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No Kidding! 乱开玩笑祸之肇

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

Matty and Joanna are discussing a meeting they have just attended concerning office policies:  麦提和裘安娜刚参加一个有关公司政策的会议，此刻正在讨论：

M: I think the new policy on offensive office jokes is way too extreme; I don’t think they’re seeing the whole picture.

那个针对办公室冒犯性笑话的新政策，我觉得真是太极端了；我认为他们没有看清楚事情的全貌。

J: If jokes in the workplace that discriminate against or belittle others are condoned, the company could face a discrimination suit.

如果工作场合中所有歧视或贬低他人的笑话都被宽恕，公司会因其差别待遇被告。

M: Look, making jokes helps people relax and create friendships, which can only improve productivity; these new policies will interfere with all that.

听着，开开玩笑可以帮助人们放轻松，并建立友谊，这只会提升生产力；这些新政策会对这些事造成阻碍。

J: Well, that just means we’re going to have to start telling jokes that aren’t at the expense of others such as women, minorities, or gays.

唔，新政策只意味着我们将来讲的笑话万万不能拿别人寻开心：如妇女、少数族群或同性恋等等。

M: But, if the kind of people you’re joking about isn’t present, there’s no harm done.

可是，如果开玩笑的对象不在现场，一切不就安了。

J: Wrong, Matty – you never know who’s listening, nor if the people you’re joking with is part of the group you’re joking about.

错，麦提──你永远不晓得在听的人是何方神圣，还有听你开玩笑的人是否也是被你开玩笑的团体之一员。

M: That’s true – I only found out last week that our boss is gay.

那倒是真的──我上礼拜才发现我老板是同志。

J: Exactly. And, regardless, it would send the message that socially unacceptable jokes in the office are fine.

没错。还有，不管怎么说，那样会传达一个讯息，就是社会无法接受的玩笑，却可以在办公室里开。

M: In that case, people in these groups can’t even joke about themselves!

这样的话，连属于这些团体的人也不能自嘲了！

J: Nope; if they did, it would only perpetuate an atmosphere that encourages disrespect and hostility.

不行；他们要是如此，只会让鼓励不敬与对立的气氛永远消弭不了。

M: Well, one thing’s for sure: it’s no laughing matter.

嗯，有件事可以确定：那不是可以开玩笑的事！

Vocabulary

单词发音

offensive [əˋfɛnsɪv] adj. 无礼的﹐冒犯的﹐令人恼火的

way [we] adv. 大大地

to see the whole picture 一窥全豹  the most important facts about a situation and the effects of that situation on other things

discriminate [dɪˋskrɪmə͵net] v. 歧视[+against]

belittle [bɪˋlɪt!] v.【正式】轻视; 贬抑

condone [kənˋdon] v. 宽恕；赦免

at the expense of 以……为代价

perpetuate [pɚˋpɛtʃʊ͵et] v. 使..永久存在

disrespect [͵dɪsrɪˋspɛkt] n. 不尊敬﹐失礼﹐ 无礼

hostility [hɑsˋtɪlətɪ] n. 敌意，敌视

no laughing matter 不是闹着玩的, 非同小可,不是儿戏  something serious that people should not make jokes about

Sentence of the Day

You are kidding!

爱说笑！

课文朗读

课文讲解

Katie and Bob are shooting the breeze during a coffee break:  凯蒂和鲍伯在休息时闲抬杠：

B: Did you hear Stan’s getting fired for sexually harassing his personal assistant?

你有没有听说史丹因为对他的私人助理性骚扰，快被开除了？

K: Well, that’s what you deserve for inappropriately propositioning a coworker.

嗯，那正是不当挑逗同事的下场。

B: But he was only kidding; dismissing him will turn his life upside down. How can you advocate such a severe punishment?

但他只是开开玩笑而已啊；开除他会把他的生活搞得乱七八糟。你怎么拥护这种严厉的处罚？

K: Because there’s an element of truth to every joke, and there should be zero tolerance of misogyny in this day and age.

因为每个笑话都有真正的本质，而在当今世代，藐视女性的行为是不该饶恕的。

B: I agree that his comments could be misconstrued as chauvinist, but what “day and age” are you talking about?

我同意他的言词可能会被曲解成大男人主义，但你说的「当今世代」是什么？

K: The feminist day and age: When women stand up for themselves against prejudice and discrimination; when we demand the same rights as men and receive the same respect.

就是女权抬头的当今世代啊：女人为求自己免受偏见与歧视站出来说话；我们要求和男人享同样的权利，受同等尊敬。

B: But Stan didn’t actually do anything to his assistant: he just joked that they should have a sexual encounter where he’s the master and she’s the servant.

但史丹又没有真的对他的助理做出什么事：他只是开玩笑说他们应该可以发生一下关系，史丹做主人，助理做婢女。

K: He did plenty, Bob: The quality of our action is a clear reflection of the quality of our thoughts; Stan harassed a female coworker through unwarrantable propositioning and he needs to be made an example of or patriarchy will never be defeated.

他太过份了，鲍伯：我们行为的好坏正清楚反射了我们思想的优劣；史丹用不正当的挑逗来骚扰一位女同事，就得受处分以儆效尤，否则父系社会永远无法摧毁。

B: You can get down off your soapbox, now, Katie! I agree with you.

凯蒂，现在你可以结束你的选举街头演说了！我投你一票就是了。

－by David Needham

Vocabulary

单词发音

shoot the breeze【美】【口】聊天; 闲聊

harass [ˋhærəs] / [həˈræs] v. 骚扰

proposition [͵prɑpəˋzɪʃən] n.【口】（向女性）求欢，挑逗

dismiss [dɪsˋmɪs] v. 免……的职；解雇；开除

advocate [ˋædvəkɪt] v. 拥护；提倡；主张

element [ˋɛləmənt] n. 要素，成分

misogyny [mɪˋsɑdʒənɪ] n.【心】厌恶女人

misconstrue [ˋmɪskənˋstru] v.【正式】误解

chauvinist [ˋʃovɪnɪst] n. 本性别至上主义者〔尤指大男子主义者〕

feminist [ˋfɛmənɪst] adj. 主张男女平等的

prejudice [ˋprɛdʒədɪs] n. 偏见，歧视

unwarrantable [ʌnˋwɑrəntəb!] adj. 无法律依据的；不合法的; 无法证明为正当的

patriarchy [ˋpetrɪ͵ɑrkɪ] n. 父权制（社会）; 男权至上的社会制度; 男性政体

soapbox [ˋsop͵bɑks] n. 临时表演台

Sentence of the Day

No one should be subjected to that.

不该有任何人糟到那样。

be subjected to  遭受, 经受. 受到…控制