The New Soccer Ball

The New Soccer Ball, written by Rebecca Hughes. Illustrated by Abby Johnston.

《新足球》，丽贝卡·休斯 著 艾比·约翰斯顿 绘

A special present. David, it's time for breakfast, Mrs. Matangi called. There's a birthday present for you to open. David ran into the kitchen and saw a shiny new soccer ball on the table. He smiled and started jumping up and down with excitement. Can I take the ball to school with me, please, asked David. Of course, Mrs. Matangi said, but you need to be careful with your first real soccer ball.

一份特别的礼物。 “大卫，该吃早饭了。”马坦吉夫人喊道。 有一份生日礼物等着你拆开。 大卫跑进厨房，看见桌上放着一颗闪闪发亮的新足球。 他笑了，兴奋得蹦蹦跳跳。 请问我能把这颗球带去学校吗，大卫问道。 当然可以，马坦吉夫人说，但这是你第一颗真正的足球，你可要小心爱护它。

At school, David immediately put his soccer ball under his desk. During the morning lessons, he kept quietly tapping the ball with his foot to make sure it was still there. Finally, it was recess time. David grabbed the ball and quickly ran outside. He dribbled the ball across the field to a group of students. Soccer was David's favorite sport. Since he had arrived in the United States and started school two months ago, he had He played soccer every day during recess. Recess was always his favorite time because he didn't have to speak English, a language that was still fairly new to him. When he played soccer, he could forget that he felt like an alien at this new school. No game. Look, called David, I got a new soccer ball. We can use it for our game today. The other students exchanged glances and just stared at David. These were the most words David had ever spoken to them. We don't need your ball, said a tall boy, Jacob. We already have one.

到了学校，大卫立刻把足球放到书桌底下。 整节上午的课，他都悄悄用脚碰球，确认它还在那儿。 终于到了课间休息时间。 大卫抓起球，飞快地跑了出去。 他带球穿过操场，走到一群同学身边。 足球是大卫最喜欢的运动。 自从两个月前他来到美国上学后，每天课间他都会踢足球。 课间永远是他最爱的时光，因为不用讲英语——这门语言对他来说还很生疏。 踢足球的时候，他就能忘掉自己在这所新学校格格不入的感觉。 我们不踢。 快看，我有一颗新足球，大卫喊道。 我们今天可以用它踢球。 其他同学对视一眼，只是盯着大卫看。 这是大卫对他们说过最多的一次话了。 我们不需要你的球，高个子男孩雅各布说。 我们已经有一颗了。

Jacob kicked David's ball with all his might. The ball soared over the school's high fence, bounced once, and landed in the back of a passing pickup truck. Goal! screamed the other kids, jumping up and down and slapping Jacob on the back. David watched in horror as the pickup truck drove out of sight, taking his new soccer ball with it. What would his mother say?

雅各布用尽全力踢了大卫的球一脚。 球飞过学校的高围栏，弹了一下，落在了一辆路过的皮卡车车厢里。 进球啦！其他孩子大喊，蹦蹦跳跳地拍雅各布的后背。 大卫惊恐地看着皮卡车载着他的新足球越开越远，没了踪影。 妈妈会怎么说呢？

David's eyes were as wide as saucers. As the reality of losing his new soccer ball sank in, David felt tears coming. He couldn't let his classmates, especially Jacob, see him crying, so he turned and sprinted into the classroom. David's teacher, Mrs. Marquez, followed him inside. She found him hiding behind the writing center with tears streaming down his face. What happened, David? Mrs. Marquez asked gently. Are you all right? My ball. I lost my new ball, cried David. I've never had a real soccer ball before, and now it's gone.

大卫的眼睛瞪得像茶碟一样圆。 当弄丢新足球的事实慢慢清晰，大卫感觉眼泪涌了上来。 他不能让同学，尤其是雅各布看见自己哭，于是转身冲进了教室。 大卫的老师马尔克斯夫人跟着他走了进来。 她发现他躲在写作区后面，眼泪顺着脸颊往下流。 怎么了，大卫？ 马尔克斯夫人温柔地问道。 你没事吧？ 我的球。 我的新球丢了，大卫哭着说。 我之前从来没有过一颗真正的足球，现在它没了。

Mrs. Marquez replied, I know it's difficult to lose something. It's even harder when you're at a new school in an entirely different country and continent. I think the students would understand how you feel if you told them about your life in Africa. I don't think they care, said David. We'll see, said Mrs. Marquez. Tomorrow I want you to bring in a few drawings, photos, or special objects to show us your life was like in Africa. Stuck. Later that day, David sat down at the kitchen table to draw a few pictures. He was staring at the paper when his older sister, Ruth, arrived home from high school. Help me, Ruth, David called out. I don't know what to draw. I'm supposed to explain how my life here is different from my life in Africa. It's like comparing melons to bananas, Ruth said, Smiling.

我知道弄丢东西很难受，马尔克斯夫人回答道。 更何况你在一个完全不同的国家、不同大洲的新学校，这种难过更甚。 我觉得如果你把你在非洲的生活告诉大家，同学们会理解你的感受。 我觉得他们不在乎，大卫说。 我们试试看，马尔克斯夫人说。 明天我想让你带几幅画、几张照片或是几件特别的物品，给我们讲讲你在非洲的生活是什么样的。 一筹莫展。 那天晚些时候，大卫坐在厨房的桌子前画画。 他正盯着白纸发呆，姐姐露丝从高中放学回家了。 帮帮我，露丝，大卫喊道。 我不知道该画什么。 老师要我给大家讲这里的生活和我在非洲的生活有什么不一样。 这就好比拿甜瓜和香蕉比，完全不一样呀，露丝笑着说。