Six A shouting match?
场争吵比赛？
Introduction
A American humor often confuses
Chinese. The American sense
the comedic
quite different fromChinese. When Americans tell
joke
the Chinese,lookspuzzlement are simply golden. Likewise Chinese humorjust as greatmysteryAmericans.
美国人
幽默经常使中国人很困惑。美国人笑话与中国人很
样。美国人向中国人讲笑话时，那种迷惑表情真
堪称绝。同样地，中国人幽默对于美国人来说，也神秘得得
。
B Americans have this expression: “It’s goodhavesensehumor about life.” This generally means ithelpfulrefrain from anger or despair when your situationdifficult.
美国人
这样句话，“对生活幽默感还好。”这大致就说，当你处境出现困难时，它可以帮助你克制住愤怒、绝望。
2 Sample Sentences
. 
trymaintainrobust sensehumor.
我尽量保持十足幽默感。
2. They always trymake funme.
他们老开我玩笑。
3. We likejoke about such things.
我们喜欢说些这样笑话。
4. You will be so popular here
America, because you are so much MORE beautiful thangirlssee here. No kidding!
你在美国会很受欢迎，因为你比我在这里看到女孩都漂亮多。真！
5. Henotgood-looking guy, but he’s very funny.
他长相并好看，但他很滑稽。
6. Hevery humorous. He always makes me laugh.
他很幽默。他老惹我笑。
7. The situationshave encountered certainly defy my imagination,
deservegood laugh.
我所遇到情形与我想象中完全样，值得哈哈大笑番。
8. don’t seehumorit.
我觉得这好笑。
9. You know Tinakindslow; she didn’t get
at first.
你知道蒂娜反应点慢，她起先没明白过来。
0. Oh, my gosh！ It’s unbelievable.
噢，天啦! 简直无法相信。
3 Conversations
. A Chinese woman, Helen,chatting at her home with her American single friend, Sam, who just answered
mobile phone.
Helen: Do you haveleave soon?
Sam: No. Actuallycan stay longer. Dave (his boss) calledsay that therea beautiful Chinese girl who’s goingpick me up atschool gate tonight at 0:30 instead8:30.
Helen: Oh, that’s better. So you don’t haverush.
Sam: Yeah. You know what Dave just said?
Helen: What?
Sam: He saidshould put
something very nice, because this girl will be my next target.
Helen: (smiling) He knows you very well.
Sam: He always makes funme. He always says things like that. You knownew coming teacher,Chinese Canadian. He said she would really be my chance.
Helen: I’m sure you have chances everywhere. You’re handsome, talkative2,gotsensehumor. You must be very popular.
Sam: No, you’re kidding. I’m not takingseriously.
【译文】
——你很快就要走吗？
——。实际
我还可以呆久点。戴夫(他老板)打电话来说今晚
漂亮女孩会在学校门口接我，八点半改成十点半。
——噢，那更好。这样你就必急急忙忙。
——啊。你知道刚才戴夫说什么吗？
——什么？
——他说我应该穿好看点，因为这女孩将会我下目标。
——(微笑) 他真解你。
——他老开我玩笑。他老说些那样话。你知道这位新来老师，中国加拿大人。 他说她将会我真正机会。
——我敢肯定你机会到处都。你很帅，又健谈，而且还幽默感。你定很受欢迎。
——没，你在说笑。我会当真啦。
2. Joseph, an American guy, cameGuangzhou recently. Hetalkinghis Chinese friend aboutexperience here.
Julia: You have been here
how long? Four months now?
Joseph: Yeah, about.
Julia: Do you know Chinese better now?
Joseph: Oh, definitely. remember, whenfirst arrivedGuangzhou, my girlfriend was haggling3 withsales clerk overpricea mobile phone.
Julia: Oh, yeah. Many Chinese likebargain. It happens almost everywhere.
Joseph: mean,understand that. Butspeedthe conversation got fasterfaster, untilseemedme that they would fight. My perception4the tone was thatwasviolent shouting match5. The truth was thatwasperfectly normal conversation.
Julia: (laughing) A shouting match? You’re so funny. You must be exaggerating6. don’t believe it.
Joseph: am not exaggerating at all. I’m telling youtruth. That was howfelt at that time.
Julia: Yes, perhaps. Chinese usually don’t notice that sortthing. Maybe it’s quite natural7us.
Joseph: Yes, absolutely true.
【译文】
——你来中国多久？到现在四月？
——，大概这样。
——你现在对中国人解多些吧？
——噢，那当然。我记得，当我初到广州时，我女朋友在买手提电话时跟营业员正在讨价还价。
——噢，啊。很多中国人喜欢讨价还价。这几乎随处可见。
——我知道那样。但谈话语速越来越快，直到我看来他们会打架。他们音调让我觉得那场猛烈争吵比赛。实情，那很平常谈话。
——（笑）场争吵比赛？你还真滑稽。你定在夸张。我信。
——我点都夸张。我在说真。当时我真这么觉得。
——，可能。中国人通常会注意到这种事。也许我们都习以为常。
——对，点都没错。
3. Justina tall American guy workingChina. Right now he’s talkinghis Chinese colleague aboutcity bus.
Lynne: Do you takebusand from8 work?
