Logic reasoning 逻辑推理

英语笑话

A fourth-grade teacher was giving her pupils a lesson on logic . She gave such an example.

Here is the situation , she said. "A man is standing up in a boat in the middle of a river, fishing. He loses his balance , falls in, and begins splashing and yelling for help. His wife hears the commotion , knows that he can't swim, and runs down to the bank . Why do you think she ran to the bank?"

A girl raised her hand and asked, "To draw out all of his savings ?"

中文翻译

一位小学四年级的教师正在给学生们上一堂逻辑课。她举了这么一个例子。

她说，“有这样一种情况，一个男人在河中心的船上钓鱼，突然失去重心掉进了水里。于是他开始挣扎并喊救命。他的妻子听到了他的喊声，知道他并不会游泳，所以她就急忙跑向河岸。谁能告诉我这是为什么？”

一个女生举手答道，“是不是去取他的存款？”

词汇点睛

pupil [ˈpjuːpl] n. 小学生

logic [ˈlɒdʒɪk] n. 逻辑（学），逻辑性

situation [ˌsɪtʃuˈeɪʃn] n. 状况，处境，局面

balance [ˈbæləns] n. 平衡

splash [splæʃ] v. 溅起，溅湿

yell [jel] v. 号叫，喊叫，叫喊

commotion [kəˈməʊʃən] n. 混乱，喧闹，骚动

bank [bæŋk] n. 岸，堤

savings [ˈseɪvɪŋz] n. 储蓄，积蓄

语法分析

1. His wife hears the commotion, knows that he can't swim, and runs down to the bank. Why do you think she ran to the bank? 他的妻子听到了他的喊声，知道他并不会游泳，所以她就急忙跑向河岸。谁能告诉我这是为什么？

解析 　本篇笑话的关键点就在于这句话，而这句话的关键点就在于理解bank这个词，bank这个词除了有“银行”的意思外，还可以表示“河岸，河畔”的意思，在本篇笑话中，正是此意。笑话中的学生正是曲解了bank的意思，从而闹出笑话。

口语实践

A　Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the bank?

B　Go along this street, turn right and walk on until you reach the first turning, then turn right again and you'll see it in front of you.

A　打扰一下，你能告诉我到银行怎么走吗？

B　沿着这条街走，右转直到走到第一个拐弯处，然后又右转，你就会看到它在你前面了。

★turning [ˈtɜːnɪŋ] n. 转弯处，岔路口

A　Sir, how can I help you?

B　Yes, I'd like to open a new account.

A　先生，我能为您效劳吗？

B　是的，我想开一个新账户。

A　Yes, of course. Will that being checking or savings?

B　Savings, please.

A　好的，没问题。是活期账户还是定期储蓄账户？

B　定期储蓄账户吧。

★account [əˈkaʊnt] n. 账户