2206What cannot be called a disinterested act of hospitality?什麼不能算是不求回報的招待?⌄
答案:Entertaining a hope. — entertaining a hope。 entertain 可指招待,也可指心懷某種想法;entertain a hope 是抱持希望,並非招待客人。
Q02207英文雙關
2207What fruit is the most visionary?什麼水果最 visionary?⌄
答案:The apple of the eye. — the apple of the eye。 apple of the eye 是瞳孔,也有珍愛之人之義;題目把視覺與 apple(蘋果)連在一起。
Q02208英文雙關
2208What is that which goes from Boston to Providence without once moving?什麼能從波士頓到普羅維登斯,自己卻一次也不移動?⌄
答案:The railroad. — 鐵路。 鐵路連線兩地,本身並不像行駛的火車那樣移動。
Q02209英文雙關
2209What is everything doing at the same time?所有東西同時都在做什麼?⌄
答案:Growing older. — 變得更老。 時間不斷經過,事物存在的時間也不斷增加。
Q02210英文雙關
2210What should you do if you split your sides with laughter?笑得 split your sides 時應該怎麼辦?⌄
答案:Run till I got a stitch in them. — 跑到身側出現 stitch。 split one's sides 是笑破肚皮;stitch 可以是跑步造成的岔氣,也可指縫線,讓人聯想到縫回裂開的身側。
Q02211英文雙關
2211What is the difference between a clock and a partnership?時鐘和合夥企業有什麼不同?⌄
答案:When a clock is wound up it goes; when a firm is wound up it stops. — 時鐘 wound up 會開始走,企業 wound up 卻會停。 wind up a clock 是上發條;wind up a firm 是結束、清算企業。
Q02212英文雙關
2212How do you know when night is nigh?怎麼知道 night 已經 nigh?⌄
答案:When the t (tea) is taken away. — 把 t(tea)拿走。 night 去掉最後的 t 成為 nigh(接近);t 與 tea(茶)同音。
Q02213英文雙關
2213Why is a person with his eyes closed like a defective schoolmaster?閉上眼睛的人為什麼像不稱職的老師?⌄
答案:He keeps his pupils in darkness. — 因為他把 pupils 留在黑暗裡。 pupils 可指瞳孔或學生;閉眼遮住瞳孔,原文再借指讓學生無知。
Q02214英文雙關
2214Why is early grass like a penknife?早春的草為什麼像小折刀?⌄
答案:Because the springs bring out the blades. — 因為 springs 會帶出 blades。 spring 可指春天或彈簧;blade 可指草葉或刀刃。
Q02215英文雙關
2215Why is a real estate man not a man of words?房地產業者為什麼不是 a man of words?⌄
答案:Because he is a man of deeds. — 因為他是 a man of deeds。 deed 可指行動,也可指房產契據;words 與 deeds 通常對比說話和做事。
Q02216英文雙關
2216Why are some singers like cheese curds?某些歌手為什麼像凝乳?⌄
答案:Because they require to be pressed. — 因為他們都需要被 pressed。 凝乳會被壓製;press 也指敦促,原文暗示有些歌手要被催請才肯唱。
Q02217英文雙關
2217Why is grass like a mouse?草為什麼像老鼠?⌄
答案:Because the cat’ll eat it (cattle eat it). — 因為 cat’ll eat it(cattle eat it)。 cat’ll eat it 是貓會吃牠;cattle eat it 是牛會吃草,兩句近音。
Q02218英文雙關
2218What is the centre of gravity?重力的中心是什麼?⌄
答案:The letter V. — 字母 V。 把 gravity 當作英文單字而非物理概念;七個字母正中央是第四個字母 v。
Q02219英文雙關
2219When is a doctor most annoyed?醫生什麼時候最煩躁?⌄
答案:When he is out of patients. — 當他 out of patients 的時候。 patients 是病人,與 patience「耐心」同音;沒有病人也被說成失去耐心。
