jolts the laughs from the audience -- as if by cattle prod 
(ROOT (VP (VBZ jolts) (NP (DT the) (NNS laughs)) (PP (IN from) (NP (DT the) (NN audience))) (, --) (SBAR (IN as) (IN if) (FRAG (PP (IN by) (NP (NN cattle) (NN prod)))))))
(ROOT (VP (VBZ ) (NP (DT ) (NNS )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (NN ))) (, ) (SBAR (IN ) (IN ) (FRAG (PP (IN ) (NP (NN ) (NN )))))))