Meaning of Catch 22
One of the most interesting books of the 20th century was the novel, Catch 22. In the novel, the term 'a catch 22 situation' was introduced. The term has nothing to do with catching anything. It has a much deeper meaning, and it describes a kind of logicalconundrum that’s worth exploring.
ps: 20世纪最有趣的书之一是小说《第22条军规》。小说中引入了“第二十二条军规情形”一词。这个词与捕捉任何东西无关。它有更深层的含义，它描述了一种值得探索的逻辑难题。
nothing to比起……简直等于零
do with忍受，满足于; 处置，对待，对付; 需要，想要，有理由占有
catching有传染性; 有感染力; 接住; 截住; 拦住; 接; 抓住; 握住; catch的现在分词
deeper深深地; 在深处; 至深处; 深的; 厚的; 纵深的; 宽的; 有…深的; deep的比较级
describes描述; 形容; 把…称为; 做…运动; 画出…图形; 形成…形状; describe的第三人称单数
a kind of表示不确定
logical必然的; 合乎情理的; 合乎常理的; 符合逻辑的; 按照逻辑的
conundrum令人迷惑的难题; 复杂难解的问题; 谜语 英 [kəˈnʌndrəm] 美 [kəˈnʌndrəm]
exploring勘探; 勘查; 探索; 考察; 探究; 调查研究; 探讨; 探察，探查; explore的
First, it’s important to put the phrase into context. In the novel, a group of Americanbomber pilots is on an island in theMediterranean. They face death almost every day when they fly their bombingmissions. Many have already lost their lives. The remaining pilots know that it is only a matter of time before they will be the nextvictims.
ps: 首先，把这个短语放到上下文中是很重要的。在小说中，一群美国轰炸机飞行员在地中海的一个岛上。他们在执行轰炸任务时几乎每天都面临死亡。许多人已经失去了生命。剩下的飞行员知道他们成为下一个受害者只是时间问题。
bomber pilot 轰炸机飞行员
Mediterranean地中海
phrase短语; 词组; 成语; 习语; 惯用法; 警句; 乐句; 乐节; 表达，措辞，推敲; 划分乐句，分乐节
a group of一群
Mediterranean地中海的
bombing炸弹投掷; 轰炸; 对…投炸弹; 快速移动，疾行; 惨败; bomb的现在分词
missions官方使命; 使团的使命; 使团; 代表团; 执行任务的地点; 传教，布道; 布道团; 作艰苦的长途旅行; mission的第三人称单数和复数
remaining仍需做的; 还需处理的; 仍然是; 保持不变; 剩余; 遗留; 继续存在; 仍需去做; remain的现在分词
pilots飞行员; 驾驶员; 领航员; 引水员; 领港员; 试播节目; 驾驶; 领航; 引导; 使通过; 试点; 试行; pilot的第三人称单数和复数
a matter of大约，左右
victims受害者; 罹难者; 罹病者; 牺牲品; 受骗者; 上当的人; 为祭祀杀死的动物
One of the characters in the novel is a doctor. It is his job to see that the pilots are fit to fly. In particular, there is a rule that says he has toground anyone who is crazy. To ground them means to remove them from active duty so that they don’t fly.
ps: 小说中的一个人物是医生。他的工作是确保飞行员适合飞行。特别是，有一条规定说他必须和任何一个疯子在一起。把他们击倒意味着把他们从现役部队撤走，这样他们就不会飞了。
ground使停飞，阻止……起飞
pilots飞行员; 驾驶员; 领航员; 引水员; 领港员; 试播节目; 驾驶; 领航; 引导; 使通过; 试点; 试行; pilot的第三人称单数和复数
fit to与……相配，与……相称，相对应
In particular尤其; 特别
rule规则; 规章; 条例; 建议; 应做之事; 习惯; 常规; 惯常的做法; 控制; 统治; 支配; 操纵; 决定; 裁定; 判决
active duty同 active service; 战时服役
Some of the men believed in theprinciples they werefighting for. They were willing togive their lives for their country. But to others, this was crazy. They thought the whole thing wasinsane. One of them, Yossarian, wanted out. He was friends with the doctor, and he wanted the doctor to ground him. When Yossarian asked the doctor to ground him, the doctor replied: “You’re wasting your time. You’re not crazy”. Yossarian told him to ask one of the other pilots, Clevinger, to tell him how crazy he was. “There is no point. He’s crazy,” The doctor replied. ”Crazy people can’t decide whether you are crazy or not.”
