44. Doctor or Doctor?
After receiving his Ph.D【1】 , Stephen Leacock embarked upon 【2】 a trip to the Orient. Proud of his new degree, he signed his name "Dr. 【3】 Leacock" on the passenger list. On the first day, a steward knocked on Leacock's cabin door and asked if he was Dr. Leacock. "Yes," he replied. "Doctor," the steward said, "would you please come and look at the second stewardess's leg?" Leacock agreed at once, and amused to discover that another doctor had already arrived on the scene 【4】 —a doctor of divinity!
醫(yī)生還是博士?
斯蒂芬·利科克在得到他的博士學(xué)位后即踏上了去往東方的旅程。他對(duì)自己剛剛獲得的學(xué)位非常自豪,于是在旅客登記簿上這樣簽下了自己的名字:“利科克博士”。在第一天的旅程中,一位服務(wù)員敲利科克所在船艙的門,問(wèn)他是否是利科克“醫(yī)生”。“是的,”他回答道。“醫(yī)生,”服務(wù)員說(shuō),“您能否過(guò)去看看一位女服務(wù)員的腿?”利科克立刻答應(yīng)了下來(lái),當(dāng)他看到另外一位“醫(yī)生”已經(jīng)到達(dá)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)時(shí)不禁樂(lè)了——原來(lái)那位“醫(yī)生”是神學(xué)博士!
背景知識(shí)與點(diǎn)評(píng)
·斯蒂芬·利科克(1869—1944),加拿大經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家、幽默作家。對(duì)他的簡(jiǎn)介參見(jiàn)本書(shū)第二部分第6篇“利科克的花園”。
·利科克是一個(gè)脾氣古怪但不失幽默的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家。他明明知道自己不會(huì)看病還爽快地答應(yīng)請(qǐng)求,難怪后來(lái)成了幽默作家。
英語(yǔ)知識(shí)鏈接
【1】 Ph. D: Doctor of Philosophy的英文縮寫(xiě),即博士學(xué)位、哲學(xué)博士
【2】 embark upon:開(kāi)始,從事,著手
【3】 Dr.:博士,醫(yī)生(doctor的縮寫(xiě))
【4】 arrive on the scene:到場(chǎng),露面