"A perfect day for a walk!" "ə pərˈfɛkt deɪ fɔr ə wɔk!" “适合散步的一天！” thinks Mr. Centipede. θɪŋks ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid. 蜈蚣先生想。 "What better way to keep my 42 feet strong and fit?" "wʌt ˈbɛtər weɪ tu kip maɪ 42 fit strɔŋ ənd fɪt?" “有什么更好的方法可以让我 42 英尺的身高保持强壮和健康？” At the end of each foot, Mr. Centipede wears a bold, bright, beautiful, boot. æt ðə ɛnd ʌv iʧ fʊt, ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid wɛrz ə boʊld, braɪt, ˈbjutəfəl, but. 在每只脚的末端，蜈蚣先生都穿着大胆、明亮、漂亮的靴子。 That is 21 pairs of boots for all 42 feet! ðæt ɪz 21 pɛrz ʌv buts fɔr ɔl 42 fit! 那就是所有 42 英尺的 21 双靴子！ Whom does he first meet, but Dame Damsel Fly? hum dʌz hi fərst mit, bʌt deɪm ˈdæmzəl flaɪ? 他首先遇到的是谁，不是 Dame Damsel Fly？ "What big boots you have on," she says. "wʌt bɪg buts ju hæv ɑn," ʃi sɛz. “你穿的是多大的靴子，”她说。 "Tell me, Mr. Centipede, which leg do you place before which, when you go walking?" "tɛl mi, ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid, wɪʧ lɛg du ju pleɪs bɪˈfɔr wɪʧ, wɛn ju goʊ ˈwɔkɪŋ?" “告诉我，蜈蚣先生，你走路时哪条腿放在哪条腿前？” "Why this leg of course!" "waɪ ðɪs lɛg ʌv kɔrs!" “为什么当然是这条腿！” says Mr. Centipede, lifting leg number 2. sɛz ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid, ˈlɪftɪŋ lɛg ˈnʌmbər 2 蜈蚣先生说，抬起 2 号腿。 "Wait! "weɪt! “等待！ Actually, this leg!" ˈæˌkʧuəli, ðɪs lɛg!" 居然是这条腿！” He lifts leg number 4. hi lɪfts lɛg ˈnʌmbər 4 他举起 4 号腿。 "Such fine boots!" "sʌʧ faɪn buts!" “好漂亮的靴子！” says the Big Beetle. sɛz ðə bɪg ˈbitəl. 大甲虫说。 "Tell me, Mr. Centipede, which leg do you place before which, when you go walking?" "tɛl mi, ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid, wɪʧ lɛg du ju pleɪs bɪˈfɔr wɪʧ, wɛn ju goʊ ˈwɔkɪŋ?" “告诉我，蜈蚣先生，你走路时哪条腿放在哪条腿前？” "What a silly question," says Mr. Centipede annoyed. "wʌt ə ˈsɪli kˈwɛsʧən," sɛz ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid əˈnɔɪd. “多么愚蠢的问题，”蜈蚣先生生气地说。 He sticks out leg number 3. hi stɪks aʊt lɛg ˈnʌmbər 3 他伸出 3 号腿。 And puts it down quickly. ənd pʊts ɪt daʊn kˈwɪkli. 并迅速放下。 He sticks out leg number 6 instead. hi stɪks aʊt lɛg ˈnʌmbər 6 ˌɪnˈstɛd. 相反，他伸出了 6 号腿。 "What is happening here?" "wʌt ɪz ˈhæpənɪŋ hir?" “这里发生了什么？” asks Elder Ant. "Shhh! æsks ˈɛldər ænt. "shhh*! 蚂蚁长老问道。 “嘘！ Poor Mr. Centipede is very confused," whispers Dame Damsel Fly. pur ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid ɪz ˈvɛri kənfˈjuzd," ˈwɪspərz deɪm ˈdæmzəl flaɪ. 可怜的 Centipede 先生很困惑，”Dame Damsel Fly 低声说。 "In all this time, even though he has so many boots, he has been unable to take a single step." "ɪn ɔl ðɪs taɪm, ˈivɪn ðoʊ hi hæz soʊ ˈmɛni buts, hi hæz bɪn əˈneɪbəl tu teɪk ə ˈsɪŋgəl stɛp." “这么久了，他虽然有这么多靴子，却一步也迈不出来。” "Is that so?" "ɪz ðæt soʊ?" “是这样吗？” says Elder Ant with a sigh. sɛz ˈɛldər ænt wɪð ə saɪ. 蚂蚁长老叹了口气说。 "Tell me, Mr. Centipede, which leg do you place before which, when you go for a walk." "tɛl mi, ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid, wɪʧ lɛg du ju pleɪs bɪˈfɔr wɪʧ, wɛn ju goʊ fɔr ə wɔk." “告诉我，蜈蚣先生，你散步的时候，哪条腿放在哪条腿前。” "I start simply with this one ... " says Mr. Centipede, lifting leg number 4. "aɪ stɑrt ˈsɪmpli wɪð ðɪs wʌn sɛz ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid, ˈlɪftɪŋ lɛg ˈnʌmbər 4 “我只是从这条腿开始……”蜈蚣先生说，举起第 4 条腿。 "Oh nooo! "oʊ nooo*! “哦不！ I mean ... that one." aɪ min ðæt wʌn." 我是说……那个。” He lifts leg number 8. hi lɪfts lɛg ˈnʌmbər 8 他举起第 8 条腿。 "Oh noooo! "oʊ noooo*! “哦不不不！ None of them. nʌn ʌv ðɛm. 他们都没有。 I mean, one of them. aɪ min, wʌn ʌv ðɛm. 我的意思是，其中之一。 Oh nooo! oʊ nooo*! 哦不！ I have forgotten what I mean!" aɪ hæv fərˈgɑtən wʌt aɪ min!" 我忘了我的意思了！” "Run, run quickly!" "rʌn, rʌn kˈwɪkli!" “跑，快跑！” they hear a voice. ðeɪ hir ə vɔɪs. 他们听到一个声音。 "Who is that?" "hu ɪz ðæt?" cries Big Beetle. kraɪz bɪg ˈbitəl. "I am Stick Insect. "aɪ æm stɪk ˈɪnˌsɛkt. You, with all those boots, had better run." ju, wɪð ɔl ðoʊz buts, hæd ˈbɛtər rʌn." "I have spotted a blackbird," whispers Stick Insect. "aɪ hæv ˈspɑtəd ə ˈblækbərd," ˈwɪspərz stɪk ˈɪnˌsɛkt. "She seems quite hungry and ready for breakfast. "ʃi simz kwaɪt ˈhʌŋgri ənd ˈrɛdi fɔr ˈbrɛkfəst. She cannot see me because I look like the tree bark I am resting on. ʃi ˈkænɑt si mi bɪˈkɔz aɪ lʊk laɪk ðə tri bɑrk aɪ æm ˈrɛstɪŋ ɑn. 她看不到我，因为我看起来像我正在休息的树皮。 But she sure can see you, dressed up in those big bright colourful boots! bʌt ʃi ʃʊr kæn si ju, drɛst ʌp ɪn ðoʊz bɪg braɪt colourful* buts! 但她肯定能看到你，穿着那些明亮的彩色大靴子！ Run, run quickly!" rʌn, rʌn kˈwɪkli!" 跑，快跑！” "HAHAHA!" "hahaha*!" “哈哈哈！” The Stick Insect laughs. ðə stɪk ˈɪnˌsɛkt læfs. 竹节虫笑了。 "What is so funny?" "wʌt ɪz soʊ ˈfʌni?" “什么事这么好笑？” asks Lady Spider, who just swung by for a visit. æsks ˈleɪdi ˈspaɪdər, hu ʤʌst swʌŋ baɪ fɔr ə ˈvɪzɪt. 刚刚路过拜访的蜘蛛女士问道。 "There was no blackbird!" "ðɛr wɑz noʊ ˈblækbərd!" “没有黑鸟！” says Stick Insect. sɛz stɪk ˈɪnˌsɛkt. 竹节虫说。 "It was just a trick to have some fun. "ɪt wɑz ʤʌst ə trɪk tu hæv sʌm fʌn. “这只是找点乐子的把戏。 And make all those boots run! ənd meɪk ɔl ðoʊz buts rʌn! 并让所有这些靴子跑起来！ You will agree, now that it is done Mr. Centipede sure can run!" ju wɪl əˈgri, naʊ ðæt ɪt ɪz dʌn ˈmɪstər. ˈsɛntɪˌpid ʃʊr kæn rʌn!" 你会同意的，既然这样，蜈蚣先生肯定能跑！” Isn't it funny that Mr Centipede was finding it difficult to take a single step but had no trouble running? ˈɪzənt ɪt ˈfʌni ðæt ˈmɪstər ˈsɛntɪˌpid wɑz ˈfaɪndɪŋ ɪt ˈdɪfəkəlt tu teɪk ə ˈsɪŋgəl stɛp bʌt hæd noʊ ˈtrʌbəl ˈrʌnɪŋ? 蜈蚣先生一步都难，跑起来却一点问题都没有，这不是很好笑吗？ This could happen to any of us! ðɪs kʊd ˈhæpən tu ˈɛni ʌv ʌs! 这可能发生在我们任何人身上！ There are things we do every day without realising - like blinking, or moving our hands while talking. ðɛr ɑr θɪŋz wi du ˈɛvəri deɪ wɪˈθaʊt realising* laɪk ˈblɪŋkɪŋ, ɔr ˈmuvɪŋ aʊər hændz waɪl ˈtɔkɪŋ. 我们每天都会做一些事情而没有意识到——比如眨眼，或者在说话时移动我们的手。 But if we pay careful attention to how often we blink or in what way our hands move, we may get confused. bʌt ɪf wi peɪ ˈkɛrfəl əˈtɛnʃən tu haʊ ˈɔftən wi blɪŋk ɔr ɪn wʌt weɪ aʊər hændz muv, wi meɪ gɛt kənfˈjuzd. 但是，如果我们仔细注意我们眨眼的频率或我们的手移动的方式，我们可能会感到困惑。 This is called the Centipede's Dilemma or Humphrey's Law. ðɪs ɪz kɔld ðə centipede's* dɪˈlɛmə ɔr ˈhʌmfriz lɔ. 这被称为蜈蚣困境或汉弗莱定律。
