HC-L19_Darnell Rock Reporting

# Lesson 19
# Vocabulary in Context
《第19課》
《情境中的字彙》

開始囉：  
開始囉：

urge 鼓勵  
urge 鼓勵

Teachers can **urge**, or coax, students to get involved in helping their community.老師可以**鼓勵（urge）**，或勸說學生參與幫助他們的社區。

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minimum 最低量 / 最小的  
minimum 最低量／最小的

The food collected by students exceeded the **minimum**, or least, amount needed.學生收集到的食物超過了所需的**最低量（minimum）**。

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effective 有效的  
effective 有效的

Picking up litter can be **effective** in keeping parks and beaches clean. It gets results.撿垃圾對於保持公園和海灘乾淨是**有效的（effective）**，而且能真正產生效果。

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deteriorating 正在惡化的  
deteriorating 正在惡化的

Many **deteriorating** buildings will only get worse if volunteers don't help repair them.許多**正在惡化的（deteriorating）**建築物，如果沒有志工協助修復，只會變得更糟。

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dependent 依賴  
dependent 依賴

A literacy group may be **dependent** on volunteers. It needs them as reading tutors.一個識字團體可能**依賴（dependent on）**志工，因為他們需要志工作為閱讀指導老師。

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violations 違反  
violations 違反

If they pollute too much, companies can be fined for violations of clean air laws.如果公司污染過多，可能會因為**違反（violations）**空氣清潔法而被罰款。

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granted 允許  
granted 允許

The principal granted, or gave, these students and teacher permission to hold a car wash.校長**允許（granted）**這些學生和老師舉辦洗車活動。

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issue 討論議題  
issue 討論議題

Providing better care for senior citizens is an issue, or concern. You can help in many ways.為年長者提供更好的照顧是一個**重要議題（issue）**或需要關注的問題，你可以用許多方式提供幫助。

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ordinance 法令  
ordinance 法令

An ordinance, or city law, can create volunteer community service groups.一項**法令（ordinance）**或城市法律，可以建立志工社區服務團體。

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exception 除了  
exception 除了

With the exception of rainy days, this class works in the school garden every day.**除了（exception）**下雨天之外，這個班級每天都會在學校的花園工作。

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DARNELL ROCK REPORTING by Walter Dean Myers《Darnell Rock 的報導》作者：Walter Dean Myers

DARNELL ROCK REPORTING by Walter Dean Myers《Darnell Rock 的報導》作者：Walter Dean Myers

Darnell Rock feels that his teachers only notice him, his friends, and his sister Tamika, when they get into trouble.達奈爾・洛克覺得，老師只有在他、他的朋友和他的妹妹 Tamika 惹上麻煩時，才會注意到他們。Then a homeless man, Sweeby Jones, inspires Darnell to write an article in his school newspaper about turning a deteriorating basketball court into a garden to feed the homeless.後來，一位無家可歸的人 Sweeby Jones 啟發了 Darnell，讓他在校報上寫了一篇文章，內容是把一座正在惡化的籃球場改造成花園，來餵飽無家可歸的人。Soon editor Peter Miller publishes Darnell's article in the town newspaper.不久，編輯 Peter Miller 把 Darnell 的文章刊登在鎮上的報紙上。Not everyone agrees with him, though, including student Linda Gold and teacher Miss Joyner.不過，並不是每個人都同意他，包括學生 Linda Gold 和老師 Miss Joyner。A city council meeting will decide what to do with the basketball court.市議會將召開會議，來決定要怎麼處理那座籃球場。Darnell is nervous about presenting his opinion, but his parents, and teachers like Mr. Baker and Miss Seldes, all support him.Darnell 對於要表達自己的看法感到緊張，但他的父母，以及像 Mr. Baker 和 Miss Seldes 這樣的老師，都支持他。Before the meeting, everyone at school has read Darnell's article (pictured below) and an opposing article written by Linda that ran in the school newspaper (shown on page 571).在開會之前，學校裡的每個人都讀過 Darnell 的文章（如下圖所示），也讀過 Linda 寫的一篇反對文章，那篇文章刊登在校報上（見第571頁）。

