Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.

Whether 引导从句 ^{表示“是否”时不能用if的几种情况}

largely ^{chiefly / to a great extent 很大程度上、主要}

• His later years were devoted largely to charitable work. ^{他晚年主要从事慈善工作。}
• Power is largely concentrated in the hands of a small elite. ^{权力主要集中在少数精英人物的手里。}

bring up sb. ^{抚养某人：指照顾、培养某人}

• He was brought up by his step-mother.

be brought up to do ^从小就 

• The sad truth is that most of us have been brought up to eat certain foods and we stick to them all our lives.
• We have been brought up to fear insects. ^NCE3-54

raise sb. ^{养人、动物}

• My mother was an amazing woman. She raised four of us kids virtually singlehandedly.  ^{我母亲是个了不起的女人。她几乎是独自抚养大了我们4个孩子。}
• I didn't know if I could raise a child by myself.^{我不知道是否能独立抚养一个孩子。}

foster / adopt sb. ^{领养（某人）}

• adopted son ^养子
• adoptive parents / foster-parents ^养父母

The sense of humour is mysteriously bound up with national characteristics.

The sense of humour ^幽默感

• the sense of pride ^自豪感
• the sense of honor ^荣誉感
• the sense of accomplishment ^成就感
• the sense of responsibility ^责任感
• the sense of superiority ^优越感
• the sense of inferiority ^自卑感

A Frenchman, for instance, might find it hard to laugh at a Russian joke.

• No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.

In the same way, a Russian might fail to see anything amusing in a joke which would make an Englishman laugh to tears.

In the same way ^{同样地（放句首时加逗号）}

• likewise ^{adv.同样地}
• similarly ^{adv.相似地；同样}
• by the same token ^{同样地；出于同样原因}

laugh to tears ^笑出流泪

• be bored to tears / death ^无聊透顶

laugh one's head off ^大笑不止

... which would make an Englishman laugh his head off. ^替换

• clap one's hands off ^{拍手（热烈鼓掌）}
• cry one's eyes out ^{悲痛欲绝 、泪如雨下}