Justin: Yeah, everyday. And there’s only one choice. Allother buses are goingother direction.
Lynne: Hmm. havesame problem. Whenleave work, it’s always rush hour9. Sobuses are always crowded.
Justin: Oh, yeah, it’s terrible. will tell youfunniest thinghave seenChina. It’s when so many people tryget onto one city bus,the last guysqueezed in0 so tight thatdoortightly pressed againstbutt.
Lynne: That sounds terribleway you describe it. But you know, not long agoreally sufferedthe bus.
Justin: What happened? Were you havinghard time gettinga bus?
Lynne: You just can’t imagine! waitedthe first bus butwas too full, sowaitedthe second, andwas still very crowded. Thendecided notwaitthe next one,gotthe second bus. It was so full thathadstandone foot! No kidding!
Justin: Hmm. Good exercise, uh?
Lynne: Yeah, absolutely!
Justin: And it’s so much fun. One day,bodies were so tightly packed that some girl’s behind was pressed against my front. was afraidput my hands downfear of2 accidentally groping3 her.
Lynne: You were so happy, weren’t you?
Justin: What do you think? I’mgood boy.
【译文】
——你乘公车下班吗？
——啊，每天都这样。而且还只选择。其它所车都去另外方向。
——嗯。我车也这样。当我下班，就总交通拥挤高峰期。所以汽车老拥挤堪。
——噢，很糟糕。我来告诉你我在中国见过最好笑事，当这么多人拼命挤公共汽车时，最后男被挤得如此之紧，以致他屁股被门紧紧地压着。
——你描述这种方式真令人无法忍受。但你知道吗，久前我真在车受苦。
——怎么啦？你车很挤吗？
——你简直想到。我等着第辆车来，但太满，所以我就等第二辆，可车还很挤。后来我决定再等下趟，就第二辆车。可车子挤得我只能用脚站着！点都开玩笑！
——嗯。很好锻炼，？
——啊，绝对地！
——还很好玩呢。天，这些躯体被挤得如此之紧，女孩背都被紧紧挤到我跟前。我敢把手放下，因为怕偶然乱摸到她。
——你很高兴，对对？
——你会怎么认为？我好男人。
4. An American guyhaving lunch with two Chinese women.
Robert: You know,don’t quite understandChinese criterion4beauty. mean,asked some Chinese guys who had seen my girlfriend. asked them, “Isn’t she beautiful?” They were looking at me with eyes wide open, like …and they even wondered howthe worldcould ever have fallenlove with her!
Amy: understand. I’ve heard quitefew people say that most Chinese women that foreigners have chosen are not pretty at all. know I’m onethose that they were describing. I’m surely not beautiful.
Kitty: Oh, come on, although you marriedforeigner, you’re not that bad!
Robert: meanthink my girlfriendvery prettycute. She has these red cheeks,her silk hair has been evenly5 cut. Very pretty, very charming6.
Kitty: (laughing) Chinese don’t notice that sortthing at all. Amy, whatthat saying7?
Amy: Beautyineyesthe beholder8.
Kitty: Yeah, that’s right. Magic love.
【译文】
——你知道吗，我真明白中国人审美标准。我说，我问过几看到过我女朋友中国男人。我问他们，“她难道漂亮吗？”他们看着我，眼睛睁得圆圆，像……而且他们还想知道我怎么会竟然爱她！
——我明白。我已听好几人说过大部分外国人选择中国女人点都漂亮。我知道我就他们所说其中之。我无疑漂亮。
——哦，别这样，尽管你嫁给老外，你还没那么丑！
——我说我认为我女朋友很漂亮，而且很可爱。她红扑扑脸颊，而且她那很光泽头发还被剪得齐齐。很漂亮，很迷人。
——（笑）中国人会注意到这样事。艾米，那句话怎么说？
——情人眼里出西施。
——对，没错。爱魔力。
4 WordsExpressions
. target 靶子;攻击目标
2. talkative 喜欢说话,健谈
3. haggle (在价格方面)争论休
4. perception 感知,感觉;察觉
5. shouting match 大声嚷嚷争吵
6. exaggerate 夸张,使增大
7. natural 做作，自然
8.and from来回地;往返地
9. rush hour (下班时)高锋时间
0. squeeze in 榨出,挤出
. butt 屁股
2.fear of 因恐
3. grope暗中摸，抚摸...身体
4. criterion 标准,准则,尺度
5. evenly 平等地;均匀地
6. charming 迷人;魅力
7. saying 格言,警句,谚语
8. beholder 观看者;旁观者