“Nobody wants to be homeless,” Sweeby Jones said.「沒有人想要無家可歸，」Sweeby Jones 說。He is a homeless man who lives in our city of Oakdale.他是一位住在我們 Oakdale 市的無家可歸者。It is for him and people like him that I think we should build a garden where the basketball courts were, near the school.正是為了他和像他這樣的人，我才覺得我們應該在學校附近、原本籃球場的位置蓋一座花園。That way the homeless people can help themselves by raising food.這樣一來，無家可歸的人就能透過種食物來幫助自己。

“You see a man or woman that’s hungry and you don’t feed them, or help them feed themselves, then you got to say you don’t mind people being hungry,” Mr. Jones said.「如果你看到有男人或女人肚子餓，你卻不餵他們，或是不幫他們想辦法自己餵飽自己，那你就等於是在說你不在乎別人挨餓。」Jones 先生說。  

“And if you don’t mind people being hungry, then there is something wrong with you.”「而如果你不在乎別人挨餓，那你就是有問題。」  

This is what Mr. Sweeby Jones said when I spoke to him.這就是我跟 Sweeby Jones 先生談話時，他說的話。  

I don’t want to be the kind of person who says it’s all right for some people to be hungry.我不想成為那種覺得「有些人挨餓也沒關係」的人。  

I want to do something about it.我想為這件事做點什麼。  

But I think there is another reason to have the garden.不過我覺得，蓋這座花園還有另一個理由。  

Things can happen to people that they don’t plan.人們可能會遇到一些自己沒有預料到的事情。  

You can get sick, and not know why, or even homeless.你可能會生病，卻不知道原因，甚至可能會變得無家可歸。  

But sometimes there are things you can do to change your life or make it good.但有時候，你也可以做一些事來改變自己的生活，或讓生活變得更好。  

If you don’t do anything to make your life good, it will probably not be good.如果你什麼都不做，想讓生活變好，那它很可能就不會變好。  

“I was born poor and will probably be poor all my life,” Mr. Sweeby Jones said.「我出生就很窮，而且我可能一輩子都會很窮。」Sweeby Jones 先生說。  

I think maybe it is not how you were born that makes the most difference, but what you do with your life.我覺得，也許最重要的差別不是你出生時是什麼樣子，而是你用你的生活去做了什麼。  

The garden is a chance for some people to help their own lives.這座花園是一個機會，讓一些人能夠幫助改善自己的生活。  

Darnell Rock is a seventh-grader at South Oakdale Middle School. Darnell Rock 是 South Oakdale Middle School 的七年級學生。  

The school board has proposed that the site that Mr. Rock wants to make into a garden be used as a parking lot for teachers.學校董事會提議，把 Rock 想要改成花園的那塊地，用來當老師的停車場。  

The City Council will decide the issue tomorrow evening.市議會將在明天晚上決定這件事。  

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Teaching is a difficult profession.教書是一個很不容易的職業。  

Teachers need as much support as they can possibly get.老師需要我們盡可能給他們最多的支持。  

After all, we are dependent on them for our future.畢竟，我們的未來要靠他們。  

Education is the key to a good and secure future, and teachers help us to get that education.教育是通往美好又安穩未來的關鍵，而老師幫助我們得到那樣的教育。  

We must give them all the support we can.我們一定要盡我們所能支持他們。  

This is why I am supporting the idea of building a parking lot near the school.這就是為什麼我支持在學校附近蓋停車場的想法。  

There are some people in our school who think it is a good idea to build a garden so that the homeless can use it.我們學校有些人覺得，蓋一座花園讓無家可歸的人使用，是個好主意。  

Use it for what?拿來做什麼用？  

Homeless people don't have experience farming and could not use the land anyway.無家可歸的人沒有務農的經驗，反正也沒辦法使用那塊地。  

This is just a bad idea that will help nobody and will hurt the teachers.這只是一個糟糕的點子，誰也幫不到，還會傷害老師的權益。  

The teachers give us good examples of how we should live and how we should conduct ourselves.老師給我們很好的榜樣，教我們應該怎麼生活、怎麼表現自己的行為。  

The homeless people, even though it is no fault of theirs, don't give us good examples.無家可歸的人，即使那並不是他們的錯，也沒辦法給我們好的榜樣。  

On Friday evening at 7:00 p.m., the City Council will meet to make a final decision.星期五晚上七點，市議會將開會做出最後決定。  

I urge them to support the teachers, support education, and support the students at South Oakdale.我呼籲他們支持老師、支持教育，也支持 South Oakdale 的學生。  

