James Watt And The Teakettle
时间：2019-02-03 作者：英语课 分类：英语背诵文选第一册
A little Scotch boy was sitting in his grandmother's kit- chen. He waswatching the red flames in the wide open fire- place and quietly wonderingabout the causes of things. In- deed, he was always wondering and alwayswanting to know.
"Grandma," he presently asked, "what makes the fire burn ?"This was not the first time he had puzzled his grand- mother with questionsthat she could not answer. So she went on with her preparations for supperand paid no heed to his query 1.
Above the fire an old-fashioned teakettle was hanging. The water withinit was beginning to bubble. A thin cloud of steam was rising from the spout 2.
Soon the lid began to rattle 3 and shake. The hot vapor puffed out at afurious rate(2). Yet when the lad peeped under the lid he could see nothing.
"Grandma, what is in the teakettle ?" he asked.
"Water, my child--nothing but water(3).""But I know there is something else. There is some- thing in there thatlifts the lid and makes it rattle."The grandmother laughed. "Oh, that is only steam," she said. "You can seeit coming out of the spout and puffing up under the lid.""But you said there was nothing but water in the kettle. How did the steamget under the lid ?""Why(4), my dear, it comes out of the hot water. The hot water makes it."The grandmother was beginning to feel puzzled.
The lad lifted the lid and peeped inside again. He could see nothing butthe bubbling water. The steam was not visible until after it was fairlyout of the kettle.
"How queer !" he said. "The steam must be very strong to lift the heavyiron lid. Grandma, how much water did you put into the kettle?""About a quart(5), Jamie(6).""Well, if the steam from so little water is so strong, why would not thesteam from a great deal of water be a great deal stronger? Why couldn'tit be made to lift a much greater weight ? Why couldn't it be made to turnwheels ?"The grandmother made no reply. These questions of Jamie's were morepuzzling than profitable,(7) she thought. She went about(8) her worksilently, and Jamie sat still in his place and studied the teakettle.
- I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
- They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。
- Implication in folk wealth creativity and undertaking vigor spout.蕴藏于民间的财富创造力和创业活力喷涌而出。
- This acts as a spout to drain off water during a rainstorm.在暴风雨季，这东西被用作喷管来排水。