中国家庭并不常用电话答录机（Answering Machine),但在北美家庭，几乎家家都用。外来电话拨入时，若该电话号码的主人不在，就会让拨入者听到一段留言，这叫Answer。绝大多数的Answer都是千篇一律的：说明主人不在，请拨入者留下简短信息及姓名电话号码等。 　　以下几则特别的 Answer 体现了美国佬的幽默，你能体会出其幽默所在吗？

1．Hi. This is John. If you are the phone company, I already sent the money. If you are my parents, please send money. If you are my financial aid institution, you didn‘t lend me enough money. If you are my friends, you owe me money. If you are a female, don‘t worry, I have plenty of money.

2．Hi, I‘m not home right now but my answering machine is, so you can talk to it instead. Wait for the beep.

3．Hi. I am probably home. I‘m just avoiding someone I don‘t like. Leave me a message, and if I don‘t call back, it‘s you.

4． Please leave a message. However, you have the right to remain silent. Everything you say will be recorded and will be used by us.

5．Hi, this is George. I‘m sorry I can‘t answer the phone right now. Leave a message, and then wait by your phone until I call you back.

注释：

beep：主人的Answer讲完以后，Answer Machine会发出一声beep, 这时候来电话者就可以开始留言了。

tone：与昨天对 beep 的注释含义完全一样，主人的Answer讲完以后，Answer Machine会发出一声beep, 这时候来电话者就可以开始留言了。

burglar：夜贼

feel helplessly compelled to：感到无助而被迫做某事

you have the right to remain silent：电影电视里警察出示逮捕令时常讲的一句话。西方社会讲究人权，任何疑犯在未审判之前不得认为有罪，因而不能逼供、更不可拷打：他们有权保持沉默。