Back Up Two Miles
A farmer and his son, traveling by horse and buggy up a narrow lane, met a motorist going the other way. There was no room to pass for two miles in either direction. The motorist, in hurry, honked his horn .
“If you don‘t back up,” said the farmer, rolling up his sleeves, I won‘t like what I‘m going to have to do.” The surprised driver put his car in reverse and backed up two miles, allowing the horse and buggy to go by. “What was it you wouldn‘t have liked to have done back there?” asked the farmer‘s son.
“Back up two miles,” replied the farmer.
翻译：
退后两英里
一位农夫和他的儿子乘坐轻便马车来到一段窄路，他们遇到一个开车的人向相反的方向去。两个方向的两英里以内都没有地方可以使他们相擦而过。驾车人甚是着急，按响了喇叭。 “如果你不后退，”农夫说着撸起了袖子，“我可不喜欢我将不得不做的事。”司机吃惊不小，挂上倒挡，向后退了两英里，让轻便马车先过去。
“刚才在那儿你说过的你不喜欢要做的事是什么？”农夫的儿子问道。
“退后两英里，”农夫回答道。
2.I didnt know that I was so far back already
A big battle was going on during the First World War．Guns were firing， and shells and bullets were flying about everywhere．After an hour of this， one of the soldiers decidedthat the fighting was getting too dangerous for him， so he leftthe front line and began to go away from the battle． After hehad walked for an hour，he saw an officer coming towardshim． The officer stopped him and said，“ where are you going？” “I‘m trying to get as far away as possible from the battlethat‘s going on behind us， sir，” the soldier answered． “Do you know who I am？” the officer said to him angrily．“I‘m your commanding officer．” The soldier was very surprised when he heard this and said，“My God，I didn‘t know that I was so far back already！”
翻译：
我想不到我已经往回跑了这么远了！”
第一次世界大战期间，一场大战役正在进行。枪炮轰鸣，炮弹和子弹到处乱飞。这样过了一个小时后，一个士兵认定战斗对他来说变得太危险了，所以他离开前线开始逃离战场。步行了一个小时之后，他看见一个军官向他走过来。那军官叫住他说：“你要到哪儿去？” “长官，我正尽可能远地躲开我们身后正在进行的战役，”士兵回答说。 “你知道我是谁吗？”军官生气地对他说：“我是你的指挥官。” 那士兵听到此话感到非常惊讶，说：“天哪，我想不到我已经往回跑了这么远了！”
3.the formula for water
An instructor in chemical warfare asked soldiers in his class: “Anyone knows the formula for water?””Sure. That‘s easy,” said one man.”What is it?””H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O.””What, what?” reasked the instructor.”H to O,” explained the chemistry expert.
翻译：
水的分子式
生化战争课的老师在课堂上问士兵们：“谁知道水的分子式？”“当然，太简单了。”一个士兵回答道。“是什么？”“H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O.”“什么，什么？”老师又问道。“H to O，”化学专家解释道。
4.The Choice of Word
One day, John was back home after work. He found that his wife was shaking their daughter who was only half a year old. She said “Da-Dy” to the baby many times. John felt very happy because he thought his wife chose the word “Dady” to teach their baby.
During one night several weeks later, John and his wife were waken up by the cry “Dady”. His wife said to him, “Darling, she is calling you.” Then she turned to sleep.
翻译：
选词
一天下班回家，约翰发现妻子在摇半岁的女儿，嘴里反复念道：“爸-爸。”约翰心里感到美滋滋的，他的妻子选择了“爸爸”这个词首先教孩子。
几周后的一天夜里，约翰和妻子被一阵哭声惊醒了，“爸-爸！”“她在叫你，亲爱的。”妻子说，然后翻身竟自睡了。