Q02220英文雙關
2220What is there remarkable about a bee?蜜蜂有什麼了不起的地方?⌄
答案:Why, ordinarily it has but little to say, yet generally carries its point. — 牠平常話不多,卻總能貫徹自己的 point。 carry one's point 是達成主張;point 也可指尖端,這裡借蜜蜂的螫針作雙關。
Q02221英文雙關
2221What is the easiest way to keep water out of the house?怎樣最容易讓水進不了家門?⌄
答案:Omit to pay your water tax. — 不繳水費。 把防止漏水的期待,轉成不付款而被停止供水的反轉;不是居家防水建議。
Q02222英文雙關
2222What is it that is queer about flowers?花有什麼奇怪的地方?⌄
答案:They shoot before they have pistils. — 還沒有 pistils,就已經 shoot 了。 shoot 可指發芽或射擊;pistils「雌蕊」與 pistols「手槍」近同音。
Q02223英文雙關
2223Why does a bay horse never pay toll?為什麼棕色的馬從不付過路費?⌄
答案:Because his master pays it for him. — 因為主人替牠付了。 題目讓人找馬的特性,答案卻只是馬不親自付款。
Q02224英文雙關
2224Why is the letter S like a pert repartee?為什麼字母 S 像一句無禮的回嘴?⌄
答案:Because it begins and ends in sauciness. — 因為 sauciness 的開頭和結尾都是它。 sauciness 意為無禮、放肆,第一與最後一個字母都是 s。
Q02225英文雙關
2225Why is beef suitable for a Christmas dinner?為什麼牛肉適合聖誕晚餐?⌄
答案:Meet for rejoicing. — 因為它 meet for rejoicing。 meet 在此是舊式的「合適」,又與 meat「肉」同音;意思是適合歡慶,也呼應肉食。
Q02226英文雙關
2226Why is a little dog’s tail like the heart of a tree?為什麼小狗的尾巴像樹的中心?⌄
答案:Because it’s farthest from the bark. — 因為都離 bark 最遠。 bark 可指狗吠或樹皮;尾巴遠離發出叫聲的嘴,樹心遠離外層樹皮。
Q02227英文雙關
2227What workman never turns to the left?哪一種工匠從不向左轉?⌄
2245Why are tallest people the laziest?為什麼最高的人最懶?⌄
答案:Because they are always longer in bed than others. — 因為他躺在床上總比別人 longer。 longer 可以指時間更久,也可指身體更長;原題將身高長度偷換成睡懶覺的時間。
Q02246英文雙關
2246Why is a college student like a thermometer?為什麼大學生像溫度計?⌄
答案:Because he is graduated and marked by degrees. — 因為都有 graduated 和 degrees。 graduated 可指畢業或帶刻度;degrees 可指學位,也可指溫度的度數。
Q02247英文雙關
2247What bird is low-spirited?哪一種鳥情緒低落?⌄
答案:The blue-bird. — Bluebird。 blue 除了藍色,也表示憂鬱;bluebird 原是藍色鳥名,並非真的憂鬱。
Q02248英文雙關
2248Why is a tournament like sleep?為什麼騎士比武大會像睡覺?⌄
答案:It is a (k)nightly occupation. — 因為它是 knightly/nightly 的活動。 knightly「騎士的」與 nightly「夜間的」同音;一個屬於騎士,一個常在夜間。
Q02249英文雙關
2249Why is a schoolmaster like the letter C?為什麼老師像字母 C?⌄
答案:He forms lasses into classes. — 他把 lasses 變成 classes。 lasses 是女孩;前面加 c 成 classes「班級」,呼應老師把學生組成班級。
Q02250英文雙關
2250Why is bread like the sun?為什麼麵包像太陽?⌄
答案:Because it rises from the yeast. — 因為它從 yeast 升起。 麵包因 yeast「酵母」膨起;yeast 與 east「東方」近同音,呼應太陽從東方升起。
Q02251英文雙關
2251Why is love like a canal boat?為什麼愛情像運河船?⌄
