精選英文書單咕噠鎮
我希望每一天都是萬聖節。
我們可以一直戴著面具，
這樣就能夠四處遊歷，廣交朋友，
不用去理會面具下的我們長什麼樣子。
精選英文書單 | NO.10 ——《奇蹟男孩（wonder）》
書 名：Wonder
作 者：[美]R.J. Palacio
譯 者：雷淑容；易承楠
豆瓣評分：8.7（10分）
Goodreads評分：4.45（5分）
「簡介」
這本適合所有年齡層讀者的世界級暢銷小說出版於2012年，獲得了包括「馬克·吐溫獎」在內的多種出版界獎項；2017年的同名改編電影也成為一部在全球範圍內引發熱議的現象級電影。
由於天生臉部畸形，男孩奧吉（August）從未上過學。十歲時，父母決定送他接受正規的學校教育。在這個陌生的校園裡，他引人注目的外表既成為他的難以想像的挑戰，也成為他（以及他身邊所有人）人生的轉折點。
圖為奧吉的演員各布·特瑞布雷
下文選自故事的開頭。從節選中你會初識幾位主要人物——一直給予他愛和尊重的爸爸、媽媽和姐姐維婭——以及每個人的特點。在後面的故事中你會讀到：August有怎樣迷人的性格呢？入學之後，即將見面的同學和老師會給他怎樣的衝擊和嶄新的人生經歷呢？
《奇蹟男孩》節選
（有刪減）
I know I'm not an ordinary ten-year-old kid.
我知道自己不是一個普通的十歲小孩。
I mean, sure, I do ordinary things. I eat ice cream. I ride my bike. I play ball. I have an Xbox. Stuff like that makes me ordinary. I guess.
我是說，當然了，我做的也是普通的事情。我吃冰淇淋，騎自行車，打球，我還有一款XBox。這些東西讓我貌似很普通，應該是吧。
And I feel ordinary. Inside.
我感覺自己內心也挺普通的。
But I know ordinary kids don't make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. I know ordinary kids don't get stared at wherever they go.
不過我知道，一個普通的孩子不會在操場上嚇得別的普通孩子失聲尖叫，四散逃開。我知道，一個普通的孩子無論去哪裡，都不會被人一路盯著看。
If I found a magical lamp and I could have one wish, I would wish that I had a normal face that no one ever noticed at all.
如果我得到一盞神燈，可以許一個願望，我希望自己有一張壓根沒人會注意的普通臉。
I would wish that I could walk down the street without people seeing me and then doing that look-away thing.
我希望在街上溜達的時候不會被人們留意到，接著又看著他們扭過臉去。
Here is what I think: the only reason I'm not ordinary is that no one else sees me that way.
我是這麼想的：我不普通的唯一原因，是根本沒有人這麼認為。
But I'm kind of used to how I look by now. I know how to pretend I don't see the faces people make.
不過，現在我也算是習慣自己的樣子了。我知道怎麼假裝沒看見人們擠眉弄眼。
We've all gotten pretty good at that sort of thing: me, Mom and Dad, Via.
我們都很擅長這個：我，我媽，我爸，還有維婭。
Actually, I take that back: Via's not so good at it. She can get really annoyed when people do something rude.
其實，我該收回這句話：維婭並不擅長這個。當人們失禮的時候，她會非常不爽。
My name is August, by the way.
順便提一句，我叫奧古斯特。
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
我就不描述我的長相了。不管你是怎麼想像的，情況都糟糕一倍。
Next week I start fifth grade. Since I've never been to a real school before, I am pretty much totally and completely petrified.
下周我開始上五年級。因為從來沒有真正上過學，所以我整個人都提心弔膽的。
People think I haven't gone to school because of the way I look, but it's not that. It's because of all the surgeries I've had. Twenty-seven since I was born.
大家以為我不上學是因為我的長相，其實不是。真實原因是我做過的所有那些手術，從出生到現在有27次了。
The bigger ones happened before I was even four years old, so I don't remember those.
