【生詞預覽】

base基地，oration演講， lieutenant陸軍中尉，grumble抱怨，windbag饒舌之人

【笑話原文】

Who Am I

At a tea for officers and their wives, the commanding general of a base delivered a seemingly endless oration. A young lieutenant grumbled to the woman sitting beside him, “What a pompous and unbearable old windbag tat slob is!” The woman turned to him, her face red with rage. “Excuse me, Lieutenant. Do you have any idea who I am?” “No, ma’am,” the man fumbled. “I am the wife of the man you just called an unbearable old windbag.” “Oh,” said the lieutenant. “And do you have any idea who I am?” “No,” said the general’s wife. “Thank God.” said the lieutenant, getting up from his seat and disappearing into the crowd.

【中文譯文】

你知道我是誰嗎？

在一次軍官和家屬的茶話會上，基地的司令沒完沒了地發表著演說。一位年輕的中尉對坐在他旁邊的女人嘟囔說：“這個老家伙羅嗦乏味、自以為是，真叫人不能容忍?！蹦莻€女人轉過來，她的臉因生氣而通紅：“中尉，你知道我是誰嗎？”小伙子說：“夫人，我不知道?！薄拔沂悄莻€你才說的羅嗦乏味、自以為是、叫人不能容忍的老家伙的太太?！敝形菊f：“喔，那你知道我是誰嗎？”將軍的夫人說：“不知道?！敝形菊f：“感謝上帝?！闭f完就從位置上站起來，消失在人群中。

【詞匯講解】

1.base基地。 The country maintains military bases on foreign soil.
那個國家在國外設有軍事基地。

2.oration演講。 He asked for no funeral oration.他不要人在葬禮上宣讀悼詞。

3.pompous自負的。 He was very pompous at the meeting.他在會上表現得很自負。

4.rage狂怒。也可以做動詞，指“動怒”： She raged when her jewels were stolen while under police protection.在有警察保護的情況下她的珠寶被偷, 她十分生氣。

5.fumble笨拙地弄。 Benjamin fumbled for the light switch.
本杰明手忙腳亂地找電燈開關。

6.crowd人群。也可以做動詞，指“催促”： Don't crowd me; give me time to think.不要逼我; 給我時間讓我想想。