Speedier than a Meteor

Speedier Than a Meteor, written by Stephen Cosgrove, illustrated by Kevin McCarthy. Focus question, how does Shaq change after he talks with Skimmy?

《比流星还快》，作者：斯蒂芬·科斯格罗夫，插画：凯文·麦卡锡。 思考问题：沙克和斯吉米谈话后，发生了什么改变？

I live in Seattle, Washington. I know what you're thinking. You're just like my cousin who came up here from Los Angeles thinking that everybody in the Northwest lives in the forest. I live in the city, the inner city, and there aren't many trees on the street where I live. My name is Shaquille O 'Neal, and no, not that one.

我住在华盛顿州的西雅图。 我知道你在想什么。 你就和我从洛杉矶来这儿的表哥一样，觉得西北区所有人都住在森林里。 我住在市中心城区，我住的那条街上没多少树。 我叫沙奎尔·奥尼尔，不对，不是那个大名鼎鼎的他哦。

I love my name, and at the same time, I hate my name. My mom and dad are big basketball fans, and when I was born, they thought the real Shaq was better than the smell of a new car. About the only things Shaq and I have in common are that we are both black, have the same name, and love basketball. There are a few things that we don't share. He's old, and I am in my nines. He is very tall, and I am very short, even for being in my nines. He is the best basketball player in the world, and I am the worst basketball player in the

我爱我的名字，可同时，我也讨厌我的名字。 我爸妈都是超级篮球迷，我出生的时候，他们觉得真奥尼尔比新车的味道还要棒。 我和那个奥尼尔也就几个共同点：我们都是黑人，名字一样，都爱篮球。 还有好多地方我们不一样。 他年纪大，我才九岁。 他特别高，我特别矮，就算在九岁孩子里我都偏矮。 他是全世界最棒的篮球运动员，而我是最差劲的篮球运动员，在

We usually start playing basketball in late September. Every Saturday, without fail, the Central District's Boys and Girls Club sponsors league play for all age groups. My age group, 9 to 11, is the biggest. As usual, my dad was excited about basketball season. After getting home from the cleaners where he works, and all through dinner, all he talks about is basketball. Most of all, he talks about me playing basketball. I'm his very own personal Shaquille O 'Neal.

我们一般在九月下旬开始打篮球。 每个周六，中区男孩女孩俱乐部都会雷打不动举办各年龄段的联赛。 我所在的9-11岁组，人数是最多的。 和往常一样，我爸爸对篮球赛季兴奋极了。 他在洗衣店上班，下班回家后，整个晚饭时间都在聊篮球。 他说得最多的，就是我打篮球的事。 我是他专属于自己的沙奎尔·奥尼尔。

But my dad never figured out that I wasn't very big. At eight years old, I was barely tall enough to look over the kitchen counter. A basketball was almost bigger than I was. But I tried really hard because, like I said, I like basketball. It just didn't start out liking me. My dad would drive me to the Boys and Girls Club at 8 o 'clock every Saturday morning on his way to work. He would stop in at the donut shop and get coffee, hot chocolate, and some glazed donuts. As he slurped his coffee and munched a donut, he would talk about how much fun I was going to have.

可我爸爸一直没发现我长得一点都不高大。 八岁的时候，我才刚够高，能露出脑袋看厨房台面。 一个篮球几乎都比我大了。 可我真的很努力，因为我说过，我喜欢篮球。 只是篮球一开始并不喜欢我罢了。 每个周六早上，爸爸上班路上都会八点开车送我去男孩女孩俱乐部。 他会顺路停在甜甜圈店，买咖啡、热巧克力还有几个糖霜甜甜圈。 他一边喝着咖啡啃着甜甜圈，一边跟我说我会玩得有多开心。

Then, he'd drop me off and I would stand around until they unlocked the doors at 9 o 'clock. Then, I would go inside and stand around until they started choosing teams. Then, I would stand around while they chose everybody else. Then, I would stand around being the only one left. Then, somebody would have to pick me. But, Coach, he's too little. Ah, but with Shaquille O 'Neal on your team, you can't help but win. Then, everyone would laugh, the team would pick me, and everyone would make fun of me because of my name and my size. Then, I would sit around while all the other kids played basketball.

之后他放下我，我就一直站着，等到九点俱乐部开门。 然后我进去，继续站着，等大家选队伍。 然后他们选完所有其他人的时候，我还是站着等。 然后我依旧站着，就剩我一个没人选。 最后，总得有人选我。 可是教练，他太小了呀。 哎呀，队伍里有沙奎尔·奥尼尔，怎么可能不赢呢。 然后所有人都笑，队伍不得已选了我，大家都因为我的名字和个头取笑我。 然后其他孩子打球的时候，我就一直坐着闲等。