There are simple tasks and then there are incredibly simple tasks. Boiling water is even simpler than that. But hey, nobody’s calling you a moron—there’s a first time for everything.
有简单的活儿，非常简单的或。烧开水是最简单的。但是没人会叫你笨蛋——万事开头难。

Step 1: Choose pot
Choose a pot with a greater volume than the amount of water you plan to boil. Do so in private, so nobody’s there to say, “Uh, duh.”
第一步：选择锅
选择一个比你实际所需热水量更大些容积的锅。要悄悄地做，以免有人说“啊！咄！”

Step 2: Pour water
Pour fresh, cold tap water into the pot. Make sure there’s at least 3 inches of space between the rim of the pot and the surface of the water.
第一步：灌水
将新放的凉水灌入锅中。要确保水的上层和锅边至少有3寸的空隙。

Tip:If you’re boiling water to cook with (and not just for fun) you’ll be adding something to it, so be sure to leave enough room for whatever you’re cooking, too.
小贴士:如果你烧开水是用来煮东西（不是开玩笑），一定要确保给所煮食物留有足够的空间。

Step 3: Place pot on burner
Turn the burner to high, place the pot on the burner, and cover the pot with a lid that fits snugly. This keeps in the heat and helps the water boil faster.
第三步：将锅放到加热器上
将加热器调到高档，将放到加热器上，用1个能盖紧锅的盖子。这能保存热量，烧水会更快。

Step 4: Watch the pot
They say a watched pot never boils, but that’s not literally true. First, steam will form between the water and the lid; next, small bubbles will appear around the bottom and edges of the pot; finally, the bubbles will become large enough to break the surface of the water.
第四步：看着烧开水
俗话说看着烧开水永远烧不开，但事实并非如此。首先，蒸汽会在水和锅盖间形成；下一步，锅底和锅边会形成小气泡；最后，气泡会变得更大以致于能从水中冒出。

Step 5: Boil water
Once large bubbles are flowing in steady streams from the bottom to the top of the pot, the water is boiling. That’s it! You’ve done it! Cue the trumpets and congratulate yourself—you’re at least as smart as a not-so-smart monkey.
第五步：将水煮沸
一旦大的气泡能从锅底冒出，并形成持续不断的蒸汽，这时水正在开。搞定了。你可以大喊并庆祝下——你至少和不太聪明的猴子一样聪明。