評論
打印
A dangerous servant
危險的仆人
One evening, Daisy said,
一天傍晚，戴西說，
"I'm going to buy a packet of sweets. Does anyone want anything?"
“我要去買包糖果。你們誰要帶點什么東西嗎？”
Benny, Daisy's brother, said, "Yes. Can you get me a packet of electricity, please?"
戴西的弟弟本尼說：“是的。你能幫我買包電嗎？”
Daisy said, "OK," and went out.
戴西說：“好的。”就出去了。
Benny laughed, "Ha！Ha！I've tricked Daisy at last.
本尼笑起來：“哈哈！我終于捉弄到戴西了。
She doesn't even know what electricity is.
她根本都不知道電是什么。
She thinks that she can buy it in packets, like sweets! She'll really look foolish."
她還以為她能成包的買電呢，象買糖果！過會兒她會看起來很傻。”
Mum said, "Do you know what electricity is?"
媽媽說：“你知道電是什么嗎？”
Benny said, "Yes. Electricity flows through a wire.
本尼說：“知道。電流通過電線傳導。
A meter measures the amount you use, and you get a bill for it monthly.
你用了多少用一個儀表來測量，然后每月給你一份帳單。
It's like water, in a way."
一定程度來說，它像水。”
"That's not a bad explanation," said Dad,
“你解釋的還不錯，”爸爸說。
"although electricity is much more dangerous than water.
“盡管電要比水危險得多。
Electricity is a good servant, but a dangerous one.
電是很好的仆人，但很危險。
You must always be careful with it. Can you tell me what it looks like?"
你用它時得非常小心。你能告訴我它看起來像什么嗎？”
Benny scratched his head.
本尼撓了撓他的頭。
Dad said, "Nobody's ever seen electricity. It's invisible.
爸爸說：“沒人見過電什么樣子。它是無形的。
But we can change it into different forms of energy that we can see, hear or feel.
但我們能把它轉化成我們能看到，聽到或感覺到的不同的能量形式。
Can you think of an example?"
你能想出一個例子嗎？”
Benny said, "Light! The light in a light bulb."
本尼說：“光！電燈泡里的光。”
Mum said, "That's right. Do you know where electricity comes from?"
媽媽說：“對。你知道電從哪兒來的嗎？”
Benny said, "Well, it comes into our flat through thin wires,
本尼說：“嗯，它通過細的電線接到我們公寓。
and these are connected to thick wires that are buried under the street."
這些細電線又接在埋在路面下的粗電線上。”
"We call the thick wires cables," said Dad.
“我們把這些粗電線叫做電纜，”爸爸說。
"What are they connected to?"
“他們又接在什么上呢？”
"A power station." said Benny.
“發電站。”本尼說。
Daisy then came back.
戴西這時回來了。
Benny asked politely, "May I have my packet of electricity, please?"
本有禮貌的問到：“我能問你要我的那包電嗎？”
There was a grin on his face.
他狡黠地笑了一下。。
"Yes, you may," said Daisy. "Here it is."
“當然，可以。”戴西說。“給你。”
Benny said, "But these are batteries!"
本尼說：“可是這些是電池！”
Daisy said, "That's right." "But ... but ...," said Benny.
戴西說：“沒錯。”“但是……但是……，”本尼說。
"Daisy's right," said Dad.
爸爸說：“戴西說的沒錯。
"They're packets that contain electricity.
這些是含有電的包。
The chemicals inside produce electricity."
里面的化學成分產生電。”
Daisy asked, "Didn't you know that, Benny?"
戴西問：“你不知道嗎，本尼？”
Mum said, "Who's looking foolish now, Benny?"
媽媽說：“本尼，現在誰看起來才傻呢？”
