《西南联大英文课》- 《论烤猪》（上） - Day5

以下是《西南联大英文课》文章阅读理解问题本人原创回答，以及每日一句英文原创阅读感想，作为读书笔记，答案可供参考。我们一起阅读提高。今天是Day five:)

今天的文章较长，会分为上下部分两天更新。

Charles Lamb 是英国的幽默散文家，所以他的作品少不了典型的英式幽默。他的选词也非常正式，适用于研究生英语考试、雅思、托福、GRE等考试。

Questions and Responses:

1. Point out the elements of humour in the title and the first three sentences.

First, there are some elements of humour (see https://www.ahschools.us/cms/lib08/MN01909485/Centricity/Domain/4715/Elements%20of%20Humor%20new.pdf). 

The title of this essay is 'A Dissertation on Roast Pig'. 'Dissertation', in Collins dictionary means 'a long formal piece of writing on a particular subject, especially for an advanced university degree'. So the element of humour used here is 'incongruity' and surprise. 'Incongruity' refers to "the idea is that we laugh at things that surprise us because they seem out of place". Normally, we do not write formal essays or dissertations on how to roast a pig.

Also, in the first three sentences, some details show these elements of humour, such as 'for the first seventy thousand ages' and 'just as they do in Abyssinia to this day', 'This period is not obscurely hinted at...' and 'where he designates a kind of golden age by the term Cho-fang, literally the Cook's holiday', 'The manuscript goes on... the art of roasting or rather broiling... was accidentally discovered in the manner following. 

2. How did Bo-bo happen to set fire to the cottage?

Like most youngsters of his age, Bo-bo liked playing with fire and let some sparks spread into a bundle of straw. Hence, a conflagration was set off in their poor cottage. 

3. How did Bo-bo discover that roast pig is good to eat、

First, an odour assailed his nostrils and then his saliva (premonitory moistening) started to overflow his lower (nether) lip. He next tested the crackling of the scorched skin and therefore surrendered himself up to this sensory pleasure (deliciousness of the roast pig).

4. Why was Ho-ti filled with horror at the sight of his son eating pig?

Because no man had known roast pig before. ('in the world's life indeed, for before him no man had known it'. "He cursed his son and he cursed himself that ever he should beget a so that should eat burnt pig”.)