English Original
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Q: What roof never keeps out the wet?
A: The roof of the mouth. -
Q: Does any child like going to school?
A: Every child likes going to school. Most of them just hate staying there before going home. -
Q: Why is a peacock the best story-teller?
A: Because it always has a beautiful tale. -
Q: Why is a crazy person equal to two ordinary people?
A: Because he is a man beside himself. -
Q: What coat is always wet when it's put on?
A: A coat of paint. -
Q: Why did the band have a smash hit in the performance?
A: They had the audience glued to their seats. -
Q: Why is Sunday the strongest day in a week?
A: The rest of the days are weak days. -
Q: Why are giraffes the cheapest to feed?
A: They make a little food go a long way. -
Q: Why are dogs afraid to sunbathe?
A: They don't want to be hot-dogs. -
Q: Why are mules helpless in dancing?
A: They have two left legs. -
Q: Why is the pig always eating?
A: He's making a hog of himself. -
Q: What kind of shoes are made of banana skins?
A: Slippers. -
Q: How do you like your school?
A: Closed. -
Q: Why are politicians no longer concerned with snowball fights?
A: The cold war is over. -
Q: Why are watches fragile?
A: Because their hours are numbered. -
Q: What's put on the table, cut, but never eaten?
A: A deck of cards. -
Q: Why don't women get bald as soon as men?
A: Because women wear hair longer. -
Q: How can you make the door last?
A: Make other things first. -
Q: Why shouldn't you lose your temper?
A: No one else wants it. -
Q: What makes the Tower of Pisa lean?
A: It never eats. -
Q: What book has the most stirring chapters?
A: A cook book. -
Q: What's the most difficult train to catch?
A: The 12:50 train, because it's ten to one if you catch it. -
Q: What trees do fortune tellers like to look at?
A: Palms. -
Q: How do people feel after taking a ferryboat?
A: They feel vexed, for the ferryboat made them cross.
中文翻译与解析
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问: 什么屋顶永远挡不住潮湿?
答: 上颚(roof of the mouth)。- 解析: "roof" 既有"屋顶"之意,也指口腔的"上颚"。
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问: 有孩子喜欢上学吗?
答: 每个孩子都喜欢去学校。他们大多只是讨厌在回家前一直待在那里。- 解析: 幽默地解读了"喜欢上学",将"去学校"和"待在学校"分开。
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问: 为什么孔雀是最好的故事讲述者?
答: 因为它总有一个美丽的尾巴(故事)。- 解析: "tale"(故事)与 "tail"(尾巴)谐音双关。
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问: 为什么一个疯子等于两个普通人?
答: 因为他魂不守舍(beside himself)。- 解析: "beside oneself" 意为"发狂、忘形",字面可理解为"在自己旁边",所以是两个人。
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问: 什么外套穿上时总是湿的?
答: 一层油漆(a coat of paint)。- 解析: "coat" 既有"外套"之意,也指"涂层"。
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问: 为什么乐队演出大获成功?
答: 他们让观众粘在了座位上(glued to their seats)。- 解析: "have someone glued to one's seat" 是习语,意为"使某人全神贯注、不忍离席"。
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问: 为什么星期日是一周中最强壮的一天?
答: 因为其他日子都是虚弱的日子(weak days)。- 解析: "weak"(虚弱的)与 "week"(星期)谐音,"weekdays"(工作日)指周一到周五。
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问: 为什么长颈鹿最便宜喂养?
答: 它们能让一点点食物维持很久(go a long way)。- 解析: "go a long way" 意为"维持很长时间",这里幽默地暗示因为脖子长,食物要"走"很长的路。
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问: 为什么狗害怕日光浴?
答: 因为它们不想变成热狗(hot-dogs)。- 解析: "hot-dog" 是"热狗",字面也可理解为"热的狗"。
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问: 为什么骡子跳舞时笨手笨脚?
答: 因为它们有两条左腿(have two left legs)。- 解析: 习语 "have two left feet/legs" 意为"(跳舞或运动时)笨手笨脚"。
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问: 为什么猪总是在吃?
答: 因为它正在把自己变成一头大肥猪(making a hog of himself)。- 解析: "make a hog/pig of oneself" 是习语,意为"狼吞虎咽,吃得过多"。
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问: 什么鞋子是用香蕉皮做的?
答: 拖鞋(Slippers)。- 解析: "slipper"(拖鞋)源于 "slip"(滑倒),香蕉皮容易让人滑倒。
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问: 你希望你的学校怎么样?/ 你觉得你的学校怎么样?
答: 关门(Closed)。- 解析: "How do you like...?" 可表示询问看法或愿望,此处利用歧义幽默回答。
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问: 为什么政客们不再关心打雪仗了?
答: 因为冷战结束了(The cold war is over)。- 解析: "cold war"(冷战)与"寒冷的战争(雪仗)"形成双关。
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问: 为什么手表易碎?
答: 因为它们的时间屈指可数了(their hours are numbered)。- 解析: 模仿习语 "one's days are numbered"(时日无多),"hours"既指时间,也暗示寿命。
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问: 什么东西放在桌上,被切分,但从不被吃掉?
答: 一副扑克牌。- 解析: "cut" 在扑克牌中意为"切牌、洗牌"。
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问: 为什么女人不像男人那样容易秃顶?
答: 因为女人头发留得更长(wear hair longer)。- 解析: "wear hair longer" 可理解为"头发留得更长",也可理解为"头发保留得更久"。
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问: 你如何让门持久耐用?
答: 先做其他东西。- 解析: "make the door last" 可理解为"让门持久",也可理解为"最后做门"。
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问: 为什么你不应该发脾气?
答: 因为没人想要它(脾气)。- 解析: "lose one's temper" 发脾气;"temper" 也有"脾气"之意。
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问: 是什么让比萨斜塔倾斜?
答: 因为它从不吃东西。- 解析: "lean" 既有"倾斜"之意,也有"瘦的"之意。
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问: 什么书有最激动人心的章节?
答: 烹饪书。- 解析: "stirring" 既有"激动人心的"之意,也有"搅拌的"之意。
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问: 什么火车最难赶上?
答: 12点50分的火车,因为赶上它的可能性只有十分之一(ten to one)。- 解析: "ten to one" 字面是"差十分一点",作为习语意为"十有八九、很可能",此处反用其字面时间含义制造幽默。
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问: 算命先生喜欢看什么树?
答: 棕榈树(Palms)。- 解析: "palm" 既有"棕榈树"之意,也有"手掌"之意。算命先生看手相(palm reading)。
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问: 人们坐完渡轮后感觉如何?
答: 他们感到恼火(vexed),因为渡轮让他们渡河(/变得暴躁)。- 解析: "cross" 既有"渡过(河流)"之意,作为形容词也有"易怒的、暴躁的"之意。