我們或許不能像偉人那樣超凡脫俗，但可以時(shí)時(shí)借助幽默來(lái)使自己開(kāi)心，使自己超脫塵世的種種煩惱。漫畫(huà)就是這樣的一種幽默形式。
　　Art and Humor

　　Millions of people struggle out of bed each morning, fumble into some clothes, and make their way to a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper①. They need something cheerful to remind them that the rest of the day will be less difficult than getting up. This need may be the reason that many of them turn their half-opened eyes to the comics section of the newspaper as they sip their first cups of coffee of the day.

　　Cartoons reflect the times and the troubles and worries of people. They give people an opportunity to laugh at themselves and at familiar situations. For example, a cartoon might say that the government of a country is responsible for the bad economy and also show the government leaders as a group of ridiculous people. Being able to use the leaders as scapegoats and to laugh at the leaders somehow makes people feel better about their situation.

　　Cartoons also make people laugh at their own personal worries. Young people who are not always sure of how to act can smile at their awkwardness. Old people whose grown children pay little attention to them can chuckle at their neglect and loneliness. Students who have studied too little before an examination can laugh at their anxiety. Everyone’s problems are made bigger–than–life in the comics. Perhaps the problems seem funny because there is humor in something that is real being made unreal.

　　A cartoon combines art and humor. When it is skillfully done, a simple line drawing and a few words can make people laugh. Their troubles seem less important, and they enjoy life more fully.

　　［276 words］

　　行文點(diǎn)評(píng)

　　這篇文章結(jié)構(gòu)比較清晰。第一段提出觀點(diǎn)：漫畫(huà)可以令人快樂(lè)，作者用了struggle out of bed, fumble into some clothes, 形象地展示了一個(gè)大多數(shù)讀者都非常熟悉的生活場(chǎng)景。第二、三段從公眾和個(gè)人的角度說(shuō)明，漫畫(huà)反映人們的時(shí)代和生活特點(diǎn)；每段的第一句話都是主題句(topic sentence)，即每一段都在第一句提出這一段的分論點(diǎn)，再對(duì)其加以論證。第四段總結(jié)全文，點(diǎn)明文章的主題。

　　文中排比句的運(yùn)用，比如第三段中對(duì)不同類型人的笑的描述Young people … Old people … Students …，也值得讀者在寫(xiě)作中借鑒。

　　好文妙譯

　　藝術(shù)與幽默

　　每天清晨，成千上萬(wàn)的人不情愿地起床，摸索著穿上衣服，然后喝咖啡，看早報(bào)。他們需要一些令人高興的事情來(lái)提醒自己一天中剩余的時(shí)間將不會(huì)像起床那樣難受。這就是為什么他們會(huì)在喝一天中的第一杯咖啡時(shí)將惺忪的睡眼投向報(bào)紙上的連環(huán)漫畫(huà)專欄的原因。

　　漫畫(huà)反映一個(gè)時(shí)代，也反映人們的問(wèn)題和煩惱。它給了人們一個(gè)自我解嘲的機(jī)會(huì)，讓人們對(duì)他們熟悉的事情發(fā)笑。例如，某幅漫畫(huà)會(huì)把經(jīng)濟(jì)不景氣歸咎于一個(gè)國(guó)家的政府，但也會(huì)把政府領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人畫(huà)成一群可笑的人。把領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人當(dāng)成替罪羊來(lái)加以嘲諷，在某種程度上這會(huì)讓人們對(duì)自己的處境感覺(jué)好一點(diǎn)。

　　漫畫(huà)也使人們對(duì)個(gè)人煩惱付之一笑。年輕人不知所措時(shí)可以對(duì)困境微微一笑。被成年子女冷落的老人可以對(duì)自己被人遺忘、孤獨(dú)的境地輕輕苦笑。而“平時(shí)不燒香，臨時(shí)抱佛腳”的學(xué)生也可以對(duì)考試前的焦慮笑一笑。連環(huán)畫(huà)把人們的問(wèn)題夸張地表現(xiàn)出來(lái)。也許那些問(wèn)題看上去很可笑，這是因?yàn)楫?dāng)真實(shí)的事物被夸大到不真實(shí)的程度時(shí)，本身就產(chǎn)生了幽默。

　　漫畫(huà)結(jié)合了藝術(shù)和幽默。巧妙地畫(huà)幾筆簡(jiǎn)單的線條，寫(xiě)幾句簡(jiǎn)潔的話就能讓人開(kāi)懷大笑。人們的煩心事看上去不再那么重要了，而人們也能夠更充分地享受生活。

　　詞匯斟酌

　　fumble v. 笨拙地做，摸索

　　comic n. 連環(huán)畫(huà)頁(yè)，連環(huán)漫畫(huà)

　　sip v. 呷，啜

　　ridiculous a.荒謬的, 可笑的

　　scapegoat n.替罪羊

　　awkwardness n.笨拙, 不雅觀

　　chuckle vi.吃吃的笑, 咯咯叫

　　佳句臨摹

　　①【解析】make one’s way (to/toward sth)向…前進(jìn)

　　【臨摹】I’ll make my way home now.我現(xiàn)在要回家了。

　　思如泉涌

　　It is a great art to laugh at your own misfortune. 對(duì)己之不幸付之一笑，這是一門(mén)偉大的藝術(shù)。

　　Art lies in concealing art. 隱而不露即藝術(shù)。