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"You see anybody from the school?" Larry looked over the large crowd at the Oakdale Court building.「你有看到學校的人嗎？」Larry 望著 Oakdale Court 大樓裡的一大群人。  

"There goes Mr. Derby and Mr. Baker." Tamika pointed toward the front of the building.「那邊是 Derby 先生跟 Baker 先生。」Tamika 指向大樓前方。  

Darnell felt a lump in the pit of his stomach. Darnell 覺得胃裡一陣緊縮，心裡很不舒服。  

There were at least a hundred people at the City Council meeting.市議會的會議現場至少有一百個人。  

Tamika led them through the crowd to where she had spotted Mr. Derby and South Oakdale's principal. Tamika 帶著他們穿過人群，走向她看到 Derby 先生和 South Oakdale 校長的地方。  

The large, high-ceilinged room had rows of benches that faced the low platform for the City Council.那個很大的高天花板房間裡，有一排排長椅，面向市議會的矮講台。  

Linda Gold was already sitting in the front row. Linda Gold 早就坐在第一排了。  

Darnell saw that her parents were with her. Darnell 看到她的爸媽也陪著她。  

He had brought a copy of the Journal with him and saw that a few other people, grown-ups, also had copies of the paper.他帶了一份 Journal 報紙來，也看到還有幾個其他人（大人）也拿著同一份報紙。

The nine members of the City Council arrived, and the meeting was called to order.市議會的九位成員到齊了，會議宣布開始。

The city clerk said that there were five items on the agenda, and read them off.市政府的書記說議程上有五個項目，並把它們一一唸出來。

The first three items were about Building Code violations.前三個項目是關於違反建築法規的事。

Then came something about funding the city's library.接著是關於市立圖書館經費的議題。

"The last item will be the use of the basketball courts as a parking lot at South Oakdale Middle School," the clerk said.「最後一個項目是：South Oakdale Middle School 的籃球場要不要改當停車場。」書記說。

"We have three speakers scheduled."「我們安排了三位發言人。」

Linda turned and smiled at Darnell.Linda 轉過身對 Darnell 微笑。

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Darnell didn't know what Building Code violations were but watched as building owners showed diagrams explaining why there were violations.Darnell 不知道「違反建築法規」是什麼，但他看著建築物的屋主拿出圖表，解釋為什麼會被判定違規。

The first two weren't that interesting, but the third one was.前兩個案子不太有趣，但第三個很有意思。

A company had built a five-story building that was supposed to be a minimum of twenty feet from the curb, but it was only fifteen feet.有一家公司蓋了一棟五層樓的建築，本來應該離路緣至少二十英尺，但實際上只有十五英尺。

“You mean to tell me that your engineers only had fifteen-foot rulers?” one councilman asked.「你的意思是說，你們的工程師只有十五英尺的尺嗎？」一位市議員問。

“Well, er, we measured it right the first time”—the builder shifted from one foot to the other—“but then we made some changes in the design and somehow we sort of forgot about the er . . . you know . . . the other five feet.”「嗯，呃，我們第一次量的時候是對的。」建商一隻腳換到另一隻腳，站得很不自在，「但是後來我們改了設計，結果不知怎麼就有點忘了那個，呃……你知道的……另外那五英尺。」

To Darnell the builder sounded like a kid in his homeroom trying to make an excuse for not having his homework.在 Darnell 聽來，這個建商就像他班上有個同學在找藉口說自己沒寫作業。

“Can you just slide the building back five or six feet?” the Councilman asked.「你不能把整棟建築往後移個五、六英尺嗎？」那位市議員問。

Everybody laughed and the builder actually smiled, but Darnell could tell he didn't think it was funny.大家都笑了，建商也真的擠出笑容，但 Darnell 看得出來他並不覺得好笑。

Somebody touched Darnell on his shoulder, and he turned and saw his parents.有人拍了拍 Darnell 的肩膀，他轉頭一看，是他的爸媽。

“We have this ordinance for a reason,” a woman on the Council was saying.「我們訂這條法令是有原因的。」市議會裡的一位女議員說。

“I don’t think we should lightly dismiss this violation.我不認為我們可以輕易就不追究這個違規。

An exception granted here is just going to encourage others to break the law.”如果我們在這裡開例外，只會鼓勵其他人也去違法。」

“This is going to ruin me,” the builder said.「這會毀了我。」建商說。

“I’ve been in Oakdale all of my life and I think I’ve made a contribution.”「我一輩子都住在 Oakdale，我覺得我也對這裡有貢獻。」

