7 Don’t Scratch Your Nose

CHAPTER 7 Don't Scratch Your Nose For the next two days, Mom and Dad were super busy getting ready for the baby. I was busy too, finishing up my story. Thursday night, it was all finished. I read it over again, and again one more time, just to make sure all the story ingredients were really in there. They were: Characters, check! Setting, check! Plot, check!

第七章 别挠你的鼻子 接下来的两天，爸爸妈妈都超级忙，忙着为即将出生的宝宝做准备。 我也很忙，忙着写完我的故事。 周四晚上，故事终于全部写完了。 我把故事读了一遍又一遍，就想确认所有的故事要素都妥妥地写在里面了。 要素都齐了：人物，没问题！ 背景，没问题！ 情节，没问题！

I copied the whole thing down on another piece of paper, in my absolute best handwriting. I put the story into a folder (so it wouldn't get crinkled) and into my backpack. Then I clicked my heels together and whispered a little wish that Mrs. Finkel really would love it. "What was that?" Mom asked, walking into my room. "Just my story," I told her. "What story?" "The homework Mrs. Finkel gave us for the week," I said. "That's perfect homework for you!" "Yeah," I agreed. "Except Mrs. Finkel also said she didn't think I knew how to write a story." "She really said that?" "Sort of. We handed in descriptions

我拿出另一张纸，用我最最工整的字迹把整个故事抄了下来。 我把故事放进文件夹里（这样就不会皱巴巴的了），再塞进我的书包。 然后我碰了碰脚后跟，小声许了个愿，希望芬克尔太太真的会喜欢这个故事。 “你刚在说什么呀？” 妈妈走进我的房间，开口问我。 “我在说我的故事呀。”我告诉她。 “什么故事呀？” “是芬克尔太太这周给我们布置的作业。”我说。 “这作业对你来说太合适啦！” “是啊。”我点头同意。 “只不过芬克尔太太还说，她觉得我根本不会写故事。” “她真的这么说吗？” “差不多吧。 我们交了

of our characters, setting, and plot, and she didn't like mine." "Can I read the story now?" Mom asked. "You're not too busy?" "Oh, Stel," Mom said. "I know I've been distracted with all things baby these days. But I'm still your mom and I'll always have time to read your stories." I pulled the folder out of my backpack and handed it over. "It's about platypuses?" Mom asked. "Just one," I said. "A platypus named Penelope, but she's in school with all different kinds of animals. You should go into the other room to read it because real writers don't get to watch when other people read their books." "You got it," Mom said. She walked out and came back in a few minutes later. "What did you think?"

人物、背景和情节的描述，可她不喜欢我写的那些。” “我现在能读读这个故事吗？” 妈妈问。 “你不是很忙吗？” “哦，斯黛尔，”妈妈说。 “我知道这些天我一门心思都在宝宝的事情上，没太顾得上你。 可我还是你的妈妈呀，我永远都有时间读你写的故事。” 我从书包里掏出文件夹，递给了妈妈。 “是关于鸭嘴兽的故事吗？” 妈妈问。 “就写了一只鸭嘴兽哦。”我说。 “一只叫佩内洛普的鸭嘴兽，她和各种各样的动物一起上学。 你应该去另一个房间读，因为真正的作家不会在别人读自己作品的时候盯着看的。” “我懂啦。”妈妈说。 她走了出去，几分钟之后又回来了。 “你觉得怎么样呀？”

"It was very poignant," she said. "Do you know what that means?" "Yeah," I said. "Not really." "It means moving, heartfelt," she said. "You know the part where the goose came in and told Penelope the platypus she wasn't allowed to go into the water anymore?" "Yeah?" "I really felt her frustration. And the part

“这个故事非常动人。”她说。 “你知道这个词是什么意思吗？” “嗯，”我说。 “其实不太懂。” “意思就是很感人、很真诚，能说到人心里去。”她解释道。 “你还记得里面有一段，鹅过来告诉鸭嘴兽佩内洛普，说她以后再也不能下水了吗？” “记得呀？” “我真的能感受到她的失落和难过。 还有那段

where the poison came out of her foot—" "That's a real thing!" I said. "Platypuses shoot poison from their feet when creatures are mean to them. I read it in one of Penny's platypus books. That's why Penelope the platypus didn't get in trouble—she couldn't help herself!" "I think the real Penny will like that part of the story." "I wrote it for her," I said. "I figured," Mom said. "You know what might make this story feel complete? If the goose and the platypus can come to some sort of truce at the end?" "So you don't think it's good, either?" "Of course I think it's good. I think it's great, actually. It's just that there's always room for improvement. Maybe that's what Mrs. Finkel was trying to tell you."

她脚上喷出毒液的那段——” “那是真的哦！” 我连忙说。 “鸭嘴兽遇到对自己不友好的动物时，就会从脚上喷出毒液。 我在佩妮的鸭嘴兽科普书里看到的。 所以鸭嘴兽佩内洛普才没受处罚呀——她根本控制不住自己嘛！” “我觉得真正的佩妮肯定会喜欢故事里的这段。” “我就是专门写给她的呀。”我说。 “我猜到啦。”妈妈说。 “你知道怎么做能让这个故事更完整吗？ 要是结尾的时候，鹅和鸭嘴兽能达成某种和解会不会更好？” “所以你也觉得这个故事写得不好，对不对？” “我当然觉得它好呀。 说实话，我觉得它写得特别棒。 只不过好作品永远都有可以打磨的空间嘛。 说不定芬克尔太太之前想告诉你的也是这个意思。”