英語雙語笑話故事：算數問題A Probllem in Arithmetic

A Probllem in Arithmetic

算數問題

Bill is a good student and an intelligent boy. He likesto study arithmetic, and he can do all of thearithmetic problems in his book easily.

比爾是一個好學生，也是個聰明的孩子。他喜歡學算數，課本上所有的算術題他都能輕而易舉地做出來。

One day on his way to school Bill passed a fruitstore. There was a sign in the window which said, "Apple-Six for five cents." An idea came to Bill and hewent into the store.

有一天，比爾去上學，路上經過一家水果店。店的窗戶上有個招牌寫着：“蘋果——六個五分錢。”比爾冒出個想法，走進店去。

"How much are the apples?" he asked the store.

“蘋果多少錢?”他問店裏。

"Six for five cents."

“六個五分錢。”

"But I don’t want six apples."

“可我不想要六個。”

"How many apples do you want?"

“你想要幾個?”

"It is not a question of how many apples I want. It is a problem in arithmetic."

“這不是我想要幾個的問題，這是個數學問題。”

"What do you mean by a problem in arithmetic?" asked the man.

“數學問題，你什麼意思啊?”那人問。

"Well, if six apples are wroth five cents, then five apples are worth four cents, four apples areworth three cents, three apples are worth rwo cents, two apples are worth one cent and oneapple is worth nothing. I only want one apple, and if one apple is worth nothing then it is notnecessary for me to pay you."

“你看，要是六個蘋果值五分錢，那五個蘋果就值四分錢，四個蘋果就值三分錢，三個蘋果就值兩分錢，兩個蘋果就值一分錢，而一個蘋果就不值錢。我只要一個蘋果，要是一個蘋果不值錢，那我就不用給你錢了。”

Bill picked out a good apple, began to eat it, and walked happily out of the store. The manlooked at the young boy with such surprise that he could not say a word.

比爾挑出一個漂亮的蘋果，張口就咬，然後高高興興地走出店去。那人目瞪口呆地瞧着這小男孩，一句話也說不出來。