“Let’s have a vote.” The head of the Council spoke sharply.「來表決吧。」市議會主席嚴厲地說。

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"Let's have a vote to postpone a decision," the woman who had spoken before said.「我們來表決：要不要延後做決定。」剛才那位發言的女士說。

"We'll give Mr. Miller an opportunity to show his good faith."「我們給 Miller 先生一個機會，讓他表現出他的誠意。」

"What do you want me to do?" the builder asked.「你們要我怎麼做？」建商問。

"That's up to you," the woman said.「那要看你自己。」那位女士說。

"Next time you'd better get it right!" Tamika called out.「下次你最好做對！」Tamika 大聲喊。

"She's right," the councilwoman said.「她說得對。」那位女議員說。

There was a vote, and the decision was postponed.接著進行表決，結果決定延後處理。

The builder gave Tamika a dirty look as he pushed his papers into his briefcase.建商把文件塞進公事包時，惡狠狠地瞪了 Tamika 一眼。

The city library funding was next, and eight people, including Miss Seldes, spoke for the library, but the Council said it didn't have any more money.下一個議題是市立圖書館經費，有八個人（包括 Miss Seldes）替圖書館發言，但市議會說沒有多的錢了。

There was some booing, including some from Tamika and Larry.現場有人發出噓聲，Tamika 和 Larry 也在噓。

Darnell knew that if he didn't have to speak he would have enjoyed the meeting.Darnell 知道，如果不用他上台發言，他其實會滿喜歡這場會議。

"The issue at South Oakdale is should the old basketball courts be used as a parking lot, or should they be used as a community garden?"「South Oakdale 的問題是：舊的籃球場要拿來當停車場，還是要拿來當社區花園？」

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"Who's going to pay for paving the lot?" a councilman asked.「要把停車場鋪好路面，誰要出錢？」一位市議員問。

"Does it have to be paved?"「一定要鋪路面嗎？」

"It's my understanding that it doesn't have to be paved," the head of the Council answered. "Am I right on that?"  
「據我了解，那裡不一定要鋪柏油，」市議會主席回答說。「我這樣說對嗎？」

"Yes, you are," Miss Joyner spoke up from the audience.  
「對，你說得沒錯，」Joyner 老師在觀眾席上開口說。

"We have two young people from the school to speak," the councilwoman said. "The first is a Miss Gold."  
「我們有兩位來自學校的年輕人要發言，」那位女議員說。「第一位是 Gold 小姐。」

Linda went into the middle aisle, where there was a microphone.  
Linda 走到中間的走道，那裡有一支麥克風。

She began reading her article in the snootiest voice that Darnell had ever heard.  
她開始朗讀她的文章，用 Darnell 聽過最做作、最跩的語氣。

He felt a knot in his stomach.  
他覺得胃裡打了個結。

He turned to look at his mother, and she was smiling.  
他轉頭看他的媽媽，結果她正在微笑。

On the stage some of the councilmen were looking at some papers.  
在台上，有幾位議員正在看一些文件。

"I hope I don't mess up," he whispered to Tamika.  
「希望我不要搞砸，」他小聲對 Tamika 說。

"You won't," Tamika said.  
「你不會的，」Tamika 說。

Linda finished reading her article and then turned toward Darnell.  
Linda 讀完她的文章後，轉向 Darnell。

"Although everybody would like to help the homeless," she said, "schools are supposed to be for kids, and for those who teach kids! Thank you."  
「雖然每個人都想幫助無家可歸的人，」她說，「但是學校應該是給孩子的，還有教孩子的人！謝謝。」

There was applause for Linda, and Miss Joyner stood up and nodded toward her.  
大家為 Linda 鼓掌，Joyner 老師站起來，朝她點了點頭。

Darnell felt his hands shaking.  
Darnell 覺得自己的手在發抖。

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Darnell's name was called, and he made the long trip to the microphone.  
有人叫到 Darnell 的名字，他走了好長一段路才走到麥克風前。

"When I first thought about having a garden instead of a parking lot, I thought it was just a good idea," Darnell said.  
「我一開始想到用花園取代停車場時，我覺得那只是個好主意，」Darnell 說。

