【生詞預覽】

detect查明、測出，mental智力的，deficiency缺陷、不足，confess承認

【笑話原文】

Don’t Know Much about History

"Would you mind telling me, Doctor," Bob asked, "how you detect a mental deficiency in somebody who appears completely normal?"

"Nothing is easier," he replied. "You ask him a simple question which everyone should answer with no trouble. If he hesitates, that puts you on the track."

" Well, What sort of question?"

"Well, you might ask him, 'Captain Cook made three trips around the world and died during one of them. Which one?'”

Bob thought for a moment, and then said with a nervous laugh, "You wouldn't happen to have another example, would you? I must confess I don't know much about history."

【中文譯文】

對歷史不很了解

“醫生，你能不能告訴我，”鮑勃問，“對于一個看上去很正常的人，你是怎樣判斷出他有智力缺陷的呢？”

“再沒有比這容易的了，”醫生回答，“問他一個簡單的問題，簡單到所有人都知道答案，如果他回答得不干脆，那你就知道是怎么回事了。”

“那要問什么樣的問題呢？”

“嗯，你可以這樣問，‘庫克船長環球旅行了三次，但是在其中一次的途中他去世了，是哪一次呢？’”

鮑勃想了一會兒，緊張的回答道，“你就不能問另外一個問題嗎？坦率地說，我對歷史了解的不是很多。”

【詞匯講解】

1.detect查明、測出／發現某人干壞事：detect a thief查出一個竊賊；detect a student cheating當場逮住一個學生作弊。

2. mental智力的，腦力的／內心的：a mental test智力檢測； mantal labor腦力勞動；mental anguish 內心的痛苦；mental calculation心算。

3. deficiency缺陷、不足／短缺：a deficiency of intellect 才智的缺乏；a deficiency of 100 pounds100鎊的短缺。

4. “that puts you on the track”字面上是“路子對頭”的意思，根據上下文理解，就是“你就明白了”

5. sort種類。People of every sort and kind came here.來這兒的三教九流都有。

6.confess承認，坦白。可作及物與不及物動詞。The man refused to confess his crime.那人拒不認罪。