Mike on Strike!
美音、自然拼读、分级阅读与词汇复习
Mike McCarthy was a curious guy—so curious that he wanted to buy his friend Derek’s Super Spy kit in order to find out people’s secrets.
Mike McCarty是个好奇的家伙,
To buy the kit, though, Mike needed twenty-five dollars he didn’t have.
迈克需要25美元,
“I get eight dollars a week allowance,” Derek said.
Derek说,“我每周有8美元的津贴。”
“ At that rate, you’ d just need three allowances, more or less, to pay me.”
“...... 按此标准,你只需要三笔津贴,或多或少地付给我。 “
“Eight dollars!”
"八块钱!"
Mike repeated.
迈克重复。
“What do you have to do to get that?”
“你要做什么才能得到这些? “
Answer 1: $2.50.
答案一：2.50 美元。
Answer 2: 5. Derek sucked the salt from a peanut shell and shook his head.
答案二：5 次。德里克吮了吮花生壳上的盐，摇了摇头。
“Nothing,” he said, “but I know how families like yours work, with chores and stuff.”
“没什么,”他说,“但我知道像你们这样的家庭如何工作,从事家务活等。 “
He shrugged.
他发抖了。
“How many of your allowances would it take?”
“你需要多少津贴? “
“Ten,” Mike said grimly.
“十,”迈克说得非常严酷。
Derek shook his head.
德里克摇头了
“Negotiate a raise,” he said.
他说,“谈判加薪”。
“I tried negotiation last month with the tooth fairy,” Mike said.
“我上个月尝试了与牙仙谈判,”迈克说。
“She was one tough customer.”
“她是一个艰难的顾客。 “
Derek shook his head again.
德里克再次摇头.
“Forget fairies,” he said.
他说“忘记仙子们”,
“Parents are softies by comparison.
“相比而言,父母是柔软的。
You just need to show them what you bring to the table.”
你只需要展示给他们看 你带来的东西。 “
“Table?”
“表? “
Mike asked.
迈克问。
Math Minute Mike says it would take him ten allowances to raise the money for Derek’s spy kit.
数学分钟 Mike说要花十笔零用钱 才能筹到Derek的间谍装备
How much is his allowance now?
他的津贴是多少?
If his allowance doubled, how many allowances would he need in order to buy Derek’s spy kit?
如果他的津贴增加一倍,他需要多少津贴才能购买德里克的间谍工具箱?
“The bargaining table,” Derek explained, “set up for a potluck.
Derek解释说,“讨价还价的桌子”是“摆设的。
Then think what would happen if nobody brought food.”
那就想想如果没人带食物会怎样 “
“Everyone would go hungry,” Mike said.
“每个人都会挨饿,”迈克说。
“Sure,” Derek said, “but whoever hosted the next party would hire a caterer instead so nobody would have to cook.”
“当然,”德里克说,“但无论谁主办下一场宴会,都会雇用一位宴会招待人,这样就没有人需要做饭了。 “
Just what was Derek driving at?
德里克开着什么车?
Mike had no idea.
迈克不知道
“Is their food good?”
“他们的食品是否良好? “
Mike asked.
迈克问。
“Catered food is always better than homemade,” Derek said, “but that’s beside the point.”
Derek说,“自制食品总比自制食品好, “
Mike wondered if that could be true.
迈克想知道这是否是真的
His mom was a pretty good cook, and his dad’s French toast was a slice of heaven.
他的妈妈是个不错的厨师 他爸爸的法式土司是天堂的一分
“Look,” Derek continued.
“看,”德里克接着说。
“The potluck, the caterer, the food—that’s all just a metaphor.
" 锅运气、宴会者、食物,
The point is that when you come to the bargaining table, you need to bring something to bargain with.”
重点是,当你来到谈判桌的时候,你需要带来一些可以讨价还价的东西. “
“I got nothing,” Mike said.
“我什么都没有,”迈克说。
“Well, hold on.
“等等,
I make good lemonade.”
我做了很好的柠檬汁。 “
Derek groaned in frustration.
德里克在沮丧中呻吟
“Forget the food thing!
“忘记食物吧!
Do you do any chores?”
你干活吗? “
he asked.
他问。
Mike nodded.
迈克点头。
Derek was the only third grader in their class with his own smartphone.
德里克是他们班里唯一拥有自己智能手机的三年级学生.
He grabbed it.
他抢了它。
“Talk to me,” he said.
他说,“跟我谈谈”。
“We’ll make a list.
" 我们将列出一份清单。
The chores you do are what you leverage, what you use to bargain.”
你做的家务是你的杠杆, 你用来讨价还价。 “
“Okay,” Mike said.
"好吧,"迈克说。
“I take out the recycling.
“我负责回收。
I make my bed.
我做我的床铺。
I clear the dinner table.”
我清空了饭桌 “
Derek tapped away on his phone.
德里克用手机窃听了
Without looking up, he inquired, “ Any seasonal chores?”
