“What’s your favorite vegetable?” asked Casey.
"你最喜欢的蔬菜是什么？"凯西问。
Marvin Redpost looked up. “Potatoes. No, carrots,” he said. It was very important he told the truth.
马文·雷德波斯特抬起头。"土豆。不，胡萝卜，"他说。说真话非常重要。
Casey Happleton wrote it down. She sat at the desk next to Marvin. She had a ponytail that stuck out of the side of her head. Instead of the back.
凯西·哈普尔顿把它记了下来。她坐在马文旁边的位子上。她扎着一根马尾辫，是从脑袋侧面翘出来的，不是后面。
“Casey!” whispered Melanie. “What’s your favorite bug?”
"凯西！"梅拉妮小声说。"你最喜欢的虫子是什么？"
Melanie sat in front of Casey.
梅拉妮坐在凯西前面。
“A stink bug,” said Casey.
"臭虫，"凯西说。
Casey Happleton was a weird girl.
凯西·哈普尔顿是个奇怪的女孩。
“What’s yours, Marvin?” asked Melanie.
"那你呢，马文？"梅拉妮问。
“Uh, black widow,” answered Marvin.
"呃，黑寡妇蜘蛛，"马文回答。
“Ooooooh,” said Casey.
"哦——"凯西说。
“Who’s jabbering?” asked Mrs. North. “Marvin?”
"谁在嘀嘀咕咕？"诺斯太太问。"马文？"
“I wasn’t jabbering,” said Marvin. “Melanie asked me her survey question.”
"我没有嘀嘀咕咕，"马文说。"梅拉妮问了我她的调查问题。"
“Oh. Well, you can do that later,” said Mrs. North. “This is silent reading time.”
"哦。那你们待会儿再做，"诺斯太太说。"现在是安静阅读时间。"
Marvin returned to his book. He was nine years old. He was in the third grade. Mrs. North was his teacher.
马文回到他的书上。他九岁。他上三年级。诺斯太太是他的老师。
He liked Mrs. North. He liked the third grade. He liked being nine.
他喜欢诺斯太太。他喜欢三年级。他喜欢九岁。
“Have you picked your survey question yet?” Stuart Albright asked him on the way out to recess.
"你想好你的调查问题了吗？"出去课间休息的路上，斯图尔特·奥尔布赖特问他。
“No,” said Marvin. “I can’t think of a good one.”
"没有，"马文说。"我想不出好的。"
Everyone in his class had to choose a survey question.
他们班每个人都要选一个问题来调查。
Marvin was supposed to ask everyone a question and write down the answers. Then he would have to do a report on it.
马文要问每个人一个问题，把答案记下来。然后还得根据它写一份报告。
The results would be buried in a time capsule. It would be dug up in fifty years.
调查结果会被埋进一个时间胶囊里。五十年后才会被挖出来。
That’s why Marvin wanted to think of a real good question.
所以马文才想好好想出一个像样的问题。
“What was your favorite vegetable?” asked Stuart.
"你最喜欢的蔬菜是什么？"斯图尔特问。
“Carrots.”
"胡萝卜。"
Stuart nodded. “It’s weird when you think about it,” he said. “You have red hair.”
斯图尔特点点头。"仔细想想挺奇怪的，"他说。"你是红头发。"
“So?” said Marvin.
"所以呢？"马文说。
“They call a person with red hair Carrot Top. But really, carrots are green on top. So they should call a person with green hair Carrot Top.”
"人们管红头发的人叫'胡萝卜头'。可实际上，胡萝卜上面是绿的。所以应该管绿头发的人叫'胡萝卜头'才对。"
Stuart was Marvin’s best friend. Marvin was the only one who understood him.
斯图尔特是马文最好的朋友。马文是唯一能听懂他说话的人。
They got on line to play wall-ball.
他们排到队里，准备打墙球。
“Hi, Marvin,” said Nick, getting in line behind him.
"嗨，马文，"尼克说，排到了他后面。
“Hi, Nick,” said Marvin.
"嗨，尼克，"马文说。
Nick Tuffle was Marvin’s other best friend.
尼克·塔弗是马文另一个最好的朋友。
“What’s your favorite dinosaur?” asked Nick.
"你最喜欢的恐龙是什么？"尼克问。
Marvin thought a moment. He didn’t have a favorite dinosaur.
马文想了一会儿。他没有最喜欢的恐龙。
Stuart made a noise with his nose. “That’s a stupid question,” he said.
斯图尔特用鼻子哼了一声。"这问题真蠢，"他说。
Marvin looked at his two best friends. He was afraid they’d get into another fight. Nick and Stuart were always fighting.
马文看着两个最好的朋友。他怕他们又要吵起来。尼克和斯图尔特老是吵架。
“What’s stupid about it?” Nick demanded.
