猜 谜 语 学 英 语
中国人有谜语,西洋人也有。西洋人称谜语为riddle。它跟中国谜语一样,常在字形、字音和字意上卖关节,就看你能不能灵机一动。Riddle 除了可以益智外,也可以增进你对英文的兴趣,不失为一种学英文的方法。
Questions:
1.What is the difference between here and there?
2.What are the strongest days of the week?
3.Why did the man put wheels on his rocking chair?
4.Why is the letter "R" like Christmas?
5.At what time of day was Adam born?
Answers:
1. The letter "t". ( there 去掉"t",跟 here 这个字就没什么两样。)
2. Saturday and Sunday --- all the other days are weak (week) days.
( weak与 week的发音一样。而美国人的工作天只有五天,即从 Monday到 Friday ,这五天是他们的week days.)
3. Because he wanted to rock and roll. ( to rock and roll是跳摇滚舞。 但在这儿,摇rock 的是rocking chair,滚 roll的是 wheels。这就造成了一
句双关的趣味。)
4.Because it comes at the end of December.(对这句话而言,答案的意思是:R这个字母正好排在December的末尾。除此以外,答案还有一个意思,Christmas在the end of December的时候到来。换言之,答案也造成了一句双关的趣味。)
5.Just before Eve. ( Eve 是一语双关,一是解"晚间", 一是解"夏娃"。)
二
Questions:
6. Why did the person throw a clock out the window?
7.What time is it when a pie is divided among four friends?
8.What nail should you never hit with a hammer?
9. What ring is square?
10.Why is the sun like a loaf of bread?
Answers:
6.To see time fly. ( 为什么人会把钟丢出窗外?你如果回答是因为夫妻吵架而摔东西,那就落入俗套,没什么好笑。但回答To see time fly 看时光飞驰,你说妙不妙?)
7.A quarter to one. ( A quarter to one是 12:45,再一刻钟就到一点。另外一个意思是一人分四分之一。)
8. Your fingernail. (用 fingernail回答问句的 nail ,是在字形和字音上玩游戏其实nail的意思是钉子, fingernail的中文意思是指甲,根本是问非所答。
9.A boxing ring. (用A boxing ring回答问句的ring, 是在字形和字音上玩游戏。其实ring的意思是圆圈或指环,boxing ring 却是指拳赛场地。
10.Because it's light when it rises. ( 答案就太阳而言,它升起的时候,很亮。答案就面包而言,它松起的时候,很轻。两个意思同属于一句英文之中,这就是答案的妙处。)
关键字:
英语谜语生词表: