(单词翻译:单击)
英文原文
The boy continued to hold my attention because of what happened next.
He was holding an open savings-account book and wearing an expression of open dismay. "But I don't understand," he was saying to the officer. "I opened the account myself, so why can't I withdraw any money?"
"I've already explained to you," the officer told him, "that a fourteen-year-old is not allowed to withdraw money without a letter from his parents."
"But that doesn't seem fair," the boy said, his voice breaking. "It's my money, I put it in. It's my account."
"I know it is," the officer said, "but those are the rules. Now if you'll excuse me."
He turned to me with a smile. "May I help you, sir?"
I didn't think twice. "I was going to open a new account," I said, "but after seeing what's going on here, I think I've changed my mind."
"Excuse me?" he said.
"Look," I said. "If I understand what's going on here correctly, what you're saying is that this boy is old enough to deposit his money in your bank but he's not old enough to withdraw it. And since there doesn't seem to be any question as to whether it's his money or his account, the bank's so-called policy is clearly ridiculous."
参考译文
下面发生的事情进一步引起了我对男孩的注意。
他手里拿着一个打开的存折，脸上失望的神色表露无遗。“但是，我不明白，”他对这位职员说。“我开了这个帐户，为什么不能取钱呢？”
“我已经跟你解释了，”职员告诉他，“没有父母的许可信，十四岁的孩子是不能取款的。”
“但这好像不公平，”男孩说。“是我自己的钱，我存的，是我的帐户。”
“我知道，"职员说，"但这是规定，请原谅。”
他转向我，笑着说。"可以为您做些什么，先生？"
我不假思索地。"我本想开个新帐户，"我说，"但是看到刚才的事，我想我已经改变了主意。"
"对不起？"他问。
"听着，"我说，"如果刚才的事我没理解错的话，按你的意思，以这个男孩的年龄，已可以在您的银行存钱了，但是还不能取钱。既然他的钱和帐户似乎都没什么问题，那么银行所谓的政策显然很荒
唐。"