他不抬头就问道:“有什么季节性的工作? “
“Um, yeah,” Mike said.
“嗯,是的,”迈克说。
“I rake leaves and shovel snow.”
“我铲出树叶和铲出雪来。 “
“Mow the lawn?”
" 草坪是怎样的? “
Derek asked.
德里克问道.
“Not yet,” Mike said, “but I weed the vegetable garden.”
“还没有,”迈克说,“但我为蔬菜园取了大麻。 “
“Pet care?”
“关心? “
Derek asked.
德里克问道.
“I feed Pickles sometimes,” Mike said, “if my mom tells me to.”
“我有时喂泡菜,”迈克说,“如果我妈让我喂的话。”
Derek tapped some more, then looked up.
德里克再拍一些 然后抬头看
“Excellent,” he pronounced.
他宣布“出色,”
“So this is what you bring to the table, see?
“这就是你们提出的问题,
If your parents had to pay somebody else to do all this, it’ d cost them more than what they pay you.
如果你的父母不得不付钱给别人做这一切,
This is why they passed child labor laws, to protect kids like you from being exploited.”
这就是为什么他们通过童工法 来保护像你这样的孩子不被剥削 “
“I didn’t know that,” Mike murmured.
“我不知道,”迈克喃喃自语。
“Sure,” Derek said.
“当然,”德里克说。
“Your parents are taking advantage of you, big time.”
“你的父母利用了你,大好时机。 “
“Oh,” Mike said.
“哦,”迈克说。
He felt himself getting depressed.
他觉得自己很沮丧
“Stay with me here,” Derek said, “because this is all gonna change really soon.
Derek说,“留在我身边,”因为这一切很快就会改变。
You’ve got this list of things you do for them, and now you’re gonna take it to them.
现在你们要拿给他们。
You’re gonna make your demands very clear, and if your parents refuse to meet your demands, you’re gonna go on strike.”
如果你的父母拒绝满足你的要求, 你会罢工。 “
“I am?”
“我是谁? “
Mike asked.
迈克问。
“You don’t have a choice,” Derek said.
Derek说,
“You don’t want to be oppressed, do you?”
“你不想被压迫, “
“I don’t know,” Mike said.
“我不知道,”迈克说。
He didn’t know what oppressed meant; he just knew he felt depressed.
他不知道被压迫意味着什么,
Strike!
罢工!
A strike is a form of protest in which workers refuse to work.
罢工是工人拒绝工作的一种抗议形式.
Their goal is to force employers to meet their demands—usually better working conditions, higher pay, or fewer hours.
他们的目标是强迫雇主满足他们的要求——通常是更好的工作条件、更高的工资或更少的工作时间。
Strikes can be effective.
罢工可以有效。
if other workers can’t or won’t step in to do the job.
如果其他工人不能或不愿介入,
History is full of famous strikes that changed a country and sometimes the world.
历史充满了著名的罢工,这些罢工改变了一个国家,有时也改变了世界.
Railroad, mine, steel, and postal workers have held some of the most famous strikes in modern history.
铁道,矿山,钢铁,邮政等部门工人举行了现代史上最有名的罢工.
When postal workers marched in July 1978 for better working conditions (and the right to strike), their children marched with them.
当邮政工人于1978年7月为更好的工作条件(和罢工权)而行进时,他们的子女随行.
The U.
吴人.
S.
师曰.
Postal Service and postal workers reached an agreement later that month.
邮政局和邮政工人当月下旬达成协议.
Derek spent the next several days coaching Mike.
德里克在接下来的几天里指导了迈克.
By the weekend, Mike felt prepped and ready to take on his parents.
到了周末,迈克觉得自己已经做好准备,准备去照顾他的父母.
“Parents,” he began after Saturday breakfast, “we need to talk.”
他的“父母”,星期六早餐后开始,“我们需要谈谈。 “
Slowly, warily, his parents’ faces emerged from behind two sections of the newspaper.
慢慢地,他父母的脸从报纸的两节后面出现。
“We’re listening,” said Mr.
" 我们在听, " 先生说:
McCarthy.
麦卡锡
“I bring a lot of value to this family,” Mike said.
“我为这个家庭带来了很多价值。”
“We agree,” his dad said.
“我们同意,”他父亲说。
“Wait,” Mike said.
“等等,”迈克说。
“Don’t you want to hear what my value is?”
" 你不想听听我的价值是什么吗? “
“We know your value,” Mrs.
“我们知道你的价值。”
McCarthy said.
麦卡锡说。
“We love you, honey.”
“我们爱你,亲爱的。 “
Mike thrust his warm feelings aside.
迈克把他的热情推到一边
“The point is,” he persevered, “you should raise my allowance.”
他坚持说:“问题在于,”你应该提高我的津贴。 “
He pushed a list of his chores across the table to them.
他把工作清单推到桌子对面
“Let’s negotiate,” he said.