答案:Because it is an internal transport. — 因為都是 internal transport。 transport 可指運輸,也可指強烈喜悅;一個是內河運輸,一個是內心的激動。
Q02252英文雙關
2252When does a chair dislike you?椅子什麼時候不喜歡你?⌄
答案:When it can’t bear you. — 當它不能 bear you。 bear you 可指承受你的重量,也可指忍受你;把承重說成喜不喜歡。
Q02253英文雙關
2253Why is a duel quickly managed?為什麼決鬥很快就能安排好?⌄
答案:Because it takes only two seconds to arrange it. — 因為只需要 two seconds。 seconds 可指秒,也指決鬥雙方的助手;兩位助手安排決鬥,被說成只花兩秒。
Q02254英文雙關
2254Why is a nobleman like a book?為什麼貴族像一本書?⌄
答案:Because he has a title. — 因為都有 title。 title 對貴族是頭銜,對書則是書名。
Q02255英文雙關
2255What is the difference between the wreck of a bank and the wreck of a ship?銀行倒閉與船沉有什麼不同?⌄
答案:One is caused by the presence of rocks, the other by the scarcity of rocks. — 一個因為 rocks 太多,另一個因為 rocks 太少。 rocks 可指岩石,也有金錢的俚語義;船可能撞礁,銀行則可能缺錢。原答用同一詞的兩義對比,並非金融事故的完整解釋。
Q02256英文雙關
2256Why would a compliment from a chicken be an insult?為什麼雞說的讚美也會被當成侮辱?⌄
答案:Because it would be foul language. — 因為那是 foul language。 foul language 是粗話;foul 與 fowl「禽鳥」同音,禽鳥的話被讀成粗話。
Q02257英文雙關
2257Why is a cherry like a book?為什麼櫻桃像一本書?⌄
答案:Because it is red (read). — 因為都是 red/read。 red「紅色」與 read 的過去分詞「被讀過」同音;櫻桃紅,書被閱讀。
Q02258英文雙關
2258Why is rheumatism like a great eater?為什麼風濕像大胃王?⌄
答案:Because it attacks the joints. — 因為都攻擊 joints。 joints 對風濕指關節,在餐食語境可指大塊帶骨肉;是詞義雙關。
Q02259英文雙關
2259Why would an owl be offended at your calling him a pheasant?為什麼把貓頭鷹叫成雉雞,牠會生氣?⌄
答案:Because you would be making game of him. — 因為你在 making game of him。 make game of 是取笑;game 也指供狩獵的鳥獸,雉雞屬於獵禽。
Q02260英文雙關
2260Why is a very amusing man like a bad shot?為什麼有趣的人像射不準的獵人?⌄
答案:Because he keeps the game alive. — 因為他讓 game 活著。 game 可指遊戲樂趣或獵物;有趣的人維持氣氛,射不準則留下活獵物。
Q02261英文雙關
2261When people are quarreling out of doors, what should they do?人們在戶外吵架時應該做什麼?⌄
答案:Co-in-side (go inside). — Co-in-side,也就是走進屋裡。 coincide「一致」與 go inside「進屋」被刻意拼接近讀;原梗同時提示和解與進屋。
Q02262英文雙關
2262Why is a man who makes additions to a false rumor like one who has confidence in all that is told to him?為什麼替假訊息添油加醋的人,像相信所有傳聞的人?⌄
答案:Because he re-lies on all he hears. — 因為他 re-lies on all he hears。 relies on 是信賴;拆成 re-lies 又像把聽到的話重新說成謊言。
Q02263英文雙關
2263When does a farmer double up a sheep without hurting it?農夫何時能把羊折起來,卻不傷牠?⌄
答案:When he folds it. — 把羊 folds 的時候。 fold 可指折疊,也指把羊關進羊欄;答案用後者化解前者的奇怪動作。
Q02264英文雙關
2264Why is an apothecary like a wood-cock?為什麼藥劑師像丘鷸?⌄