大手術都是在四歲以前做的，所以我都記不得了。
But I've had two or three surgeries every year since then (some big, and some small), and because I'm little for my age, and I have some other medical mysteries that doctors never really figured out, I used to get sick a lot.
但從那以後我每年都要動兩三次手術（大的小的都有），因為我長得比實際年齡矮小，身上還帶著一些醫生永遠理解不了的醫學奧秘，所以我總是在生病。
That's why my parents decided it was better if I didn't go to school.
這也是父母決定我最好不去上學的原因。
I'm much stronger now, though.
好在，現在我壯實多了。
The last surgery I had was eight months ago, and I probably won't have to have any more for another couple of years.
我上一次動手術是在八個月前，而且很可能未來幾年內都不需要再動手術了。
Mom homeschools me.
媽媽在家教我。
She used to be a children's-book illustrator. She draws really great fairies and mermaids.
她以前是童書插畫家，她的仙女和美人魚畫得好極了。
Her boy stuff isn't so hot, though.
不過，男孩子的東西她就畫不好了。
She once tried to draw me a Darth Vader, but it ended up looking like some weird mushroom-shaped robot.
有一次，她試著給我畫了一張黑武士，結果看起來像一個奇怪的蘑菇形狀的機器人。
I haven't seen her draw anything in a long time.
我已經很久沒有看到她畫什麼了。
I think she's too busy taking care of me and Via.
我想，照顧我和維婭就夠她忙的了。
I can't say I always wanted to go to school because that wouldn't be exactly true.
我不能說自己一直都想去上學，事情不全是這樣。
What I wanted was to go to school, but only if I could be like every other kid going to school. Have lots of friends and hang out after school and stuff like that.
我也想上學，前提是我能夠跟別的那些上學的孩子一樣，有很多的朋友啊，放學後一起閒逛啊，等等之類的。
Mom is beautiful, by the way. And Dad is handsome. Via is pretty. In case you were wondering.
順便提一下，我媽很美，我爸很帥，維婭很漂亮。免得你胡思亂想。
Last spring we drove over to Christopher's house in Bridgeport. It was a long drive home.
去年春天我們開車去克里斯多福在布裡奇波特的家，回家要開很久的車。
I fell asleep in the backseat like I always do. Via fell asleep, too.
我像往常一樣在後座睡著了，維婭也睡了。
I don't know how long I was sleeping, but when I woke up, there was a full moon outside the car window. It was a purple night, and we were driving on a highway full of cars.
我不知道睡了多久，醒來的時候，車窗外懸著一輪滿月。那個夜晚是紫色的，我們行駛在一條車水馬龍的公路上。
And then I heard Mom and Dad talking about me.
這時，我聽到媽媽和爸爸正在談論我。
"We can't keep protecting him," Mom whispered to Dad who was driving.
「我們不能一直保護他，」媽媽低聲跟正在開車的爸爸說。
"We can't just pretend he's going to wake up tomorrow and this isn't going to be his reality, because it is, Nate, and we have to help him learn to deal with it. We can't just keep avoiding situations that . . ."
「我們不能只是假裝他明天會醒過來，這不是他的現實，事情就是這樣的，內特，我們要幫著他學會處理問題，而不是一味逃避那些情況……」
"So sending him off to middle school like a lamb to the slaughter . . . " Dad answered angrily, but he didn't even finish his sentence because he saw me in the mirror looking up.
「那就把送他去中學，就像待宰的羔羊那樣……」爸爸生氣地說，但是他話沒說完就打住了，因為他從後視鏡裡看到我正抬頭張望。
"What's a lamb to the slaughter?" I asked sleepily.
「什麼叫待宰的羔羊？」我睡意朦朧地問。
"Go back to sleep, Auggie," Dad said softly.
「接著睡覺啊，奧吉。」爸爸溫和地說。
"Everyone will stare at me at school," I said, suddenly crying.
