新概念早读英语初中版 第38期:约翰逊和汤的味道

Johnson and the Smell of Soup

约翰逊和汤的味道

One day,a poor man who had only one piece of breadto eat

一天，一个穷人手里拿着一块蛋糕，

was walking past a restaurant.

经过饭店。

There was a large pot soup on the table.

饭店的桌子上有一大锅汤，

The poor man held his bread over the soup,

于是他拿起蛋糕悬在汤的上面，

so the steam from the soup went into the bread,and gave it a good smell.

让汤的蒸汽进入面包，从而得到一个香馍。

Then he ate the bread.

然后他吃得津津有味。

The restaurant owner was very angry at this,

饭店老板看到这很愤怒要这个穷人为汤的蒸汽付钱，

and he asked the man for money,in exchange for the steam from the soup.

要这个穷人为汤的蒸汽付钱。

The poor man had no money,

因为这个穷人身无分，

so the restaurant owner took him to Johnson,who was a judge at that time.

所以老板将带到法官约翰逊面前。

Johnson thought about the case for a little while.

约翰逊想了一会儿，

Then he took some money from his pocket.

然后他从口袋里拿出一些钱。

He held the coins next to the restaurant owner's ear,and shook them,

他把铜板放在饭店老板的耳旁，然后摇动它们，

so that they made a jingling noise."What was that?"asked the restaurant owner.

使它们发出丁丁当当的声音。"那是什么?"饭店老板问。

"That was payment for you,"answered Johnson.

那是付给你的钱。"约翰逊回答道。

"What do you mean? That was just the sound of coins!"

"你是什么意思?那只不过是铜板的声音!"

protested the restaurant owner.

饭店老板抗议道。

"The sound of the coins is payment for the smell of the soup,"

"铜板的声音用来支付汤的味道，"

answered Johnson."Now go back to your restaurant."

约翰逊回答道，"现在你可以回饭店了。"