"Then, when the Journal asked me to send them a copy of my interview with Mr. Jones, I was thinking that it was mainly a good idea to have a garden to help out the homeless people.  
「後來，《Journal》要我寄一份我採訪 Jones 先生的內容給他們時，我想的主要是：蓋一座花園是個好主意，因為可以幫助無家可歸的人。

But now I think it might be a good idea to have the garden to help out the kids—some of the kids—in the school."  
可是現在我覺得，設這座花園也許是個好主意，因為可以幫助學校裡的孩子——其中一些孩子。」

"Sometimes, when people go through their life they don't do the things that can make them a good life.  
「有時候，人們在過日子的時候，卻不去做那些能讓自己過得更好的事。

I don't know why they don't do the right thing, or maybe even if they know what the right thing is sometimes.  
我不知道為什麼他們不做對的事，或者有時候，也許他們甚至不確定什麼才是對的。」

"But I see the same thing in my school, South Oakdale.  
「但在我的學校 South Oakdale，我也看到同樣的情況。

Some of the kids always do okay, but some of us don't.  
有些孩子總是表現得不錯，可是我們當中也有人做得不太好。

Maybe their parents are telling them something, or maybe they know something special.  
也許是他們的爸媽有跟他們說些什麼，或是他們知道一些特別的方法。

But if you're a kid who isn't doing so good, people start off telling you what you should be doing, and you know it, but sometimes you still don't get it done and mess up some more.  
可是如果你是那種表現不太好的孩子，一開始大家會告訴你該怎麼做，你也知道，可是有時候你還是做不到，還會再犯更多錯。

Then people start expecting you to mess up, and then you start expecting to mess up.  
接著大家就開始期待你會搞砸，然後你自己也開始覺得：我就是會搞砸。

Teachers get mad at you, or the principal, or your parents, and they act like you're messing up on purpose.  
老師會對你生氣，校長也會，爸媽也會，他們表現得好像你是故意要搞砸一樣。

Like you want to get bad marks and stuff like that.  
好像你就是想拿低分之類的。

Then you don't want people getting on your case all the time so you don't do much because the less you do the less they're going to be on your case.  
然後你不想一直被人唸、被人盯著，所以你就不太想做很多事，因為你做得越少，他們就越不會一直找你麻煩、一直念你。

Only that doesn't help anything, and everybody knows it, but that's the way it goes."  
可是那樣其實一點幫助也沒有，大家也都知道，但事情常常就是會變成那樣。」

"You seem to be doing all right, young man," the head of the City Council said.  
「你看起來做得很不錯啊，年輕人，」市議會主席說。

"I wasn't doing too hot before," Darnell said, taking a quick look over to where Mr. Baker sat.「我以前過得不太好，」Darnell 說著，快速瞄了一眼 Mr. Baker 坐著的方向。  
"But when I got on the paper and the Journal printed my article, then everybody started treating me different.「可是當我上了報紙，《Journal》刊登了我的文章之後，大家就開始用不一樣的方式對待我。  
People came up to me and started explaining their points of view instead of just telling me what to do.人們走過來，開始跟我解釋他們的觀點，而不是只會叫我該做什麼。  
And you people are listening to me.而你們現在也願意聽我說。  
The kids I hung out with, they called us the Corner Crew, are mostly good kids, but you wouldn't listen to them unless they got into trouble."我以前常混在一起的那些孩子，我們自稱是 Corner Crew，大多其實都是好孩子，可是你們不會聽他們講，除非他們闖了禍。"

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In South Oakdale some kids have bad things happen to them—like they get sick—and I don't know why that happens, but all they can do is to go to the hospital.在 South Oakdale，有些孩子會遇到不好的事情——像是生病——我也不知道為什麼會這樣，可是他們能做的就只有去醫院。  

And some kids just get left out of the good things and can't find a way of getting back into them.還有些孩子就是被排除在那些好事情之外，卻找不到方法再回到那樣的生活裡。  

People get mad at them the same way they get mad at the homeless people or people who beg on the street.人們對他們生氣，就跟人們對無家可歸的人、或在街上乞討的人生氣一樣。  

Maybe the garden will be a way for the homeless people to get back into some good things, and maybe seeing the homeless people getting back into a better life will be a way for some of the kids to think about what's happening to them.也許這個花園會成為一種方法，讓無家可歸的人重新回到一些好的事情裡；也許當一些孩子看到無家可歸的人重新走向比較好的生活，他們就會開始思考自己身上發生了什麼事。  