「學校裡所有人都會盯著我看的。」我說著，突然哭起來。
"Honey," Mom said. She turned around in the front seat and put her hand on my hand.
「親愛的，」媽媽從前座轉過身，把手放在我手上說。
"You know if you don't want to do this, you don't have to. But we spoke to the principal there and told him about you and he really wants to meet you."
「你知道的，如果你不想去，就可以不去。但是我們跟那裡的校長談過了，也跟他介紹了你的情況，他很想見你一面。」
"What did you tell him about me?"
「你怎麼跟他介紹我的？」
"How funny you are, and how kind and smart. When I told him you read Dragon Rider when you were six, he was like, 'Wow, I have to meet this kid.' "
「說你多麼有趣，多麼善良，並且多麼聰明。當我告訴他你六歲就讀《龍騎士》時，他都驚了，說：『哇，那我得見見這孩子。』」
"Did you tell him anything else?" I said.
「你還告訴他別的什麼了嗎？」我問。
Mom smiled at me. Her smile kind of hugged me.
媽媽衝我笑了。她的笑容就像是擁抱著我的懷抱。
"I told him about all your surgeries, and how brave you are," she said.
「我跟他說起你所有的手術，還有你是多麼勇敢。」她說。
"So he knows what I look like?" I asked.
「就是說他知道我長什麼樣了？」我問。
"Well, we brought pictures from last summer in Montauk," Dad said.
「嗯，我們帶上了去年夏天在蒙託克的照片，」爸爸說。
"We showed him pictures of the whole family. And that great shot of you holding that flounder on the boat!"
「我們給他看了全家福，還有那張很棒的照片，就是你站在船上抓著比目魚的那張。」
"You were there, too?" I have to admit I felt a little disappointed that he was a part of this.
「你也去那裡了？」我必須承認，對他參與這事我有點失望。
"We both talked to him, yes," Dad said. "He's a really nice man."
「我們倆一起跟他談的，」爸爸說，「他人非常好。」
"You would like him," Mom added.
「你會喜歡他的。」媽媽補充道。
Suddenly it felt like they were on the same side.
突然之間，他們倆好像站到了一邊。
"Wait, so when did you meet him?" I said.
「等一下，你們什麼時候見的他?」我問。
"He took us on a tour of the school last year," said Mom.
「他去年帶我們參觀了學校。」媽媽說。
"Last year?" I said. "So you've been thinking about this for a whole year and you didn't tell me?"
「去年？」我說，「這麼說，這件事你們考慮整整一年了，卻沒有告訴我？」
"We didn't know if you'd even get in, Auggie," answered Mom.
「我們不知道他們會不會錄取你，奧吉，」媽媽回答道。
"It's a very hard school to get into. There's a whole admissions process. I didn't see the point in telling you and having you get all worked up about it unnecessarily."
「這所學校很難進，他們有一整套招生程序。我是覺得提前告訴你也沒什麼意義，反倒讓你產生不必要的擔心。」
"But you're right, Auggie, we should've told you when we found out last month that you got in," said Dad.
「不過你說得對，奧吉，上個月我們得知你被錄取的時候就應該告訴你的。」爸爸說。
"In hindsight," sighed Mom, "yes, I guess."
「事後才想到，」媽媽嘆道，「是啊，確實如此。」
"Did that lady who came to the house that time have something to do with this?" I said. "The one that gave me that test?"
「那一次到家裡來的女士跟這件事有關係嗎？」我說，「給我做測試的那個？」
"Yes, actually," said Mom, looking guilty. "Yes."
「是，的確。」媽媽看起來有點內疚。「是的。」
"You told me it was an IQ test," I said.
「你說那是個智力測驗。」我說。
"I know, well, that was a white lie," she answered. "It was a test you needed to take to get into the school. You did very well on it, by the way."
