悲剧、事故和巨大损失
陈荣生 译
（图片欣赏——区怡摄/湛江）
乔治·布什在参观一所小学，他参观了其中一个班级。他们正在讨论词和词义。老师请总统来主持“悲剧”一词的讨论。
于是，这位杰出的领袖就请同学们举一个悲剧的例子。
一小男生站起来说：“我最要好的朋友住在农场，他在田里玩耍时，一台失控的拖拉机开过来把他撞死了，这就是一个悲剧。”
“不，”布什总统说，“这只是一个事故。”
一小女生举手说：“一辆载着50位学生的校巴掉下悬崖，车上的人全都遇难了，这就是一个悲剧。”
“恐怕不是，”这位崇高的领袖解释道。“我们会把这叫做一个巨大损失。”
教室里立即鸦雀无声。再也没有学生愿意主动举例了。
布什总统扫视了一遍整个教室。“这里没有人能够给我举个悲剧的例子吗？”
最后，坐在教室后排的小约翰尼举起他的手。
他平静地说：“如果载着你的空军一号被一枚导弹击中并炸出碎片，这就是一个悲剧。”
“太棒了！”布什总统说，“这是对的。你能告诉我这是个悲剧的原因吗？”
“嗯，”小约翰尼说，“因为毫无疑问它既不是一个巨大损失，也不是一个事故。”
（作者佚名，译自《幽默一天》）
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原文如下，若有问题，可留言，我将尽量回答。
An tragedy, and accident, and a great loss
George W. Bush is visiting a primary school and he visits one of the classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asks the President if he would like to lead the discussion of the word "tragedy."
So the illustrious leader asks the class for an example of a tragedy.
One little boy stands up and offers: "If my best friend who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy."
"No," says President Bush, "that would be an accident."
A little girl raises her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," explains the exalted leader. "That's what we would call a great loss."
The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.
President Bush searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally at the back of the room, little Johnny raises his hand.
In a quiet voice he says: "If Air Force One carrying you was struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaims President Bush, "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?"
"Well," says the boy, "because it sure as hell wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."
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