"哪儿蠢了？"尼克质问。
“Because,” said Stuart, “the results are going to be buried in a time capsule. In fifty years people are going to dig up the time capsule. And then they’re going to think there were dinosaurs around when we went to school.”
"因为，"斯图尔特说，"调查结果会被埋进时间胶囊里。五十年后人们会把它挖出来。然后他们就会以为我们上学那会儿还有恐龙。"
“That’s stupid,” said Nick.
"那才蠢，"尼克说。
“Your turn, Stuart,” said Marvin.
"轮到你了，斯图尔特，"马文说。
“What? Oh,” said Stuart.
"什么？哦，"斯图尔特说。
Marvin watched Stuart play wall-ball. He was up against Clarence, the toughest kid in the third grade.
马文看着斯图尔特打墙球。他的对手是克拉伦斯——三年级最厉害的刺头。
Stuart lost.
斯图尔特输了。
Nick laughed when Stuart lost.
斯图尔特输的时候，尼克笑了。
Marvin stepped up. Even though Clarence was bigger and stronger, Marvin felt he could beat him at wall-ball.
马文走上前。虽然克拉伦斯又高又壮，马文觉得自己在墙球上能赢他。
Clarence served. He bounced the red ball once on the ground, then hit it hard, with both hands together.
克拉伦斯发球。他把红球在地上拍了一下，然后用两只手一起重重地打了出去。
The ball hit the ground, then the wall, then bounced back to Marvin.
球砸在地上，又撞上墙，然后弹回马文这边。
Marvin hit it with both hands. The ball hit the ground, the wall, then back toward Clarence.
马文用双手把它打了回去。球落地、撞墙，然后飞回克拉伦斯那边。
Clarence smashed it. But too hard. The ball bounced off the wall and over the line.
克拉伦斯狠狠一击。但用力过猛。球从墙上弹开，飞过了界线。
Marvin caught it.
马文接住了它。
“I won!” Clarence declared.
"我赢了！"克拉伦斯宣布。
“You did not,” said Marvin. “The ball was over the line.”
"你没赢，"马文说。"球出界了。"
“You’re crazy,” said Clarence.
"你疯了，"克拉伦斯说。
“I saw it,” said Marvin.
"我看见了，"马文说。
“You did not,” said Clarence. “You weren’t even watching. You were picking your nose!”
"你才没看见，"克拉伦斯说。"你根本没在看。你在挖鼻孔！"
Several of the kids on line laughed.
排队的几个孩子笑了。
“It was over the line,” said Marvin.
"球就是出界了，"马文说。
“Go pick your nose,” said Clarence.
"去挖你的鼻孔吧，"克拉伦斯说。
The kids on line laughed again, even Nick.
排队的孩子又笑了，连尼克也笑了。
“C’mon, Marvin. Get off the court,” said Ryan. “You’re wasting time.”
"快点，马文。下场吧，"瑞安说。"你在浪费时间。"
Marvin didn’t move. “The ball was over the line,” he said. “I saw it.”
马文没动。"球出界了，"他说。"我看见了。"
“You were picking your nose!” Clarence said.
"你在挖鼻孔！"克拉伦斯说。
“I was not!” said Marvin.
"我没有！"马文说。
“You were snot?” asked Clarence. “He just said he was snot.”
"你是鼻涕？"克拉伦斯问。"他刚说他是鼻涕。"
Everyone, except Stuart, laughed.
除了斯图尔特，所有人都笑了。
“That’s not what I said,” said Marvin.
"我不是那么说的，"马文说。
“That’s snot what I said,” said Clarence.
"我'鼻'不是那么说的，"克拉伦斯说。
“Just go to the end of the line, Marvin,” said Travis.
"你就到队尾去排队吧，马文，"特拉维斯说。
Marvin didn’t move.
马文没动。
Clarence grabbed the ball from him. “Oh, gross!” he exclaimed. “His boogers are on the ball!”
克拉伦斯从马文手里抢过球。"哦，真恶心！"他嚷道。"球上有他的鼻屎！"
Even Stuart laughed.
连斯图尔特都笑了。
“I’m not playing with this ball!” said Clarence. He threw it to Marvin.
"我不玩这个球了！"克拉伦斯说。他把球扔给马文。
Marvin held up the ball. “Look, there’s nothing on it,” he said.
马文把球举起来。"看，上面什么都没有，"他说。
“Now they’re on his hands!” said Clarence.
"现在又跑到他手上了！"克拉伦斯说。
Everyone backed away from Marvin.
所有人都从马文身边退开。
The bell rang.
铃响了。
The other kids hurried back to class, leaving Marvin holding the ball.
其他孩子匆匆回教室去了，只留下马文一个人拿着球。