A famous writer who was vistiting Japan was invited to have a lecture at a university to a largesgroupsof students. As most of them could not understand spoken English, he had to have an interpreter.

　　during his lecture he told an amusing story which went on for rather a long time. at last he stopped to allow the interpreter to translate itsintosJapanese, and was very surprised when the man did this in a few seconds, afteer which all the students laughed loudly.

　　After the lecture, the writer thanked the interprter for his good work and then said to him, "Now please tell me how you translated that long story of minesintossuch a short Japances one."

　　"I didn't tell the story at all, " the interpreter anwered with a smile. "I just said, "The honourable lecturer has just told a funny story. You will all laugh, please."