10 A Useful Lesson
10 有用的经验
In England, nobody under the age of eighteen is allowed to drink in a public bar.
在英国，十八岁以下的人不准进酒吧喝酒。
Mr. Thompson was a famous scientist. He used to go to a bar near his lab quite often, but he never took his son, Tom, because he was too young. Then when Tom had his eighteenth birthday, Mr. Thompson took him to his usual bar for the first time. After being supplied brandy, they began to drink. Half an hour later, Mr. Thompson said to his son, "Now, Tom, I want to teach you a useful lesson. You must restrict yourself not to drink too much. And how do you know when you've had enough? Well, I'll tell you the method. Do you see those two teapots on the counter? When they seem to have become four, you've had enough and should go home."
汤普森先生是一位著名的科学家。他以前常常去他实验室附近的一个酒吧喝酒，但他从来不带他的儿子汤姆去，因为他年纪太小。后来，当汤姆年满十八岁的时候，汤姆森先生为了给他庆祝一下，第一次带他去他常去的那家酒吧。白兰地送上来后，他们就开始喝了。半小时后，汤普森先生对他儿子说：“汤姆，现在我要告诉你一个有用的经验。你必须限制自己不要喝得太多。你怎么知道你喝够了呢？好，我来告诉你。你看见吧台上的那两把茶壶了吗？当那两把茶壶看起来变成四把的时候，你就喝够了，应该回家了。”
"But , Dad," said Tom, "actually I can only see one."
“可是，爸爸。”汤姆说，“实际上，我只看见一把茶壶啊。”