A small boy and his father were having a walk in the country when it suddenly began to rain very hard． They did not have their umbrella with them， and there was nowhere to hide from the rain， so they were soon very wet， and the small boy did not feel very happy． For a long time while they were walking home through the rain， the boy was thinking． Then at last he turned to his father and said to him，“Why does it rain， Father？ It isn't very nice， is it？” “No， it isn't very nice， but it's very useful，Tom，”answered his father．“It rains to make the fruit and the vegetables grow for us， and to make the grass grow for the cows and sheep．” Tom thought about this for a few seconds， and then he said，“Then，why does it rain on the road too， Father？”

一個小男孩和他的父親正在鄉(xiāng)間行走，突然下起了大雨。 他們沒帶傘，加上四下無處可以躲雨，所以很快他們渾身上下被淋濕了，小男孩感到很不好受。 他們在雨中朝家走去，有好一會兒，那個男孩一直在思索著什么。后來終于他朝父親轉(zhuǎn)過臉去，問他說：“爸爸，為什么天會下雨呢？下雨可不太好，是吧？” “是呀，下雨是不太好，可是下雨也有很多有益的地方，湯姆。”父親回答說?！袄咸鞝斚掠甏偈沽藶槲覀兯秤玫乃褪卟说纳L，同樣也促使牛羊所吃的青草的生長。” 湯姆對父親的這番話想了一會，然后說：“那么，父親，老天爺為什么還要把雨下在路上呢？”