，最近流行起来。
It is called 'sick humour'.
它被称为"病态幽默"。
Comedians base their jokes on tragic situations
喜剧演员的笑话基于悲惨的情况
like violent death or serious accidents.
像暴力死亡或严重事故。
Many people find this sort of joke distasteful.
很多人觉得这种笑话令人讨厌。
The following example of 'sick humour' will enable you to judge for yourself.
下面这个"病态幽默"的例子将使你能够自己判断。
A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.
一名右腿骨折的男子在圣诞节前几周被送往医院。
From the moment he arrived there,
从他到达那里的那一刻起,
he kept on pestering his doctor to tell him when he would be able to go home.
他一直缠着他的医生告诉他什么时候可以回家。
He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital.
他害怕不得不在医院过圣诞节.
Though the doctor did his best, the patient's recovery was slow.
虽然医生尽了最大的努力，但病人的恢复缓慢。
On Christmas day, the man still had his right leg in plaster.
圣诞节那天，这名男子的右腿还在石膏中。
He spent a miserable day in bed thinking of all the fun he was missing.
他在床上度过了悲惨的一天，想到他错过的所有乐趣。
The following day, however, the doctor consoled him by telling him
然而，第二天，医生安慰他，告诉他
that his chances of being able to leave hospital in time for New Year celebrations were good.
他能够及时离开医院参加新年庆祝活动的机会很大。
The man took heart and sure enough,
那人鼓起勇气，果然,
on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
在新年前夜，他能够蹒跚地去参加一个聚会。
To compensate for his unpleasant experiences in hospital,
以弥补他在医院的不愉快经历,
the man drank a little more than was good for him.
那人喝得比对他有好处多一点。
In the process, he enjoyed himself thoroughly
在这个过程中，他彻底地享受了自己
and kept telling everybody how much he hated hospitals.
不停地告诉大家他有多讨厌医院。
He was still mumbling something about hospitals at the end of the party
聚会结束时，他还在喃喃自语关于医院的事
when he slipped on a piece of ice and broke his left leg.
当他滑倒在一块冰上，摔断了他的左腿。