答案:Because he has a long bill. — 因為都有很長的 bill。 bill 對鳥是喙,對藥劑師則是帳單。
2270Why is the letter W like scandal?為什麼字母 W 像流言?⌄
答案:Because it makes ill will. — 因為它讓 ill 變成 will。 ill 加上 w 成 will,合成 ill will「惡意」;流言會帶來惡意。
Q02271英文雙關
2271Why are photographers the most uncivil of all tradespeople?為什麼攝影師被說成最不客氣的商人?⌄
答案:Because when we make application for a copy of our portrait, they always reply with a negative. — 因為請他提供肖像副本,總得到 negative。 negative 可以是拒絕或底片;在膠片攝影中底片是正常媒介,卻被讀成否定回答。
Q02272英文雙關
2272Which is the oddest fellow, the one who asks a question or the one who answers?提問的人和回答的人,誰更奇怪?⌄
答案:The one who asks, because he is the querist. — 提問的人,因為他是 querist。 querist 是提問者,原題利用它與 queerest「最奇怪的」近同音。
Q02273英文雙關
2273When does the wind most resemble a bookseller?風什麼時候最像書商?⌄
2274What benefit can be derived from a paper of pins?一包針能帶來什麼好處?⌄
答案:It will give you many good points. — 給你很多 good points。 good points 可指優點或好的尖端;針的尖端被說成好處。
Q02275英文雙關
2275Why is a clock the most persevering thing in creation?為什麼時鐘最有毅力?⌄
答案:Because it is never more inclined to go on with its business than when it is completely wound up. — 它完全 wound up 時,反而最想繼續工作。 wound up 可指事情結束,也指發條上緊;發條上緊後時鐘才繼續走。
Q02276英文雙關
2276Why is chicken pie like a gunsmith’s shop?為什麼雞肉派像槍匠店?⌄
答案:Because it contains fowl-in pieces. — 因為裡面有 fowl-in pieces。 fowl in pieces 是切塊禽肉,與 fowling pieces「獵槍」近同音。
Q02277英文雙關
2277What is the fruit of finance?金融結出的果實是什麼?⌄
答案:Current coin. — Current coin。 current coin 是流通貨幣;current 與 currant「醋栗」同音,讓錢成了水果。
Q02278英文雙關
2278Why is a steam engine at a fire an anomaly?為什麼救火的蒸汽泵很矛盾?⌄
答案:Because it works and plays at the same time. — 它同時 work 和 play。 work 是運作,play 在水流語境是噴射;看似邊工作邊玩,實際是在運轉噴水。
Q02279英文雙關
2279When is a boy in a pantry like a poacher?男孩在食物櫃裡,何時像偷獵者?⌄
答案:When he walks into the preserves. — 當他走進 preserves 時。 preserves 可指果醬等儲存食品,也可指保護獵場;偷吃果醬被類比成闖獵場。
Q02280英文雙關
2280Why is a jailer like a musician?為什麼獄卒像音樂家?⌄
答案:Because he fingers the keys. — 因為都用手指操作 keys。 keys 對獄卒是鑰匙,對樂器演奏者是琴鍵。
Q02281英文雙關
2281Why is it absurd to call a dentist room the dental parlor?為什麼把牙醫診間叫作 dental parlor 很荒唐?⌄
答案:Because it is the drawing room. — 因為它應該叫 drawing room。 drawing room 原是客廳;draw 也可指拔出,借牙醫拔牙之義玩名稱。
Q02282英文雙關
2282Why should a man never tell his secrets in a corn field?為什麼不該在玉米田說秘密?⌄
答案:Because so many ears are there, and they would be shocked. — 因為那裡有很多 ears,還會 shocked。 ears 可指耳朵或玉米穗;shocked 可指驚訝,或把收成紮成禾束的動作。