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A dangerous servant
危险的仆人
One evening, Daisy said,
一天傍晚，戴西说，
"I'm going to buy a packet of sweets. Does anyone want anything?"
“我要去买包糖果。你们谁要带点什么东西吗？”
Benny, Daisy's brother, said, "Yes. Can you get me a packet of electricity, please?"
戴西的弟弟本尼说：“是的。你能帮我买包电吗？”
Daisy said, "OK," and went out.
戴西说：“好的。”就出去了。
Benny laughed, "Ha！Ha！I've tricked Daisy at last.
本尼笑起来：“哈哈！我终于捉弄到戴西了。
She doesn't even know what electricity is.
她根本都不知道电是什么。
She thinks that she can buy it in packets, like sweets! She'll really look foolish."
她还以为她能成包的买电呢，象买糖果！过会儿她会看起来很傻。”
Mum said, "Do you know what electricity is?"
妈妈说：“你知道电是什么吗？”
Benny said, "Yes. Electricity flows through a wire.
本尼说：“知道。电流通过电线传导。
A meter measures the amount you use, and you get a bill for it monthly.
你用了多少用一个仪表来测量，然后每月给你一份帐单。
It's like water, in a way."
一定程度来说，它像水。”
"That's not a bad explanation," said Dad,
“你解释的还不错，”爸爸说。
"although electricity is much more dangerous than water.
“尽管电要比水危险得多。
Electricity is a good servant, but a dangerous one.
电是很好的仆人，但很危险。
You must always be careful with it. Can you tell me what it looks like?"
你用它时得非常小心。你能告诉我它看起来像什么吗？”
Benny scratched his head.
本尼挠了挠他的头。
Dad said, "Nobody's ever seen electricity. It's invisible.
爸爸说：“没人见过电什么样子。它是无形的。
But we can change it into different forms of energy that we can see, hear or feel.
但我们能把它转化成我们能看到，听到或感觉到的不同的能量形式。
Can you think of an example?"
你能想出一个例子吗？”
Benny said, "Light! The light in a light bulb."
本尼说：“光！电灯泡里的光。”
Mum said, "That's right. Do you know where electricity comes from?"
妈妈说：“对。你知道电从哪儿来的吗？”
Benny said, "Well, it comes into our flat through thin wires,
本尼说：“嗯，它通过细的电线接到我们公寓。
and these are connected to thick wires that are buried under the street."
这些细电线又接在埋在路面下的粗电线上。”
"We call the thick wires cables," said Dad.
“我们把这些粗电线叫做电缆，”爸爸说。
"What are they connected to?"
“他们又接在什么上呢？”
"A power station." said Benny.
“发电站。”本尼说。
Daisy then came back.
戴西这时回来了。
Benny asked politely, "May I have my packet of electricity, please?"
本有礼貌的问到：“我能问你要我的那包电吗？”
There was a grin on his face.
他狡黠地笑了一下。。
"Yes, you may," said Daisy. "Here it is."
“当然，可以。”戴西说。“给你。”
Benny said, "But these are batteries!"
本尼说：“可是这些是电池！”
Daisy said, "That's right." "But ... but ...," said Benny.
戴西说：“没错。”“但是……但是……，”本尼说。
"Daisy's right," said Dad.
爸爸说：“戴西说的没错。
"They're packets that contain electricity.
这些是含有电的包。
The chemicals inside produce electricity."
里面的化学成分产生电。”
Daisy asked, "Didn't you know that, Benny?"
戴西问：“你不知道吗，本尼？”
Mum said, "Who's looking foolish now, Benny?"
妈妈说：“本尼，现在谁看起来才傻呢？”
