READING: A dangerous servant
危險的仆人

One evening, Daisy said, ‘I’m going to buy a packet of sweets .Does anyone want anything?’

一天晚上，黛西說：“我想去買包糖果，有沒人想要些什么？”

Benny, Daisy’s brother, said, ‘Yes, Can you get me a packet of electricity, please?’

本尼，黛西的弟弟，說：“我要的，幫我?guī)б话?，可以么？?/div>
Daisy said, ‘Ok,’ and went out. Benny laughed, ‘Ha! Ha! I’ve tricked Daisy at last. She doesn’t even know what electricity is. She thinks that she can buy it in packets, like sweets! She’ll really look foolish.’

黛西說：“好的?！比缓蟊愠鲩T了。本尼大笑：“哈哈，我終于耍了黛西一次了。她根本不知道什么是電。她以為他能像糖果一樣成包購買，她一定會出洋相的?！?/div>
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. A meter measures the amount you use, and you get a bill for it monthly. It’s like water, in a way.’

本尼說：“當然。電通過電線傳播。一般是用米來衡量你的用量而且每個月你都會收到一份賬單。某種程度上來說，它跟水很相似?！?/div>
‘That’s not a bad explanation,’ said Dad, ‘although electricity is much more dangerous than water. Electricity is a good servant, but a dangerous one. You must always be careful with it. Can you tell me what it looks like?’

“這個解釋還可以?！卑职终f，“但是電比水危險多了。電就好似一個優(yōu)秀的仆人，但是同時又很危險。你必須對它保持警惕。你能告訴我電視什么樣子的嗎？”

Benny scratched his head.

本尼撓了撓腦袋。

Dad said, ‘Nobody’s ever seen electricity. It’s invisible. But we can change it into different forms of energy that we can see, hear or feel. Can you think of an example?’

爸爸說：“沒人見過電。它是肉眼所看不到的。但是我們能夠把它轉化成各種我們能夠看到、聽到或者感覺到的形式。你能想出一個例子么？”

Benny said, ‘Light! The light in a light bulb.’

本尼說：“燈，電燈泡?！?/div>
Mum said, ‘That’s right. Do you know where electricity comes from?’

媽媽說：“對了。那你知道電來自哪里嗎？”

Benny said, ‘Well, it comes into our flat through thin wires, and these are connected to thick wires that buried under the street.’

本尼說：“恩，它會通過細細的線傳進我們的公寓，而這些細線是由埋在地下的粗線連接的。”

‘We call the thick wires cables,’ said Dad. ‘What are they connected to?’

“我們把那些粗的電線叫做電纜?！卑职终f，“它們連接到什么？”

‘A power station, ‘said Benny.

“發(fā)電站。”本尼說。

Daisy then came back. Benny asked politely, ‘May I have my packet of electricity, please?’There was a grin on his face.

黛西回來了。本尼很禮貌的問：“請問我能拿到我的那包電么？”他咧開嘴笑了。

‘Yes, you may,’ said Daisy. ‘Here it is. ’Benny said, ‘But these are batteries!’Daisy said, ‘That’s right.’

“當然”黛西說，“給你?！北灸嵴f：“可是這只是電池！”黛西說：“對啊?！?/div>
‘But…but…,’ said Benny.

“但是……但是……”本尼支支吾吾。

‘Daisy’s right,’ said Dad. ‘They’re packets that contain electricity. The chemicals inside produce electricity. ’

“黛西做的不錯，”爸爸說，“這里面也包含電量了。電池里的化學物質會制造電能。”

Daisy asked, ‘Didn’t you know that, Benny?’

黛西問，“你不知道，本尼？”

Mum said, ‘who’s looking foolish now, Benny?’

媽媽說：“本尼啊，現(xiàn)在是誰出了洋相？”

NOTES：

1 I'm going to bug a packet of sweets.我要去買一包/袋糖果。
a packet of是量詞詞組，意為“一包；一袋”。又如：a packet of crisps（一袋薯片）。 句中的sweet作名詞，意為“糖果”；sweet也可作形容詞，意為“甜的”。

2 I've tricked Daisy at last.我終于耍了黛西一回了。
句中的trick作動詞，意為“戲弄”；trick還可作名詞，意為“詭計；花招；騙局”。

3 She doesn't even know what electricity is．她甚至不知道電是什么。

4 She'll really look foolish.她一定會出洋相的。
句中的look為系動詞，意為“顯得”，后接形容詞foolish作表語，說明主語的狀態(tài)。又如： That book looks interesting.那本書好像很有趣。

5 You must always be careful with．1．你必須一直小心用電。
be careful with意為“小心對待；謹慎處理”，后常接名詞或代詞。又如：Please be careful with the glass.當心玻璃。

6 Can you tell me what it looks like?你可以告訴我它（電）是什么樣子的嗎？
look like意為“看似…一樣”，look在此處是系動詞，like為介詞。 此外，look like常和what連用表示“看起來怎么樣？”，如：
--What does your teacher look like? --He is tall and handsome.

7 ‘We call the thick wires cables.’ said Dad.“我們把那些粗的電線稱為‘電纜’?！卑职终f道。
句中的cable作名詞，意為“電纜”；在7B Unit 3曾學過cable car（纜車）。