Chaplin was an extraordinary performer who starred in and directed many outstanding comedies. Few were bored watching his moustache, his gestures or his entertaining reactions when chased by detectives. Being drunk, sliding on a banana skin or whispering his own failures to nobody, he made us feel more content with our life without any verbal explanation. His particular sense of humor has astonished everybody throughout the world up to now.
In a small budget film, he played a badly-off and homeless person wearing worn-out shoes and messy clothes. On one occasion, he was trapped by a snowstorm in a vast mountainous area. Though he overcame many difficulties, he wasn’t fortunate enough. With all the porridge eaten up, he picked out a shoe and boiled it to eat. He cut off the leather bottom and chewed it like a pancake. According to an actress, his acting was so convincing and amusing that everybody couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
卓别林是一名非凡的演员，他主演并导演了多部杰出的喜剧。看见他可笑的小胡子、滑稽的手势动作，还有面对警探的追捕时有趣的反应，很少有人会觉得厌烦。喝醉酒啦，踩到香蕉皮滑倒啦，或者自言自语（低语）自己的糗事啦，他无需任何语言解释的表演总是使我们对自己的生活感到更加满意。他独特的幽默感直到现在依然使世界各地的人们都感到惊讶。
在一部小预算的电影里，他穿着磨破的鞋子和脏兮兮的衣服，扮演了一名贫穷又无家可归的人。在一幕场景中，他被一场暴风雪困在一片多山的区里。尽管他克服了许多困难，但是他还是运气不好的。粥都吃完了，他只好挑出一只鞋子煮来吃。他切下皮革的鞋底，像烙饼一样地咀嚼起来。据一名女演员所说，他的表演是如此地令人信服而又逗人发笑的，以致在场的所有人都忍不住大笑起来。
19.A Misunderstanding
一场误会
In general, spoken statements are the major way of communication, but body language and facial expressions also have such kinds of function. For example, yawning means being not interested and turning one’s back to someone or swinging your fist shows your anger. But what those gestures really mean is subjective in different cultures. Thus, misunderstandings happen now and then in today’s world of cultural crossroads.
Once, representing the Adults’ Education Association, I went to the airport to meet an official of high rank from Columbia and take him to his dormitory and then to the canteen. After the flight arrived, I saw a man looking around curiously. So I approached to greet him. He suddenly dashed to hug me and kissed me on both cheeks. As a young girl, I felt truly embarrassed and put up my hands to defend myself. His false smile told me that he had lost face.
Later, I received a cassette from him, in which he recorded his apology. On hearing that Columbians were more likely to kiss others, I soon felt at ease.
通常说来，口头表达是人们交流的主要方法，但是肢体语言和面部表情也有这种功能。例如，打哈欠意味着不感兴趣，背对别人或向其挥舞拳头表达的是愤怒。但是在不同的文化中那些手势表达的真正意思是很主观的。由此，误会就时不时地发生在今天这个文化交叉碰撞的世界里。
有一回，我代表成人教育协会到机场去接一位从哥伦比亚来的高级官员，我得带他到宿舍和食堂。当他的航班到达时，我看见一名男子好奇地东张西望，于是走上前去和他打招呼。他突然猛冲过来拥抱我，还亲了我的脸颊。还是个年轻姑娘的我感到真尴尬，不由自主举起手来保护自己。他的假笑告诉我他感到丢了面子。