28. Three Economists One Ticket
Three economists and three mathematicians were going for a trip by train. Before the journey, the mathematicians bought 3 tickets but economists only bought one. The mathematicians were glad their stupid colleagues were going to pay a fine 【1】 . However, when the conductor was approaching their compartment, all three economists went to the nearest toilet. The conductor, noticing that somebody was in the toilet, knocked on the door. In reply he saw a hand with one ticket. He checked it and the economists saved 2/3 of the ticket price.
The next day, the mathematicians decided to use the same strategy—they bought only one ticket, but economists did not buy tickets at all! When the mathematicians saw the conductor, they hid in the toilet, and when they heard knocking they handed in 【2】 the ticket. They did not get it back.
Why? The economists took it and went to the other toilet.
三個經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家一張票
三個經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家和三個數(shù)學(xué)家一同乘火車去旅行。三個數(shù)學(xué)家買了三張票,而三個經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家只買了一張票,數(shù)學(xué)家幸災(zāi)樂禍地想經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家這下要被罰款了。當(dāng)列車長過來時,三個經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家一起就近躲進(jìn)了洗手間。列車長留意到洗手間里有人,于是敲了敲洗手間的門。一只手從洗手間里伸了出來,拿著一張車票。列車長驗了票,于是經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家們省下了兩張票。
第二天,數(shù)學(xué)家們決定如法炮制——只買一張票,但是,三個經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家連一張票都沒有買。看見列車長走來,數(shù)學(xué)家們一起躲到了洗手間里。聽到敲門聲,他們把票遞到門外。票卻再也沒能拿回來。
原來,經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家們拿走了票,隨后躲進(jìn)了另一個洗手間。
背景知識與點評
·本笑話以極其夸張的手法展現(xiàn)了經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家時時最小化自己成本的思維習(xí)慣。
英語知識鏈接
【1】 pay a fine:支付罰款
【2】 hand in:交上,遞交