It took him four years to stage this elaborate joke simply to prove that critics do not always know what they are talking about.
他花了4年時間策劃這出精心設計的鬧劇，只是想證明評論家們有時并不解他們所談論的事情。
新概念英語第三冊
Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric
?? 句中詞匯解析
從本句中提取的重要詞匯
n. 階段;舞臺;戲劇;驛站;
vt.& vi. 上演，演出;籌辦，舉行;適于上演;坐公共馬車旅行;
vt. 舉行;展現;上演;籌劃;
vi. 適于上演，適合在舞臺上演出;乘公交車（或驛車）旅行;[軍事]中間集結，扎營;
?? sta=stand, 表示“站，立”+ge=age表名詞 → n.舞臺；戲劇；階段
"Education is taking centre stage in the government's plans."
教育正在成為政府計劃的核心。
近義：perform, playact, portray, represent, dramatise, come
反義：legitimate, authentic, sterling, true, truthful, unfeigned
vi. 詳盡說明;變得復雜;
vt. 詳細制定;詳盡闡述;[生理學]加工;盡心竭力地做;
?? e使+labor勞動+ate形容詞后綴→勞動出來→精做的
"the elaborate decoration on the carved wooden door"
木雕門上精美的裝飾圖案
近義：make, manufacture, process, work, brew, craft
反義：impair, kill, mar, obliterate, rack, ravage
adv. 簡單地，樸素地;（引出概括或解釋）不過，僅僅;簡直;<非正>實在;
?? sim一次 + ply 折疊 →折一次 → ad.簡單地；樸素地
"The clock is simply for ornament; it doesn't work any more."
這架時鐘純屬擺設，它再也不走了。
近義：just, merely, only, purely, solely, but
反義：elaborately, painfully, wearisomely, challengingly, hardly
n. 笑話，玩笑;笑柄，笑料;
vt.& vi. 開玩笑;戲弄;鬧著玩;說著玩;
?? 美人魚 j和很棒(ok)的鵝(e)開 玩笑
"They all doubled up when I told my joke."
當我講笑話時,他們都笑得直不起身子來.
近義：jest, kid, banter, rib, tease, chaff
反義：reliability, responsibility, sedateness, staidness, thoughtfulness, earnestness
vt. 證明，證實;[法]驗證，檢定;顯示;
vi. 顯示出，證明是;
"This will prove to the world that we are right."
這將向全世界證明我們是對的.
近義：illustrate, ascertain, show, verify, certify, check
反義：impugn, negate, object, oppose, oppugn, query