【外语学习联盟】Fun for each day

I Own My Success to Telephone

Artist:"Whatever success I have had, I owe it all to the telephone."

Friend:"How's that?"

Artist:"Well,while I was waiting for them to give me the right number I practiced drawing on a pad."

Notes
to owe...to:把...归功于。
to practice drawing on a pad:在本子上练习画画。


An Imitation

An artist famous for painting animals was motoring through Iowa, when he saw a very animated looking bull. Thinking he would like to take him on canvas, he got permission of the owner. In due time he produced an excellent likeness of the bull, which he sold for five hundred dollars. On seeing the farmer a year later, he told him he had sold the picture of his bull for five hundred dollars.

"Good lord!" exclaimed the old farmer, "Why, I would have sold two real bulls for less than one imitation of yours."

Notes
imitation:仿制品；模仿。

Iowa:衣阿华州。

animated looking bull:生气勃勃的公牛。

to take sb. or sth. on canvas:将某人或某物绘在画布上。

Good Lord!:My God.

Why, I would have sold two real bulls for less than one imitation of yours:哎呀，我即使卖掉两头真牛，价钱也赶不上你一头假牛多。


I Hope to Be a Great Artist
She:"I hear you are a great artist."

He:"I hope to be. I've only just started."

She:"What are you doing?"

He:"Well, I'm living in a studio and growing whiskers."

Notes:
living in a studio:住在画室
growing whiskers:蓄连鬓胡子


The Sunset

Father:"This is the sunset my daughter painted. She studied painting abroad, you know."

Friend:"Ah, that accounts for it! I never saw a sunset like that in this country."

Notes
to account for:说明


A Bad Picture and Bad Grammar

"Is this a picture of you?"

"Yes. That's me."

"That's bad grammar."

"I know it. It's a bad picture, too."


Life－Size Enlargements

"Do you make life－size enlargements of snapshots?"

"That's our specialty."

"Fine, here's a picture I took of the Grand Canyon."

Notes
life－size:同实物一样大小的
enlargements:放大
snapshot:快照
the Grand Canyon：科罗拉多大峡谷


You Should Get the Key

She:"I'm continually breaking into song?"

He:"You would not have to break in if you'd get the key."

Notes
to break into song:唱起歌来
to break into:突然...起来；破门而入
to break in:破门而入
key:钥匙；调子，音调


She Has a Much Richer Father

"I can't think why they make so much fuss about Miss Smith's voice. Miss Jones has a much richer voice."

"Yes, but Miss Smith has a much richer father."

Notes
to make so much fuss about:对...如此小题大做
Miss Jones has a much richer voice:琼斯小姐的声音相当圆润


"No, Thank you."

"If you are tired of dancing, let us sit down and have a little tete－a－tete."

"No, thank you. After such a big supper I really couldn't eat a thing."

Notes
tete－a－tete:促膝谈心；对谈。为外来语，听话人误以为是一种点心或饮料的名称。


A Note
"I hear you and your neighbour are on the outs. What happened?"

"Well, my kids are taking music lessons, and the other day he sent over an ax with a note saying,'Try this on your piano!'"

Notes
to be on the outs:争执

A Popular Song

"So that is a popular song he's singing?"

"It was before he sang it."


How Did You Like My New Operetta

Composer:"Well, how did you like my new operetta?"

Critic:"Very much. One of the finest things Strauss over composed."

Notes
operetta:轻松活泼的小歌剧
composer:作曲家
Strauss:施特劳斯（1804－1849），奥地利作曲家
composed：adj.镇静的, 沉着的

My Mom Can Do That!

Teather was giving her class a little weekly talk on painting, illustrated by reproductions of famous pictures."Sir Joshua Reynolds," she said,"was able to change a smiling face into a frowning one with a single stroke of the brush."

"Huh," little Johnnie was heard to mutter,"my mom can do that!"

Notes
reproduction:复制品
Sir Joshua Reynolds：乔舒亚.瑞诺兹（1723－1792），英国肖像画家，曾任英国皇家艺术协会第一任主席，以色彩丰富而著称于世。
to change a smiling face into a frowning one：将一张笑脸变成苦脸
with a single stroke of the brush：用画笔一画；用刷子打一下

Anything Will Do

Musician(after much pressing):"Well, all right, since you insist. What shall I play?"

Host:"Anything you like. It is only to annoy the neighbours."

Notes
Anything will do:什么都行
after much pressing:经一再催促
(发帖时间:2004-5-11 11:55:07)