Lesson 89 A slip of the tongue 口误

叶凝云

原文

    People will do anything to see a free show -- even if it is a badone. When the news got round that a comedy show would bepresented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird SeedCompany, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have beenseveral hundred people present just before the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one ofthe dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as manyof the artistes who should have appeared did not come. The only funny things we heard thatevening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously verynervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened hismouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but whathe actually said was: 'This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening andgentlemen!"

New words and expressions 生词和短语

slip  n. 小错误
comedy  n. 喜剧
present  v. 演出；adj. 出席，到场的
queue  v. 排队

dull  adj. 枯燥，无味
artiste  n. 艺人
advertiser  n. 报幕员

参考译文

    人们总要想尽办法看不花钱的演出——哪怕是拙劣的演出。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，我们都赶紧跑去观看。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。不幸的是，这次演出是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。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。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。他显然非常紧张，局促不安地在麦克风前站了好几分钟。但他刚一开口说话，人们便哄堂大笑起来。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：“这是‘浦伊’鸟食公司，好女士们，晚上和先生们！”