The Ant in the Photograph

The Ant in the Photograph Written by Joan Link Illustrated by Deborah White Focus Question What problems does Darren face? How are they solved?

《照片里的蚂蚁》 作者：琼·林克 插画：黛博拉·怀特 思考问题：达伦遇到了哪些麻烦？ 这些麻烦是怎么解决的？

Tonight was parents' night for Mr. Casey's third grade classroom. Darren was excited. He felt like a balloon filled close to bursting. He rushed through his favorite dinner. He did his math homework as fast as he could. He begged his mom to please let him walk the dog after parents' night. Finally, Darren and his mom arrived at school. My project is right over there, Darren said, pulling his mom across the classroom. They wove around rows of desks then stopped in front of the art table.

今天是凯西老师三年级班的家长之夜。 达伦兴奋极了。 他开心得像个快要撑爆的气球。 他狼吞虎咽吃完了最爱的晚餐。 他飞快写完了数学作业。 他央求妈妈，家长之夜结束后去遛狗。 终于，达伦和妈妈到了学校。 “我的作品就在那儿！”达伦说着，拉着妈妈穿过教室。 他们绕着一排排课桌走，最后在美术桌前停了下来。

Here it is, Darren proudly pointed to a sculpture of a brightly painted giant ant. I recycled stuff that was being thrown away like milk cartons and bottle caps. Can you tell that the legs are old toilet paper tubes? You did a great job, Darren's mom said. It's as colorful as a circus clown. Thanks. It took me almost a whole week to make it, Darren said. Let's take a photograph of you with it, his mom said, as she pulled her camera out of its blue bag. Darren picked up his ant, held it high, and grinned for the photograph.

“看我的作品！”达伦骄傲地指着一只涂得色彩鲜艳的大蚂蚁雕塑。 我用要被扔掉的废品做的，比如牛奶盒和瓶盖。 你看出来蚂蚁腿是旧卫生纸筒做的了吗？ “你做得太棒啦，达伦。”妈妈说。 它像马戏团小丑一样五彩缤纷呢。 谢谢。 “我花了快整整一周才做好呢。”达伦说。 “来，咱们拍一张你和作品的合影吧。”妈妈边说边从蓝色相机包里拿出相机。 达伦拿起蚂蚁雕塑，高高举着，对着镜头咧开嘴笑了。

Be careful with that, his mom warned, placing the camera back in its bag. I'm not ready to leave yet. Darren put the aunt down and followed his mom as she toured the room. Returning to his aunt, Darren said happily, I can't wait to show my aunt to dad when he gets home from his business trip. He held his aunt high and admired it. But in his excitement, Darren didn't notice a book on the floor. When he stepped on it, his feet flew out from under him as if he'd stepped on a banana peel. He and his aunt crashed to the floor.

“拿稳哦。”妈妈提醒道，把相机放回了包里。 我还不想走呢。 达伦放下蚂蚁雕塑，跟着妈妈参观教室。 回到蚂蚁雕塑旁，达伦开心地说：“我都等不及要给出差回家的爸爸看我的蚂蚁雕塑啦。” 他把蚂蚁雕塑高高举起来，越看越喜欢。 可达伦太兴奋了，没注意到地板上有一本书。 他一脚踩上去，整个人瞬间滑出去，就像踩在了香蕉皮上。 他和蚂蚁雕塑一起摔在了地上。

Oh, no, it's ruined, Darren exclaimed when he saw pieces of his aunt littering the floor. He picked up the flattened milk cartons, twisted straws, and ripped paper that had made up his aunt. There's no way I can fix it, he moaned, and Dad never saw it. I'm sorry, Darren," his mom said, helping him pick up the last pieces of his ant. I hope the photograph of it turns out, said Darren. Good thinking, his mom replied. Dad will like to see that. She put the last of the ant sculpture pieces in the wastebasket. Are you ready to go? We can stop at the house, pick up the dog, and go to Elm Creek Park to walk him if you want." I guess, Darren said with a sad shrug.

“哦，天呐，它摔坏了！”达伦看到碎成片的蚂蚁雕塑掉满地，忍不住叫了出来。 他捡起扁掉的牛奶盒、扭弯的吸管，还有做蚂蚁的碎纸片。 “根本修不好了，”他呜呜地说，“爸爸还没见过它呢。” “对不起呀，达伦，”妈妈一边说，一边帮他收拾蚂蚁雕塑最后几块碎片。 达伦说：“希望刚才拍的照片能洗出来。” “说得对呀。”妈妈回答。 爸爸肯定会喜欢看的。 她把最后一块蚂蚁雕塑碎片扔进了垃圾桶。 咱们准备走了吗？ 如果你想的话，我们可以先回家拿狗，去榆树溪公园遛它。 “好吧。”达伦难过地耸耸肩说。

The next afternoon, the school bell rang and kids piled out of the building. Darren followed the crowd toward the buses, but stopped when he heard his name. Hi, Mom, he said when he spied her. What are you doing here? Did you get the photograph from last night? No, unfortunately, I can't find the camera, she said. But you're a mom, you never lose things, Darren said.

第二天下午，放学铃响了，孩子们涌出了教学楼。 达伦跟着人群往校车走，听到有人叫他的名字，就停了下来。 “嗨，妈妈。”他看到妈妈后打招呼说。 你怎么来这儿了呀？ 你拿到昨晚拍的照片了吗？ “没有，糟糕的是，我找不到相机了。”妈妈说。 可是妈妈，你从来都不会丢东西呀，达伦说。