他说, " 让我们谈判吧 " 。
“I’ d like—no, I demand—eight dollars a week.”
" 我每周要八美元。 “
“Stop right there, buster,” said his mom.
他的妈妈说,“站住,混蛋,”
“Nobody in this family makes demands.”
“这个家庭中没有人提出要求。 “
“They do if they’re oppressed,” Mike said.
“如果他们受到压迫,
Mrs.
夫人,请原谅
McCarthy snorted.
麦卡锡喘了口气
Mr.
先生,请问...
McCarthy raised a hand to cover his grin.
麦卡锡举起一只手来掩盖他的笑容.
“If my demands are not met,” Mike said, “I’ll go on strike.”
“如果我的要求没有得到满足,”迈克说,“我会罢工。 “
“You can do that,” his dad said, “but you realize that while you strike, you won’t get paid.”
“你可以做到这一点,”他父亲说,“但你意识到,当你罢工时,你不会得到报酬。 “
Mike swallowed.
迈克吞了。
“So it goes,” he said.
他说,“这样就够了。”
And so it went.
所以它开始。
For the next two weeks, Mike did no chores at all.
在接下来的两周里,迈克完全没有做家务.
When it was time to clear the dishes off the table, he cleared out of the room.
当时间清盘 从桌子上, 他清理出房间。
When it was time to take out the recycling, he took a hike.
到了拆出回收品的时候 他走了一圈
At first, he was amazed to get away with it.
起初,他惊讶地逃脱了这一切.
By the third week, though, Mike began to notice something disturbing: he was spending less time with his family and, consequently, missing out on stuff.
但是,到了第三周,迈克开始注意到一些令人不安的事:他花在家人身上的时间更少,从而错过了一些东西。
He heard the clink of silverware when his little sister, Aster, helped his mom load up the dishwasher.
他听到银器的叮当 当他的小妹妹,阿斯特,帮助他的妈妈装上洗碗机。
He heard them laughing.
他听到他们笑了。
What was so funny?
有什么好笑的吗?
If he had the spy kit, he would know; then again, if he were helping with chores, he would know.
如果他有间谍工具,他就会知道;然后,如果他帮助做家务,他就会知道。
He wouldn’t have to spy.
他不必监视。
“You know,” Mike said during the fourth week, “I’m ready to start my chores again if you’re ready to raise my allowance.”
“你知道,”迈克在第四个星期说,“如果你愿意提高我的津贴,我准备重新开始我的家务活。 “
His parents looked at each other.
其父母相视.
“Nope,” his dad said, “we’re good.”
“没有,”他父亲说,“我们很好。 “
The following Saturday, Mike woke to a special muffled hush—the singular silence of snow.
接下来的星期六,迈克醒了过来 一个特别的闷闷不乐的嘘声—— 雪中独有的沉默.
The world outside his window was transformed into a sparkling wonderland.
他窗外的世界被改造为一个闪闪发光的仙境.
The driveway and the walks were buried, but his dad was already outside, clearing the front porch to locate the newspaper.
车道和行走被埋了 但他爸爸已经在外面 清扫了前门廊
Normally, Mike would rise now and pull on his boots to help.
通常,迈克现在会站起来 并拉起他的靴子帮助。
Instead, he watched his mom and Aster emerge in hats and mittens.
相反地,他看着他的母亲和阿斯特用帽子和手套出现.
Aster was wielding Mike’s shovel.
Aster正在使用Mike的铲子。
All of them were working and laughing together— laughing again!
他们都一起工作,一起笑,又一起笑了!
Why were they laughing this time?
他们这次为什么笑?
They started throwing snowballs.
他们开始扔雪球。
Mike watched, his head on his hand, and realized he was lonely.
迈克看着,他的头放在他手上,意识到他很孤独.
At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to feel like part of his family again, but then he realized something else.
那一刻,他只想再次感到自己是自己家庭的一部分,但后来他意识到了别的东西.
Sometimes to feel like part of something, you have to do your part.
有时要感到自己是某事的一部分,你必须尽你的一份力量.
Mike walked downstairs.
迈克下楼去了
He put on his boots and scarf, his hat and coat, his gloves.
他穿上了靴子和围巾,帽子和外套,手套.
He walked outside and gently took the shovel from his sister.
他走出门外,轻轻地取走他姐姐的铲子.
He worked on the sidewalk for a solid twenty minutes before anybody said a word to him.
他在人行道上工作了20分钟 在有人跟他说话之前
Returning to the house, though, his dad patted his shoulder.
回到房子,虽然,他的爸爸拍他的肩膀。
“Welcome back, buddy,” he said.
"欢迎回来,伙计,"他说。
Mike didn’t get a raise that particular Saturday.
迈克星期六没有加薪。
He did, however, get a heavenly French toast breakfast—and all the laughs that no allowance could buy.
但是,他确实得到了一个天堂式的法式吐司早餐—— 和所有没有津贴买不到的笑声。