中國人有謎語,西洋人也有。西洋人稱謎語為Riddle。它跟中國謎語一樣,常在字形、字音和字義上賣關(guān)節(jié),就看你能不能靈機一動。Riddle 除了可以益智外,也可以增進你對英文的興趣,不失為一種學英文的方法。
(編 者)
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 這個字就沒什么兩樣。)
2. Saturday and Sunday—— all the other days are weak (week) days.
( weak與 week的發(fā)音一樣。而美國人的工作天只有五天,即從 Monday到 Friday ,這五天是他們的week days。)
3. Because he wanted to rock and roll.
(to rock and roll是跳搖滾舞。但在這兒,搖rock 的是rocking chair,滾 roll的是 wheels。這就造成了一句雙關(guān)的趣味。)
4.Because it comes at the end of December. (對這句話而言,答案的意思是R這個字母正好排在December的末尾。除此以外,答案還有一個意思,Christmas在the end of December的時候到來。換言之,答案也造成了一句雙關(guān)的趣味。)
5.Just before Eve. ( Eve 是一語雙關(guān),一是解“晚間”, 一是解“夏娃”。)
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.( 為什么人會把鐘丟出窗外?你如果回答是因為夫妻吵架而摔東西,那就落入俗套,沒什么好笑。但回答To see time fly 看時光飛馳,你說妙不妙?)
7.A quarter to one. ( A quarter to one是 12:45,再一刻鐘就到一點。另外一個意思是一人分四分之一。)
8.Your fingernail.(用 fingernail回答問句的nail ,是在字形和字音上玩游戲其實nail的意思是釘子,fingernail的中文意思是指甲,根本是答非所問。)
9.A boxing ring.(用A boxing ring回答問句的ring, 是在字形和字音上玩游戲。其實ring的意思是圓圈或指環(huán),boxing ring 卻是指拳擊賽場地。)
10.Because it’s light when it rises.
(答案就太陽而言,它升起的時候,很亮。答案就面包而言,它松起的時候,很輕。兩個意思同屬于一句英文之中,這就是答案的妙處。)