Thank you.謝謝大家。  

請看下側文字：請看下側文字：  

**How are Linda's and Darnell's arguments different in tone and purpose? What do their actions and arguments reveal about each character?（Linda 和 Darnell 的論點在語氣和目的上有什麼不同？他們的行動和論點顯示了什麼個性？）**  
**Linda 和 Darnell 的論點在語氣和目的上有什麼不同？他們的行動和論點顯示了什麼個性？**  

可以暫停思考一下，答案可以是：可以暫停思考一下，答案可以是：  
Linda’s argument is calm and caring, and she wants to help homeless people and kids have a better life.Linda 的論點很冷靜、也很關懷人，她想幫助無家可歸的人和孩子過得更好。  
Darnell’s argument is stronger and more direct, and he wants people to take action.Darnell 的論點更強烈、也更直接，他希望大家採取行動。  
Their arguments show that Linda is compassionate and thoughtful, while Darnell is determined and serious.他們的論點顯示 Linda 很有同理心、很會思考；而 Darnell 很堅定、很認真。  

@@@

There was some applause as Darnell turned to go back to his seat.Darnell 轉身要回座位時，現場響起了一些掌聲。  

"Just a minute, young man," one of the councilmen called to him.「等一下，年輕人，」其中一位議員叫住他。  
"The girl said that these people don't know anything about raising a garden. Is that true?"「那個女孩說，這些人對種菜園一點都不懂。這是真的嗎？」  

"It doesn't matter," someone said from the audience.「這不重要，」觀眾席有人說。  
"I'm from the college, and we can help with technical advice."「我來自大學，我們可以提供技術上的建議。」  

"I didn't ask you," the councilman said.「我又沒有問你，」那位議員說。  

"I'm telling you anyway," the man said.「但我還是要說，」那個男人說。  

"I don't know how effective a community garden would be," the councilman said.「我不知道社區花園會有多有效，」那位議員說。  
"You can't feed people from a garden."「你不可能靠一座花園就餵飽大家。」  

"You could sell what you grow," Darnell heard himself saying.「你們可以把種出來的東西拿去賣，」Darnell 聽見自己這麼說。  

"I think bringing people who are non-school people into that close a contact with children might not be that good an idea," the councilman said.「我覺得讓不是學校的人，跟孩子有那麼近的接觸，可能不是什麼好主意，」那位議員說。  
"Who's the last speaker?"「最後一位發言者是誰？」  

"A Mr. Jones," the clerk said.「一位 Jones 先生，」書記說。  
Sweeby came into the middle aisle, and a lot of people began to talk among themselves. Sweeby 走到中間的走道上，很多人開始彼此交談。  
There were a lot of things they were interested in, and most of them were not interested in the school parking lot.他們對很多事情都有興趣，但大多數人對學校停車場並不感興趣。  

@@@

"I just wanted to ask you why you don't want to listen to this boy," Sweeby asked.「我只是想問你，為什麼你不願意聽這個男孩說話？」Sweeby 問。  

"You have four minutes to speak," the councilman said.「你有四分鐘可以發言，」那位議員說。  
He seemed angry.他看起來很生氣。  
"We don't have to answer your questions."「我們沒有必要回答你的問題。」

"You don't have to answer my questions," Sweeby said.「你不必回答我的問題，」Sweeby 說。  
"And you don't have to have the garden. You don't have to think about us—what did you call us?—nonschool people?"「你也不一定要有那座花園。你也不必為我們著想——你是怎麼稱呼我們的？——不是學校的人？」  

"But it's a shame you don't want to listen to this boy. I wish he had been my friend when I was his age. Maybe I would be sitting in one of your seats instead of being over here."「但你們不想聽這個男孩說話，真是太可惜了。我真希望我像他這個年紀時，他就是我的朋友。也許我現在就會坐在你們其中一個位子上，而不是站在這邊。」  

"Is there anything more?" the councilman asked.「還有別的要說嗎？」那位市議員問。  

"No, you can just forget about the whole thing now," Sweeby said.「沒有了，你們現在就把整件事都忘了吧，」Sweeby 說。  
"Go on back to your papers."「回去看你們的文件吧。」  

