1 Story Ingredients

CHAPTER 1 Story Ingredients This morning our teacher, Mrs. Finkel, told us that part of our homework will be to write a story. Some kids groaned because they didn't want to do it, but I was super excited. (But just so you know, what you're reading right now is NOT my homework, because this is going to be longer than a story—this is going to be a full book. My FOURTH book, as a matter of fact.) Mrs. Finkel said we should work on our

第一章 故事的组成要素 今天早上，我们的老师芬克尔太太告诉我们，作业里有一项是要写一个故事。 有些小孩唉声叹气，因为他们不想写，但我可太兴奋了。 （不过得先跟你说哦，你现在正在读的可不是我的作业，因为它可比一个故事长多啦——这可是一整本完整的书。 说真的，这已经是我写的第四本书啦。） 芬克尔太太说我们得花时间写我们的

stories every night this week: tonight, which is Monday, and also Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. But not Friday, because that's when we're supposed to hand them in to her. Anyway, she's not allowed to give us homework on Friday nights. I bet Mrs. Finkel wishes she could. She's really strict. But the rule in our school is you don't get weekend homework until fifth grade—that's two more years away. "What should our stories be about?" Clark asked. "Anything you want," Mrs. Finkel said. "Now pull out a piece of paper. I want you all to write down your characters, your setting, and your plot—those are the three ingredients to every story. Characters are who the story is about, the setting is where it takes place, and the plot is what happens."

故事，这个礼拜每天晚上都要写：今天是周一，还有周二、周三、周四都要写。 周五不用写，因为那天我们就得把写好的故事交给她啦。 再说了，学校本来就不允许她周五晚上给我们布置作业。 我猜芬克尔太太肯定巴不得能在周五布置作业呢。 她可严格了。 不过我们学校有规定，五年级之前都不能布置周末作业——那还要等两年才到呢。 “我们的故事要写什么内容呀？” 克拉克问道。 “你们想写什么都可以。”芬克尔太太说。 “现在拿出一张纸来。 我要你们把自己故事里的角色、背景还有情节都写下来——这是每个故事都少不了的三个组成要素哦。 角色就是故事围绕着谁展开，背景就是故事发生的地方，情节就是故事里发生了什么事。”

I already knew all of that, because I've written three books, and books are just really long stories. I didn't even have to think that hard. Here's what I wrote: Stella's Story 1. Characters—me and the people I know 2. Setting—Somers, CA, because that's where we live 3. Plot—some things that happen to us, but you'll just have to read to the end of the book to find out all of that There. All done. I looked down the row. Next to me, Spencer was chewing on the end of his pencil. He does that when he's thinking. Lucy raised her hand. I watched her rest

这些我早就知道啦，因为我已经写过三本书了，书其实就是很长很长的故事嘛。 我都不用费脑子想。 我写的内容是这样的：斯特拉的故事 1. 角色——我还有我认识的人 2. 背景——加利福尼亚州萨默斯镇，因为我们就住在这儿 3. 情节——发生在我们身上的一些事，不过你得把这本书读完才能知道所有内容啦 好了。 全部写完咯。 我顺着座位那一排看过去。 我旁边的斯宾塞正咬着铅笔头。 他想事情的时候就会那样做。 露西举起了手。 我看着她把胳膊肘撑在桌子上，后来第一个胳膊酸了，就换了另一个胳膊撑着。

her elbow on her desk, and then switch arms when the first one got tired. "Excuse me, Mrs. Finkel?" she said finally. "Yes, Lucy?" Mrs. Finkel said. "Our characters don't have to be people, do they?" "Duh, of course they do," Joshua piped up from the back row. "No calling out, Joshua," Mrs. Finkel said. "You know that's Disruptive Behavior."

她把胳膊肘撑在桌子上，后来第一个胳膊酸了，就换了另一个胳膊撑着。 “打扰一下，芬克尔太太？” 她终于开口说道。 “怎么了，露西？” 芬克尔太太问。 “我们故事里的角色不一定非得是人，对不对？” “那还用说，当然得是人啊。”约书亚从后排突然插嘴喊道。 “约书亚，不许随便插嘴，”芬克尔太太说， “你知道那是扰乱课堂秩序的行为。”

"But Lucy called out," he said. "Lucy was trying to get my attention, and she did so very politely. "Duh" is not a polite word to use with your classmates." I don't think Joshua cares about being polite. He uses the word "duh" a lot. I mean A LOT. "To answer your question, Lucy," Mrs. Finkel continued, "no they don't have to be people. Your character can be a polar bear, or a flamingo. Or a fictional person—that means made up." I already knew that word. "Or your character doesn't have to be alive. It can be a statue, or a piggy bank or a potted plant." "Potted plants are alive," Joshua piped up without raising his hand and waiting to be called

“可是露西也插嘴了啊。”他说。 “露西是想要引起我的注意，而且她做得非常有礼貌。 “切”这种词可不是对同学该用的礼貌用语哦。” 我觉得约书亚根本不在乎讲不讲礼貌。 他可喜欢说“切”这个字了。 我是说，超级频繁。 “我来回答你的问题，露西，”芬克尔太太接着说，“角色不一定非得是人哦。 你的角色可以是北极熊，也可以是火烈鸟。 或者是虚构的人——就是想象出来的人哦。” 那个词我早就知道啦。 或者你的角色甚至都不用是有生命的。 可以是一尊雕像，或者一个储蓄罐，又或者一盆盆栽。” “盆栽是有生命的呀。”约书亚又没举手，也没等老师叫他就插嘴说道