《The Julian Chapter》是《奇迹男孩》(《Wonder》)系列中的一本,主要是以Julian的视角来叙述事件的。因为这一系列书主要是给美国8-12岁孩子看的,所以内容很简单~
从Julian的视角来看,他也是一个心地善良的小男孩,可能是因为有一个比较强势的妈妈,又有一些胆小和被溺爱的感觉~还好Julian有一个理性的奶奶,爸爸妈妈也能知错就改,也让小小的Julian最后意识到了自己的错误,并加以改正。
从Julian的故事中也可以感受到爸爸妈妈(当然也包括家庭里的所有成员),对孩子的影响真的是非常得大,孩子就像是父母的镜子一样,有时会放大他们的优点或是缺点,如果想要培养一个阳光的积极向上的好孩子,父母真的是需要花费很多很多的心思,有的时候甚至要做出一些牺牲,但是最后的结果可能会让你觉得这些牺牲也是值得的~
1. I remember Mom made a big deal about the call we got from Mr. Tushman. At dinner that night, she went on and on about what a big honor it was.
big deal 重要的人或事
make a big deal 小题大做
go on about 唠叨,发牢骚;没完没了地说
2. ... but she couldn't stop raving about how nice he'd been on the phone.
rave about 热情地谈论;大肆赞扬。怒气冲冲(或激愤)地说。
3. Mom's always been kind of a bigwig at school.
bigwig n. [口语]要人,有重大影响的人,有权势的大人物,要员,重要官员,大亨
4. ... he kind of like he was going to blow chunks.
blow chunks 呕吐(俚语)
5. We loved egging Charlotte Cody on. She was always such a Goody Two-shoes!
egg sb. on 鼓励,鼓动,怂恿,煽动,挑唆
If you egg a person on, you encourage them to do something, especially something dangerous or foolish. 怂恿
Goody Two-shoes 自命清高、表现得与众不同的人;假正经的人;伪君子
6. All three of us were bobbing our heads up and down like doofballs at this point.
bob v. 点头;上下移动
bob the head 频频点头
7. But every once in a while, I'd have what Mom would call a "minor setback."
every once in a while =(every) now and then 偶尔,时常,间或
setback n. 挫折,失败 minor setback 小小的挫折
8. Then, out of blue, I started crying.
out of blue 出乎意料的;突然的
9. We were just goofing together, and all of a sudden, he whacks me in the mouth for no reason!
goof vi. 消磨时间;混日子,游手好闲;吊儿郎当;心不在焉
all of a sudden 突然地,出乎意料地
whack vt. If you whack someone or something, you hit them hard. 重击 [非正式]
10. He had to choose, once and for all, whether he wanted to be on Team Auggie or Team Julian and the Rest of the World.
once and for all 一劳永逸地,一次了结;永远地,彻底地
11. I watched him out of the corner of my eye when he found it.
out of the corner of my eye 用眼角的余光
12. I don't think Jack or Auggie would have been dumb enough to rat on me.
rat on [口语] 背叛;出卖;告发,检举;告状
13. Julian, do you have any inkling of what I might be talking about?
If you have an inkling of something, you have a vague idea about it. 略知 [usu sing, usu N 'of' n/wh, N that/wh]
14. We take bullying very seriously at Beecher Prep. There's zero tolerance for any kind of bullying. We feel that every single one of our students deserves the right to learn in a caring and respectful atmosphere.
这是校长请来Julian家长时说的一段话,虽然校长在整套书里出现的次数并不多,但是从这简短的话语中也可以看出来他是一位有底线有原则负责任的一位好校长,校长对一个学校校风的引领也起很大的作用。正是因为有像他和Mr Tushman这样的人才让Auggie有机会享受到正常的教育和校园生活~棒棒哒~
15. Let's cut to chase -- what's going on?
cut to the chase 开门见山;提到关键问题;转入(或切入)正题;直截了当地说
16. That last month in school was awful. It's not like anyone was out-and-out mean to me, but I felt iced out by Amos and Henry and Miles.
You use out-and-out to emphasize that someone or something has all the characteristics of a particular type of person or thing. 完全的; 彻头彻尾的 [ADJ n][强调]
17. I was smiling from ear to ear.
smile from ear to ear 眉开眼笑;满面笑容;笑得合不拢嘴
18. "I think you've proven that you're anything but chicken," he said, "I'm proud of you."
anything but 决不,并没有,根本不,一点也不,丝毫不,远不
chicken adj. [俚语]胆小的;软弱的