1.安眠药
鲍勃晚上失眠。他去看医生,医生给他开了一些强力安眠药。
星期天晚上鲍勃吃了药,睡得很好,在闹钟响之前就醒了过来。他到了办公室,遛达进去,对老板说:“我今天早上起床一点麻烦都没有。”
“好啊!”老板吼道,“那你星期一和星期二到哪儿去了?”
Sleeping Pills
Bob was having trouble getting to sleep at night. He went to see his doctor, who prescribed some extra-strong sleeping pills.
Sunday night Bob took the pills, slept well and was awake before he heard the alarm. He took his time getting to the office, strolled in and said to his boss: "I didn't have a bit of trouble getting up this morning."
"That's fine," roared the boss, "but where were you Monday and Tuesday?"
2.创造性
第一次求职时,我意识到在列举我所具备的为数不多的条件时,得有点创造性。当问及我是否受过其它的培训时,我老实地回答说我花了三年时间学计算机程序设计课。我得到了那份工作。
我没有提到那门功课我重复学了三年才考及格。
Creative
Applying for my first job, I realized I had to be creative in listing my few qualifications. Asked about additional schooling and training, I answered truthfully that I had spent three years in computer programming classes. I got the job.
I had neglected to mention that I took the same course for three years before I passed.
3.催 单
我是一家兽医站的技师。当动物到了该注射疫苗的时候,我们就寄出催单。一条德国物质牧羊犬布鲁诺来做每年一次的狂犬疫苗注射。我们依照州法律的要求询问他的主人,在过去的十天里布鲁诺是否咬了什么人。“噢,是的。事实上这正是我们到这儿来的原因,”她回答说。我觉得奇怪,告诉她我们以为他们是因为收到了我们的催单才来的。
“的确如此,”她解释道。“布鲁诺咬了给你们送催单的邮递员。”
Reminder
In the veterinary office where I'm a technician, we mail out reminders when pets are due for vaccinations. Bruno, a German shepherd, arrived for his annual rabies shot, and we were required by state law to ask his owner if Bruno had bitten anyone in the last ten days. "Oh yes, in fact that's why we're here," she replied. Surprised, I told her we assumed they'd come in because of our reminder.
"We did," she explained. "Bruno bit the mail carrier who was delivering your card."
4.模仿鸟儿
一个人想在一个舞台剧中找份工作。“你能干什么呢?”负责人问。
“模仿鸟儿,”那人说。
“你在开玩笑吧?”负责人答道,“那样的人一毛钱可以找一打。”
“噢,那就算了。”那名演员说着,展开翅膀,飞出了窗口。
Imitate Birds
A man tried to get a job in a stage show. "What can you do?" asked the producer.
"Imitate birds," the man said.
"Are you kidding?" answered the producer, "People like that are a dime a dozen."
"Well, I guess that's that." said the actor, as he spread his arms and flew out the window.
5.你是怎样来的?
一个冬天的早晨,一名雇员解释他为什么迟到了四十五分钟才起来上班。“外面太滑了,我每向前迈一步,就要向后退两步。”
老板狐疑地看着他。“噢,是吗?那你是怎样到这里来的?”
“后来我决定放弃,”他说,“然后我就往家里走。”
How Did You Ever Get Here
One winter morning, an employee explained why he had shown up for work 45 minutes late. "It was so slippery out that for every step I took ahead, I slipped back two."
The boss eyed him suspiciously. "Oh, yeah? Then how did you ever get here?"
"I finally gave up," he said, "and started for home."
6.三个外科医生
三个有名的外科医生正在吹嘘他们的技术。“一个人断了一只手,他来找我,”一个说,“如今那个人是个音乐会的小提琴手。”
“这算不了什么,”另一个说。“一个家伙两条腿断了,他来找我,我将它们接了回去。如今,那人是马拉松选手。”
“我比你们两个都强,”第三个说,“一天,我碰到一起可怕的车祸。除了一个马屁股,和一幅眼睛,什么都没有留下。如今,那人坐在美国参议院里。”
Three Surgeons
Three famous surgeons were bragging about their skills. "A man came to me who had his hand cut off," said one. "Today that man is a concert violinist."
"That's nothing," said another. "A guy came to me who had his legs cut off. I stitched them back on, and today that man is a marathon runner."
"I can top both of you," said the third. "One day I came on the scene of a terrible accident. There was nothing left but a horse's posterior - and a pair of glasses. Today that man is seated in United States Senate."
7.一面之辞
一位法官问我们这群修补陪审员是否有人应当免权。一个人举起了手。
“我的左耳听不见。”那人告诉法官。
“你的右边耳朵听得见吗?”法官问道。那人点了点头。
“你将被允许加入陪审团,”法官宣布。“我们每次只听一面之辞。”
One Side of the Case
A judge asked our group of potential jurors whether anyone should be excused, and one man raised his hand.
"I can't hear out of my left ear," the man told the judge.
"Can you hear out of your right ear?" the judge asked. The man nodded his head.
"You'll be allowed to serve on the jury," the judge declared. "We only listen to one side of the case at a time."
8.走私犯
一个形迹可疑的人开车来到边境,哨兵迎了上去。哨兵在检查汽车行李箱时,惊奇地发现了六个接缝处鼓得紧绷绷的大口袋。
“里面装的是什么?”他问道。
“土。”司机回答。
“把袋子拿出来”,哨兵命令道:“我要检查。”
那人顺从地把口袋搬了出来。确实,口袋里除了土以外,别无他特。哨兵很不情愿地让他通过了。
一周后,那人又来了,哨兵再次检查汽车上的行李箱。
“这次袋子里装的是什么?”他问道。
“土,又运了一些土。”那人回答。
哨兵不相信,对那些袋子又进行了检查,结果发现,除了土以外,仍旧一无所获。
同样的事情每周重演一次,一共持续了六个月。最后,哨兵被弄得灰心丧气,干脆辞职去当了酒吧侍者。有天夜里,那个形迹可疑的人碰巧途经酒吧,下车喝酒。那位从前的哨兵急忙迎上前去对他说,“我说,老兄,你要是能帮我一个忙,今晚的酒就归我请客。你能不能告诉我,那段时间你到底在走私什么东西?”
那人俯身过来,凑近侍者的耳朵,裂开嘴笑嘻嘻地说:“汽车。”
A Smugglar
The suspicious-looking man drove up to the border, where he was greeted by a sentry. When the guard looked in the trunk, he was surprised to find six sacks bulging at the seams.
"What's in here?" he asked.
"Dirt," the driver replied.
"Take them out," the guard instructed. "I want to check them."
Obliging, the man removed the bags, and sure enough, each one of them contained nothing but dirt. Reluctantly, the guard let him go.
A week later the man came back, and once again, the sentry looked in the truck.
"What's in the bags this time?" he asked.
"Dirt, more dirt." said the man.
Not believing him, the guard checked the sacks and, once again, he found nothing but soil.
The same thing happened every week for six months, and it finally became so frustrating to the guard that he quit and became a bartender. Then one night, the suspicious-looking fellow happened to stop by for a drink. Hurrying over to him, the former guard said, "Listen, pal, drinks are on the house tonight if you'll do me a favor: Just tell me what the hell you were smuggling all that time."
Grinning broadly, the man leaned close to the bartender's ear and whispered, "Cars."