Question

阅读短文，根据其内容回答问题。

The British are known for their sense of humour. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to understand their jokes. The main point to remember is that the British often use understatement.  

Understatement means saying less than you think or feel. For example, if someone gets very wet in a shower of rain, he might say, ‘It’s a little damp (潮湿的) outside.’ Or, if someone is very impolite and shouts at another person, someone else might say, ‘She isn’t exactly friendly.’ Understatement is often used in unpleasant situation or to make another person look silly. Understatement plays an important part in British humour.

Another key to understanding British humour is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others. They often laugh about the silly and unpleasant things that happen to our everyday life when someone accidently falls over in the street. They also like to make jokes about people from different classes of society. They like to make jokes about their accents, the way they dress and the way they behave. What’s more, the British love to watch comedies (喜剧) about people who do not know how to behave in society. The comedies series Mr Bean is a good example of this kind of humor.

Mr Bean is the character created by British actor Rowan Atkinson in 1990. Mr Bean doesn’t talk often, and instead he uses his body movement and facial expressions to make people laugh. Perhaps what makes Mr Bean so funny is that he does things that adults in the real world cannot do. Mr Bean is popular in many countries round the world because you do not have to speak English to understand the humour. Because of this, many people have become familiar with the British sense of humour.

1.Is it difficult for foreigners to understand British jokes?

2.What does ‘understatement’ mean?

3.What do the British love to watch comedies about?

4.How does Mr Bean make people laugh?

5.What are the key points for people to understand British humour?

Answer

1.Yes. / Yes, it is.

2.It means saying less than you think or feel.

3.About people who do not know how to behave in society.

4.By using his body movement and facial expressions.

5.Using understatement and making fun of themselves as well as others.

【解析】

试题分析：这篇短文主要介绍了理解英国人幽默的关键点是轻描淡写和喜欢开自己和他人的玩笑。

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.other key to understanding British humour is that the British like to make fun of themselves as well as others.故回答 Using understatement and making fun of themselves as well as others.

考点：文化介绍类短文阅读。