「我知道，嗯，那是一個善意的謊言，」她回答道，「那是你入學時需要進行的測驗。對了，你考得非常好。」
"So you lied," I said.
「所以你撒謊了。」我說。
"A white lie, but yes. Sorry," she said, trying to smile, but when I didn't smile back, she turned around in her seat and faced forward.
「一個善意的謊言，但，還是謊言，對不起。」她一邊說著，一邊試著朝我微笑，但見我沒有好臉色，便轉身坐好，面朝前方。
"What's a lamb to the slaughter?" I said.
「什麼叫待宰的羔羊？」我問。
Mom sighed and gave Daddy a "look."
媽媽嘆了口氣，衝爸爸使了個眼色。
"I shouldn't have said that," Dad said, looking at me in the rearview mirror.
「我不該那麼說，」爸爸從後視鏡裡看著我說。
"It's not true. Here's the thing: Mommy and I love you so much we want to protect you any way we can. It's just sometimes we want to do it in different ways."
「不是那樣的。是這樣的：媽媽和爸爸都愛你，我們都想盡全力來保護你。只是，有時候我們的方式會不同。」
"I don't want to go to school," I answered, folding my arms.
「我不想去上學。」我抱著胳膊回答。
"It would be good for you, Auggie," said Mom.
「上學對你有好處，奧吉。」媽媽說。
"Maybe I'll go next year," I answered, looking out the window.
「也許明年我會去。」我看著窗外回答。
"This year would be better, Auggie," said Mom.
「今年更好的，奧吉，」媽媽說。
"You know why? Because you'll be going into fifth grade, and that's the first year of middle school—for everyone. You won't be the only new kid."
「你知道為什麼嗎？因為你要上五年級，也就是初中的第一年——所有學生都是第一年。這樣你就不會是唯一的新生了。」
"I'll be the only kid who looks like me," I said.
「可長成我這樣的小孩只有我一個。」我說。
"I'm not going to say it won't be a big challenge for you, because you know better than that," she answered.
「我不否認這對你來說是個巨大的挑戰，你懂我意思的，」她回答道。
"But it'll be good for you, Auggie. You'll make lots of friends. And you'll learn things you'd never learn with me."
「但上學對你有好處，奧吉。你會交很多朋友。你也能學到很多從我這裡永遠學不到的東西。」
She turned in her seat again and looked at me.
她又從座椅上轉了過來，看著我。
"I don't want to go," I said.
「我不想去。」我說。
"How about this? Can you at least meet Mr. Tushman before making up your mind?" Mom asked.
「這樣好不好，在你做決定之前至少見一下圖什曼先生？」媽媽問。
"Mr. Tushman?" I said.
「圖什曼先生？」我說。
"He's the principal," answered Mom.
「他是校長。」媽媽回答道。
"Mr. Tush man?" I repeated.
「圖什曼先生？」我又問。
註：「tush」有「屁股」的意思。
"I know, right?" Dad answered, smiling and looking at me in the rearview mirror.
「就是說呢，對吧？」爸爸一邊回答，一邊從後視鏡裡看著我笑。
"Can you believe that name, Auggie? I mean, who on earth would ever agree to have a name like Mr. Tushman?"
「你敢相信有這種名字嗎，奧吉？我是說，天底下誰會取名叫圖什曼先生呢？」
I smiled even though I didn't want to let them see me smile.
儘管我很不想讓他們看到我笑，我還是笑了。
Dad was the one person in the world who could make me laugh no matter how much I didn't want to laugh.
在這個世界上，爸爸就是能讓我開懷大笑的那個人，而且不管我情緒是多麼低落。
Dad always made everyone laugh.
爸爸總是能讓每個人開懷大笑。
"Auggie, you know, you should go to that school just so you can hear his name said over the loudspeaker!" Dad said excitedly.
「你知道嗎，奧吉，你應該去一下那所學校，這樣你就能聽到他的名字在喇叭中響起了！」爸爸興奮地說。
"Can you imagine how funny that would be? Hello, hello? Paging Mr. Tushman!"
