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年时间策划这出精心设计的闹剧，只是想证明评论家们有时并不解他们所谈论的事情。
新概念英语第三册
Lesson 31 A lovable eccentric
📚 句中词汇解析
从本句中提取的重要词汇
n. 阶段;舞台;戏剧;驿站;
vt.& vi. 上演，演出;筹办，举行;适于上演;坐公共马车旅行;
vt. 举行;展现;上演;筹划;
vi. 适于上演，适合在舞台上演出;乘公交车（或驿车）旅行;[军事]中间集结，扎营;
💡 sta=stand, 表示“站，立”+ge=age表名词 → n.舞台；戏剧；阶段
"Education is taking centre stage in the government's plans."
教育正在成为政府计划的核心。
近义：perform, playact, portray, represent, dramatise, come
反义：legitimate, authentic, sterling, true, truthful, unfeigned
vi. 详尽说明;变得复杂;
vt. 详细制定;详尽阐述;[生理学]加工;尽心竭力地做;
💡 e使+labor劳动+ate形容词后缀→劳动出来→精做的
"the elaborate decoration on the carved wooden door"
木雕门上精美的装饰图案
近义：make, manufacture, process, work, brew, craft
反义：impair, kill, mar, obliterate, rack, ravage
adv. 简单地，朴素地;（引出概括或解释）不过，仅仅;简直;<非正>实在;
💡 sim一次 + ply 折叠 →折一次 → ad.简单地；朴素地
"The clock is simply for ornament; it doesn't work any more."
这架时钟纯属摆设，它再也不走了。
近义：just, merely, only, purely, solely, but
反义：elaborately, painfully, wearisomely, challengingly, hardly
n. 笑话，玩笑;笑柄，笑料;
vt.& vi. 开玩笑;戏弄;闹着玩;说着玩;
💡 美人鱼 j和很棒(ok)的鹅(e)开 玩笑
"They all doubled up when I told my joke."
当我讲笑话时,他们都笑得直不起身子来.
近义：jest, kid, banter, rib, tease, chaff
反义：reliability, responsibility, sedateness, staidness, thoughtfulness, earnestness
vt. 证明，证实;[法]验证，检定;显示;
vi. 显示出，证明是;
"This will prove to the world that we are right."
这将向全世界证明我们是对的.
近义：illustrate, ascertain, show, verify, certify, check
反义：impugn, negate, object, oppose, oppugn, query