The Loser

The Loser, written by Keith and Sarah Kortemarten, illustrated by Alan Brown. Focus question, how does Jay react when he loses things? What does this say about his character?

《丢三落四的小杰》，作者：基思·科特玛滕、萨拉·科特玛滕，插画：艾伦·布朗。 思考问题：小杰丢东西的时候，会怎么做呢？ 这件事能看出他是什么样的性格呀？

Jay needed to be at school in half an hour, and he couldn't find his homework. He searched the kitchen table, his backpack, under his bed. Nothing! Frustrated, he yanked open the refrigerator to get breakfast. There, leaning against a quart of milk, was his science report.

再过半小时就要上学了，小杰却找不到他的作业了。 他搜了厨房餐桌、翻了书包，还看了床底下。 什么都没有！ 他气呼呼地拉开冰箱拿早餐。 就在一夸脱装的牛奶旁边，摆着他的科学报告。

I must have left it there when I was making a snack yesterday, Jay thought. Why can't I keep track of my stuff? Over breakfast, Jay finished up his homework. He scribbled a sentence about his favorite dinosaur, Microraptor, and rushed to school.

小杰心想，肯定是我昨天做零食的时候落在这儿了。 我怎么就管不住自己的东西呢？ 吃早饭的时候，小杰赶完了剩下的作业。 他匆匆添了一句关于自己最爱的恐龙小盗龙的话，就急急忙忙上学去了。

After school, Jay stood at his front door and patted his pockets. Where are my keys, he wondered. He carefully searched his backpack. They weren't there. What now, Jay thought? His parents wouldn't be home for another hour. Just then, Ron, the man who lived next door, walked past and nodded to Jay.

放学后，小杰站在家门口，摸了摸口袋。 我的钥匙去哪了呢？他纳闷道。 他仔仔细细翻了一遍书包。 钥匙不在里面。 现在该怎么办呀？小杰想。 爸妈还要过一个小时才会回家。 就在这时，住在隔壁的罗恩路过，朝小杰点了点头。

Jay had never really talked to Ron, who seemed kind of quiet. But he's a good friend of Dad's, Jay thought to himself. He remembered the many times he had quietly watched Dad and Ron playing cards together. And I can't just wait out here for an hour, Jay thought. Jay marched to Ron's door and knocked.

小杰之前没怎么和罗恩说过话，他看起来总是安安静静的。 不过小杰心想，他是爸爸的好朋友呀。 他想起自己好多次都悄悄看到爸爸和罗恩一起打牌。 而且我总不能在外面等一小时吧，小杰想。 于是小杰大步走到罗恩家门口，敲了敲门。

When it opened, Jay said, Hi, Ron, I've lost my keys and my parents aren't home. Could I wait here with you? Sure, Ron said. Inside, Jay noticed a baseball on a shelf and went over to examine it. Ron smiled when he saw Jay peering at it. That one was signed by the 87 Minnesota Twins right after the World Series, he said.

门开了，小杰说：嗨，罗恩，我的钥匙丢了，我爸妈不在家。 我能在你这儿等等吗？ 当然可以啦，罗恩说。 进屋后，小杰看到架子上放着一个棒球，就走过去看。 罗恩看到小杰盯着棒球看，笑了笑。 这个是1987年世界大赛结束后，明尼苏达双城队签名的，他说。