89

Lesson 89 A slip of the tongue
口误
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Who made the only funny joke that evening and why?
People will do anything to see a free show -- even if it is a bad one.
人们总要想尽办法看不花钱的演出--哪怕是拙劣的演出。
When the news got round that a comedy show would be presented at our localcinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company,
当“皮尤”鸟食公司将在我们当地影院演出喜剧节目的消息传开后，
we all rushed to see it.
我们都赶紧跑去观看。
We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundredpeople present just before the show began.
我们不得不排了好几个小时才进得场去。在演出开始前场内肯定已有好几百人了。
Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen.
不幸的是，这次演出是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。
Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as many of theartistes who should have appeared did not come.
那些没能进到场内的人没有必要感到失望，因为很多应该出场的专业演员都没有来。
The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at thebeginning of the programme.
那天晚上唯一有趣的事情是节目开始时那个报幕员的开场白。
He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before themicrophone.
他显然非常紧张，局促不安地在麦克风前站了好几分钟。
As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing.
但他刚一开口说话，人们便哄堂大笑起来。
We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was:
我们都明白那个可怜的人应该说些什么，而他实际说的却是：
'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen!'
“这是‘浦伊’鸟食公司，好女士们，晚上和先生们！”

魔乐岛蒙学•新概念英语第二册（89）