評論
打印
Two college-age boys, unaware that making money usually involves hard work, are tempted by an advertisement that promises them an easy way to earn a lot. The boys soon learn that ifsomething seems to good to be true, it probably is.
兩個(gè)大學(xué)男孩，不清楚賺錢需要付出艱苦的勞動，被一份許諾輕松賺大錢的廣告吸引了。男孩們很快就明白，如果事情看起來好得不像真的，那多半確實(shí)不是真的。
Big Bucks the Easy Way
輕輕松松賺大錢
John G. Hubbell
約翰·G·哈貝爾
"You ought to look into this," I suggested to our two college-age sons. "It might be a way to avoid the indignity of having to ask for money all the time." I handed them some magazines in a plastic bag someone had hung on our doorknob. A message printed on the bag offered leisurely, lucrative work ("Big Bucks the Easy Way!") of delivering more such bags.
"你們該看看這個(gè)，"我向我們的兩個(gè)讀大學(xué)的兒子建議道。"你們?nèi)粝氡苊庖驗(yàn)槔鲜窍蛉擞戝X而有失尊嚴(yán)的話，這興許是一種辦法。"我將掛在我們門把手上的、裝在一個(gè)塑料袋里的幾本雜志拿給他們。塑料袋上印著一條信息說，需要招聘人投遞這樣的袋子，這活兒既輕松又賺錢。（"輕輕松松賺大錢！"）
"I don't mind the indignity," the older one answered.
"我不在乎失不失尊嚴(yán)，"大兒子回答說。
"I can live with it," his brother agreed.
"我可以忍受，"他的弟弟附和道。
"But it pains me," I said， "to find that you both have been panhandling so long that it no longer embarrasses you."
"看到你們倆伸手討錢討慣了一點(diǎn)也不感到尷尬的樣子，真使我痛心，"我說。
The boys said they would look into the magazine-delivery thing. Pleased, I left town on a business trip. By midnight I was comfortably settled in a hotel room far from home. The phone rang. It was my wife. She wanted to know how my day had gone.
孩子們說他們可以考慮考慮投遞雜志的事。我聽了很高興，便離城出差去了。午夜時(shí)分，我已遠(yuǎn)離家門，在一家旅館的房間里舒舒服服住了下來。電話鈴響了，是妻子打來的。她想知道我這一天過得可好。
"Great!" I enthused. "How was your day?" I inquired.
"好極了！"我興高采烈地說。"你過得怎么樣？"我問道。
"Super!" She snapped. "Just super! And it's only getting started. Another truck just pulled up out front."
"棒極了！"她大聲挖苦道。"真棒！而且這還僅僅是個(gè)開始。又一輛卡車剛在門前停下。"
"Another truck?"
"又一輛卡車？"
"The third one this evening. The first delivered four thousand Montgomery Wards. The second brought four thousand Sears, Roebucks. I don't know what this one has, but I'm sure it will be four thousand of something. Since you are responsible, I thought you might like to know what's happening.
"今晚第三輛了。第一輛運(yùn)來了四千份蒙哥馬利-沃德百貨公司的廣告；第二輛運(yùn)來四千份西爾斯-羅伯克百貨公司的廣告。我不知道這一輛裝的啥，但我肯定又是四千份什么的。既然這事是你促成的，我想你或許想了解事情的進(jìn)展。"