ps: 有些人相信他们正在为之奋斗的原则。他们愿意为祖国献出自己的生命。但对其他人来说，这太疯狂了。他们认为整件事都是疯狂的。其中一个叫约萨里安，想退出。他和医生是朋友，他想让医生把他推倒在地。当尤萨里安让医生把他推倒在地时，医生回答说：“你在浪费时间。你没疯。尤萨里安让他去问其他飞行员之一，克莱文格，告诉他他有多疯狂。“没有意义。“他疯了，”医生回答。“疯子不能决定你是不是疯了。”
principle原则
fight for为……而战斗
give one's life for 为……献出生命，为……牺牲
insane疯狂的，非常愚蠢的
“Clevinger isn’t crazy! he’s one of the sanest pilots here.”
“So he’s obviously out of his head,” said the Doc. “He’s got to be insane to keep on flyingcombat missions after all the close calls he’s had.”
“Well, if he’s crazy, why don’t you ground him?”
“I can’t unless he asks to be grounded. That’s part of the rule.”
“So all he has to do is ask?”
“No, then I can’t ground him.”
“So there is a catch,” said Yossarian, trying to get things straight.
“Sure, there’s a catch,” said the Doc, with a slight smile. “Catch 22. If he asks, then he can’t be crazy. Only those who are crazy are grounded”.
“That’s some catch,” observed Yossarian.
“It’s the best there is,” the Doc replied.
ps: “克莱文格不是疯子！他是这里最明智的飞行员之一。”
医生说：“显然他疯了。“他打了这么多近距离的电话，要继续飞行作战任务，肯定是疯了。”
“好吧，如果他疯了，你为什么不把他打倒呢？”
“我不能，除非他要求停飞。这是规则的一部分。”
“所以他要做的就是问问？”
“不，那我就不能把他打倒了。”
“所以有一个陷阱，”尤萨里安说，试图把事情弄清楚。
“当然，有个陷阱，”医生微微一笑说。“第22条。如果他问，那他就不会疯了。只有疯子才会被禁足。
“那是个陷阱，”尤萨里安说。
“这是最好的，”医生回答。
sanest精神健全的; 神志正常的; 明智的; 理智的; 合乎情理的; sane的最高级
out of从…里面；离开; 从…的状态中; 越出…之外
got to接触到; 开始; 收买
keep on重复; 继续; 继续雇用
after all毕竟; 居然; 终究; 竟然;居然
grounded持有合理和现实态度的; 搁浅，触海底; 使停飞; 阻止…起飞; 罚不准出门; g
Exercises:
1.what is the purpose of this piece of writing?
to amuse.
2.why couldn't the doctor ground Clevinger?
Clevinger hadn't asked to be grounded.
3.to be sane means to be in a healthy state of mind.
4. to believe in principles means to have a set of basic truths that guide one's actions.
5. While writing this piece, the author was probablyhaving fun.
6. A close call isa narrow escape from danger, such as surviving a serous accident.
Please tap the first correct sentence to appear:
1. What does it mean to ground a pilot?
To ground them means to remove them from active duty so that they don’t fly.
2. Why did the doctor say he couldn't ground Clevinger?
“I can’t unless he asks to be grounded. That’s part of the rule.”
Fill in the blanks:
1. “So he’sobviously out of his head,”said the Doc. “He’sgot to beinsane to keep onflying combat missions after all theclose calls he’shad.”
2. Some of the men believed in theprinciples they werefighting for. They werewilling to give their lives for their country. But toothers, this was crazy. They thought thewhole thing wasinsane. One of them, Yossarian, wanted out. He wasfriends with the doctor, and he wanted the doctor toground him.
3. In the novel, the term 'a catch 22 situation' was introduced. The term has nothing to do with catching anything. It has a much deeper meaning, and it describes a kind of logicalconundrum that’s worth exploring.
Put the sentences below in order:
One of the characters in the novel is a doctor.It is his job to see that the pilots are fit to fly.In particular, there is a rule that says he has to ground anyone who is crazy.To ground them means to remove them from active duty so that they don’t fly.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1.The term has nothing to do with catching anything.
2.It is his job to see that the pilots are fit to fly.
3.They were willing to give their lives for their country.
4. In the novel, the term 'a catch 22 situation' was introduced.
5. One of the characters in the novel is a doctor.
6. They thought the whole thing was insane.
7. In particular, there is a rule that says he has to ground anyone who is crazy.
8. If he asks to be grounded he isn't crazy, but he can't be grounded unless he's crazy.