First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Who made the only funny joke that evening and why?
英式发音：
美式发音：
People will do anything to see a free show ---- even if it is a bad one. When the news got round that a comedy show would be presented at our local cinema by the P. and U. Bird Seed Company, we all rushed to see it. We had to queue for hours to get in and there must have been several hundred people present just before the show began. Unfortunately, the show was one of the dullest we have ever seen. Those who failed to get in need not have felt disappointed, as many of the artistes who should have appeared did not come. The only funny things we heard that evening came from the advertiser at the beginning of the programme. He was obviously very nervous and for some minutes stood awkwardly before the microphone. As soon as he opened his mouth, everyone burst out laughing. We all know what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was: ‘This is the Poo and Ee Seed Bird Company. Good ladies, evening and gentlemen!’
New words and expressions生词和短语slip(title)/slip/n．小错误
dull(1.6)/dʌl/adj．枯燥，无味
comedy(1.2)/'kɑmidi/n．喜剧
artiste(1.80/ɑ:'ti:st/n．艺人
present(1.2)/pri'zent/v．演出；adj．出席，到场的
advertiser(1.9)/'ædvətaizə/n．报幕员
queue(1.4)/kju:/v．排队
Notes on the text 课文注释
1 a slip of the tongue，说走了嘴；失言。
2 do anything to see a free show，想方设法看不花钱的戏。
3 when the news got round that…，当……的消息一传开，这是一个时间状语从句，get round作“四处传遍”讲。
4 need not have felt disappointed，本来不必要感到失望。
need后接不定式的完成式表示不必做某事而实际已经做了。
5 who should have appeared 是定语从句，修饰artistes。should +不定式的完成式表示本来应该做而实际未做的事。
6 …what the poor man should have said, but what he actually said was…，这个可怜的人本应说什么，但实际他所说的却是……。
这里两个what都是连接代词，指所说的话(＝the words which…)。should和actually两词都用斜体印出，这是强调“应该”和“实际”，形成了对比，应重读。
参考译文
人们总要想尽办法去看不花钱的演出－哪怕是拙劣的演出。当“皮尤”鸟食公司将在我们当地影院演出喜剧节目的消息传开后，我们都赶紧跑去观看。我们不得不排了好几个小时才进得场去。在演出开始前场内肯定已有好几百人了。不幸的是，这次演出是我们看过的最乏味的演出了。那些没能进到场内的人没有必要感到失望，因为很多应该出场的专业演员都没有来。那天晚上唯一有趣的事情是节目开始时那个报幕员的开场白。他显然非常紧张，局促不安地在麦克风前站了好几分钟。但他刚一开口说话，人们便哄堂大笑起来。我们都明白那个可怜的人应该说些什么，而他实际说的却是：“这是‘浦伊’鸟食公司，好女士们，晚上和先生们！”
