2022 (4)
開宗明義，這篇要說說quib這個詞。Quib 是個偏僻些的單詞，不過也保不住單詞達人早就認識了。認識也不怕，有空的話，再聽我嘮嘮，溫故知新嘛。
根據Wiktionary， quib的釋義如下：
n. A smart, sarcastic turn or jest; a taunt; a severe retort or comeback; a gibe.
v. (intransitive) To make a quip.
之所以想說這個單詞，是因為看到一則網絡新聞： Car Talk Hosts Retire 【注一】。這Car Talk是個廣播節目，星期天上午播出，節目內容當然是車，主要是各地聽眾打電話進來，問兩位主持人關於各種各樣的車的五花八門的問題。兩位主持人是兄弟倆， Tom and Ray Magliozzi, 聽起來已經不年輕了，應該是老師傅吧，對各年各款的車了如指掌，尤其是它們的常見問題，更是如數家珍，總能夠給聽眾的問題一些好的回答和建議。
特別的是，這兩位還非常的風趣幽默，偶爾拿電話線上的聽眾開開玩笑，更多的則是隨時彼此開涮，整個節目過程中往往笑聲不斷。這個時段，我要是剛好在開車的話，就會用車上的廣播收聽，除了增長一些關於車的常識，往往心情都會更好一些。
這不，記者得知他們退休的消息去采訪他們的時候，他們又涮開了【注一】：
"My brother has always been 'work-averse,' " Ray, 63, joked. "Now, apparently, even the one hour a week is killing him!"
"It's brutal!" quipped Tom, who will turn 75 later this year.
知道了quib這個單詞，上麵這兩段基本上就沒什麽挑戰了。我倒是真舍不得Car Talk這個節目和這兩位開心的老師傅，於是就有了標題裏麵的那個問題：
Can you quib? I guess probably yes, since almost everyone has his or her own humor and wit. But can you quib so heartily and healthfully at their ages? This I am not so sure, even if you are confident. Only time can tell.
Surfer_Diver
2012.6.9
【注一】Car Talk Hosts Retire by Marla Lehner on June 8, 2012. Link:
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20602788,00.html