「你能想像那會有多搞笑嗎？喂，喂？呼叫圖什曼先生！」
He was using a fake high, old-lady voice, "Hi, Mr. Tushman! I see you're running a little behind today! Did your car get rear-ended again? What a bum rap!"
他裝成一個老婦人，尖著嗓門高聲說：「喂，圖什曼先生！我看你今天遲到了！你的車又追尾了嗎？真冤啊！」
註：「behind」有「屁股」的意思。
I started laughing, not even because I thought he was being that funny but because I wasn't in the mood to stay mad anymore.
我笑了起來，不是因為覺得有多好笑，而是因為我沒有心情再生氣了。
"It could be worse, though!" Dad continued in his normal voice. "Mommy and I had a professor in college called Miss Butt."
「不過，還有更糟的呢！」爸爸繼續用正常的聲音說，「你媽和我上大學的時候有個教授叫巴特小姐。」
註：「butt」也是「屁股」的意思。
Mom was laughing now, too.
這時媽媽也笑了起來。
"Is that for real?" I said.
「真的假的？」我問。
"Roberta Butt," Mom answered, raising her hand as if to swear. "Bobbie Butt."
「大名 『羅伯塔·巴特』，」媽媽舉起手回答，像是在發誓，「我們都叫她 『博比·巴特』。」
"She had huge cheeks," said Dad.
「她屁股很大。」爸爸說。
註：在英語中，「cheek」同時有「臉頰」和「半邊屁股」的意思。
"Nate!" said Mom.
「內特！」媽媽叫道。
"What? She had big cheeks is all I'm saying."
「怎麼了？我只不過說她屁股大。」
Mom laughed and shook her head at the same time.
媽媽一邊大笑，一邊搖頭。
"Hey hey, I know!" said Dad excitedly. "Let's fix them up on a blind date! Can you imagine? Miss Butt, meet Mr. Tushman. Mr. Tushman, here's Miss Butt. They could get married and have a bunch of little Tushies."
「嘿嘿，我想起來了！」爸爸激動地說，「我們撮合他們相親吧！你們能想像嗎？巴特小姐，這位是圖什曼先生；圖什曼先生，這是巴特小姐。他們可能會結婚，然後生一堆小圖什。」
"Poor Mr. Tushman," answered Mom, shaking her head. "Auggie hasn't even met the man yet, Nate!"
「可憐的圖什曼先生，」媽媽搖頭回答，「內特，奧吉都還沒見過這個人呢！」
"Who's Mr. Tushman?" Via said groggily. She had just woken up.
「誰是圖什曼先生？」維婭恍恍惚惚地問。她剛剛睡醒。
"He's the principal of my new school," I answered.
「他是我新學校的校長。」我回答道。
內容來源於麥格蘭島
「作者簡介」
帕拉西奧 (R.J. Palacio) (1963- )，是一名平面設計師，同時也是一名美國作家，出生於一個來自哥倫比亞的移民家庭，現居紐約布魯克林。
據作者回憶，《奇蹟男孩》這部著作的靈感來自一位小女孩。一次，作者帕拉西奧（R.J. Palacio）和孩子們外出，停下來買冰激凌時發現排在前面的小女孩臉部嚴重傷殘，她三歲的兒子看到女孩的臉之後立刻哭了起來。為了避免孩子尖叫傷害到小女孩及其家人，帕拉西奧立即匆忙帶著孩子離開，離開時她聽到後面小女孩的母親冷靜友好地說：「好了，孩子們，我們該走了哦。」
事後，她很自責，也開始思考：這個小女孩及其家人每天要經歷多少次這樣的事故？就在那天晚上，她聽到了收音機中播放的娜塔莉莫森特的歌曲《奇蹟（wonder）》，隨即動筆，寫下這部動人的處女作。
歡迎來到咕噠鎮！
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