English Original
Tom is applying for a job as a signalman for the local railroad and is told to meet the inspector at the signal box.
The inspector decides to give Tom a pop quiz, asking, "What would you do if you realized that two trains were heading towards each other on the same track?"
Tom says, "I would switch one train to another track."
"What if the lever broke?" asks the inspector.
"I'd run down to the tracks and use the manual lever," answers Tom.
"What if that had been struck by lightning?" challenges the inspector.
"Then," Tom continues, "I'd run back up here and use the phone to call the next signal box."
"What if the phone was busy?"
"In that case," Tom argues, "I'd run to the street level and use the public phone near the station."
"What if that had been vandalized?"
"Oh, well," says Tom, "in that case I'd run into town and get my Uncle Leo."
This puzzles the inspector, so he asks, "Why would you do that?"
"Because he's never seen a train crash."
中文翻译
汤姆正在申请当地铁路的信号员工作，被告知在信号房与检查员会面。
检查员决定给汤姆来个突击测验，问道：“如果你发现两列火车在同一轨道上相向而行，你会怎么做？”
汤姆说：“我会把其中一列火车切换到另一条轨道上。”
“如果控制杆坏了呢？”检查员问。
“我会跑到轨道旁，使用手动操作杆，”汤姆回答。
“如果手动杆被雷击了呢？”检查员追问。
“那么，”汤姆继续说，“我会跑回这里，用电话联系下一个信号房。”
“如果电话占线呢？”
“那样的话，”汤姆辩解道，“我会跑到街面上，使用车站附近的公用电话。”
“如果公用电话被破坏了呢？”
“哦，好吧，”汤姆说，“那样的话，我就跑进城里去找我的叔叔利奥。”
这让检查员感到困惑，于是他问：“你为什么要那样做？”
“因为他从没见过火车相撞。”