【生词预览】

cardboard纸板，creation作品，bet确信

【笑话原文】

Translation not Found

I returned from Russia after living there nearly two years. My sister decided to surprise me by creating “welcome home” signs in Russian. She went to a website that offered translations, and printed the translated phrase onto cardboards. When I got off the plane, I saw my whole family, excitedly waving colored cardboards. My sister gave me a big hug, and pointed proudly to her creations. “Isn’t that great?” she said, “Bet you didn’t think I knew any Russian.”

I admitted that I was indeed surprised—the signs actually said, “Translation not found.”

【中文译文】

译文没有找到

我在俄国住了将近两年以后回国。我妹妹打算给我一个惊喜，用俄文做一个“欢迎归来”的标语。她到一个提供翻译的网站，并且把翻译出来的文字打印在纸板上。我一下飞机就看到我们全家兴高采烈地挥舞着彩色的硬纸板。我妹妹给了我一个热烈的拥抱，并且自豪地指着她的作品说：“是不是很棒？我猜你一定没想到我懂俄语。”

我承认我确实大吃一惊。这标语实际上说的是：“译文没有找到。”

【词汇讲解】

1.cardboard卡纸板。还可以作形容词，意思是“不坚实的；不真实的；老一套的”：The story has too many cardboard charactors.

2.get off下飞机。除此之外，get off还有很多其他含义，比如“下班”：What time do you get off(work)? 你什么时候下班？“入睡”：I just couldn’t get off(to sleep) last night.昨晚我怎么也睡不着。“改变话题”：Let’s get off the topic.我们别再谈这个话题了吧。

3.creation作品。Language is the most important mental creation of men.语言是人类头脑中最重要的产物。creation还有“时装”的意思：The designer’s latest creation is a backless evening dress.时装设计师设计的最新式服装是一种露背女晚礼服。

4.bet确信。I bet you were wrong about that.我敢说那件事你错了。这和文中的bet是一个意思。而bet还有“打赌”的意思：I bet him he could not outrun me.我跟他打赌他跑不过我。

5.admit承认。还可以作不及物动词，有“通往”的意思：This door admits to the dining room.这扇门通餐厅。“容许”：Circumstances do not admit of this.情况不容许如此。

6.indeed确实（用来加强语气）。She was a very beautiful girl indeed.她确实是个非常美丽的姑娘。