English Original
Bill is a good and intelligent student who enjoys arithmetic and can easily solve all the problems in his textbook.
One day on his way to school, Bill passed a fruit store. A sign in the window read: "Apples—Six for five cents." An idea struck him, and he went inside.
"How much are the apples?" he asked the shopkeeper.
"Six for five cents."
"But I don't want six apples."
"How many do you want?"
"It's not about how many I want. It's an arithmetic problem."
"What do you mean?" asked the man.
"Well, if six apples are worth five cents, then five apples are worth four cents, four apples are worth three cents, three apples are worth two cents, two apples are worth one cent, and one apple is worth nothing. I only want one apple. If it's worth nothing, I don't need to pay you."
Bill picked out a good apple, began eating it, and walked happily out of the store. The man looked at the boy in such surprise that he couldn't say a word.
中文翻译
比尔是个聪明的好学生，他喜欢算术，能轻松解答课本上的所有问题。
一天在上学路上，比尔路过一家水果店。橱窗里有个牌子写着：“苹果——五分钱六个。”他灵机一动，走进了店里。
“苹果怎么卖？”他问店主。
“五分钱六个。”
“可我不想要六个。”
“那你要几个？”
“这不是我要几个的问题。这是一道算术题。”
“什么意思？”男人问道。
“你看，如果六个苹果值五分钱，那么五个就值四分钱，四个值三分钱，三个值两分钱，两个值一分钱，一个就不值钱。我只要一个苹果。既然它不值钱，我就不用付钱给你了。”
比尔挑了一个好苹果，一边吃一边开心地走出了商店。店主惊讶地看着这个小男孩，一句话也说不出来。