"I think we can vote on this issue now," the councilman said.「我想我們現在可以針對這個議題投票了，」那位市議員說。  
"I think Mr."—the councilman looked at the agenda to find Darnell's name—"Mr. Darnell Rock had some good points, but it's still a tough issue. Let's get on with the vote."「我認為 Rock 先生——」市議員看了一下議程表，找 Darnell 的名字——「Darnell Rock 先生提出了一些不錯的重點，但這仍然是個棘手的問題。我們開始投票吧。」  

The vote went quickly. Three councilpeople decided not to vote, five voted against the garden, and only one voted for it.投票很快就結束了。三位議員決定不投票，五位投反對花園，只有一位投贊成。  

Darnell took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Darnell 深吸了一口氣，然後慢慢吐出來。  
Tamika patted him on his hand. Tamika 輕輕拍了拍他的手。  
When he looked at her she had tears in her eyes.他看向她時，發現她眼眶裡含著淚水。  

Darnell felt he had let Sweeby down. Darnell 覺得自己讓 Sweeby 失望了。  
His father patted him on his back, and Miss Seldes came over.他爸爸拍了拍他的背，Seldes 老師也走了過來。  

"You did a good job," she said.「你做得很好，」她說。  
"Really good."「真的很好。」  

"I lost," Darnell said.「我輸了，」Darnell 說。  

"Sometimes you lose," Miss Seldes said.「有時候你就是會輸，」Seldes 老師說。  
"But you still did a good job."「但你還是做得很好。」  

請看下側文字：  
**Compare and contrast the different tones and words that the meeting participants use. How do their different ways of speaking make the story more realistic?（比較會議參與者使用的不同語氣和用詞。他們不同的說話方式如何讓故事更真實？）**  
可以暫停思考一下，答案可以是：  
The councilman speaks in an angry and formal way, while Sweeby speaks in a calm but disappointed way, and Miss Seldes speaks in a kind and encouraging way. Their different ways of speaking make the story more realistic because people speak differently depending on their feelings and roles.市議員用比較生氣、而且正式的方式說話；Sweeby 雖然語氣平靜，但聽得出來很失望；Seldes 老師則用溫柔、鼓勵的方式說話。他們不同的說話方式讓故事更真實，因為人們會依照自己的情緒和角色，用不同的語氣與用詞來說話。  

@@@  

Sweeby and some of his friends were waiting outside the Council meeting, and they shook hands with Darnell. Sweeby 和他的幾位朋友在市議會會議外面等著，並和 Darnell 握手。  
Sweeby was telling him how the members of the Council didn't really care about people when Darnell saw Linda through the crowd. Sweeby 正在跟他說議會成員其實根本不在乎人民，這時 Darnell 透過人群看見了 Linda。  
She waved and he waved back. She was smiling.她向他揮手，他也揮手回應。她在笑。  

Larry's mother came over and asked his father for a lift home, and they were waiting for Larry when Peter Miller from the Journal came over. Larry 的媽媽走過來，請 Darnell 的爸爸載她回家；他們正在等 Larry 的時候，《Journal》報的 Peter Miller 走了過來。  

“Hey, you want to write another article for the paper?” he said.「嘿，你想再替報紙寫一篇文章嗎？」他說。  
“There’s a guy who wants to donate a couple of lots for a garden in another location. My boss wants to run it as a human interest piece.”「有個人想捐出幾塊地，在另一個地點弄一座花園。我老闆想把它當作人物故事（人情味的報導）來刊登。」  

“Yeah, sure,” Darnell said.「好啊，當然，」Darnell 說。  
“You want a long article or a short one?”「你要長篇的，還是短篇的？」  

“I don’t know. Call the paper tomorrow and ask for the city desk,” the reporter said.「我不確定。你明天打電話到報社，找『市政新聞組』，」那位記者說。  
“My editor will give you the word count.”「我的編輯會告訴你要寫多少字。」  

“Okay!” Darnell said.「好！」Darnell 說。  

請看右側文字：  
**Why do you think the author focuses primarily on Darnell's argument in the story? What do you think the author wants readers to learn from Darnell's experience?（為什麼作者主要聚焦在 Darnell 的論點？作者希望讀者從他的經驗中學到什麼？）**

The author focuses on Darnell to show how he speaks up for what he believes in.作者聚焦在 Darnell 身上，是為了呈現他如何勇敢為自己相信的事情發聲。

The author wants readers to learn that even if you lose, it is important to try and help others.作者希望讀者明白，就算你最後輸了，願意努力去幫助別人仍然很重要。