大家都愛吃飯，Everybody Loves Rice
昨天放學的時候，  At the dismissal time yesterday in school.
明明說：明天開同學會，Ming-Ming reminded everyone in class, we’ll have the party tomorrow,
大家不要忘記帶好吃的食物來哦！Don’t forget to bring delicious food (a dish) to share!
放學以後，中中跟媽媽去城裡的農夫市場，After school, Zhong-Zhong and his mother went to the farmer’s market in town,
買了一個大鳳梨，they bought a big pineapple,
他們要做一道美國菜。They are going to make an American dish.
回家以後，媽媽幫忙把菜做好。After returning home, Mom helped to prepare the dishes.
今天一大早中中高高興興的帶著食物去學校了。Early this morning, Zhong-Zhong happily went to school with food (the dish).
同學會開始了。 The party began.
Lisa拿出法國香腸炒飯，Lisa took out (brought)French sausage fried rice,
Lisa說法國是歐洲的一個國家。Lisa said that France is a country in Europe.
友友拿出墨西哥的玉米包餅，You-you took out (brought) the Mexican burritos,
裡面有飯、黑豆和生菜。Which was tortilla rolled around a filling, including rice, black beans and lettuce.
友友說，墨西哥是美國南邊的一個國家。You-You said that Mexico is a country south of the United States.
John拿出韓國泡菜炒飯，John took out Korean kimchi fried rice,
John說泡菜是韓國人民的日常生活食物，John said that kimchi was very important for Korean people,
他們生活里不能沒有泡菜。They cannot live without kimchi.  They have to have kimchi every day.
明明拿出壽司，紫菜裡麵包了白飯、蛋和黃瓜。Mingming bought sushi, which was rice, eggs and cucumbers wrapped in seaweed.
明明說壽司是日本人平常吃的食物。She said sushi was a very common food in Japan.
Ben拿出金黃色的印度咖喱飯。 好香啊！Ben brought Indian golden curry rice.  It smelled so good!
Ben說咖喱粉是從印度民族文化村買來的。Ben said that the curry powder was bought from the Indian Cultural Village.
青青拿出大家最愛吃的中國火腿蛋炒飯，Qingqing brought the most popular dish, Chinese ham and egg fried rice.
青青說：中國、印度、日本和韓國都在亞洲。Qingqing said: China, India, Japan and Korea are all in Asia.
最後，中中拿出美國夏威夷州的鳳梨炒飯。Finally, Zhong-Zhong brought out Hawaii pineapple fried rice.
哇！ 香香的炒飯放在鳳梨裡，好好看哦，Wow! It was delicious fried rice stuffed in a half pineapple; it looked too good to eat!
明明說：咦！ 怎麼大家帶的食物，都是米做的？ Mingming said: Hey!  How come all the dishes are made of rice?
大家笑著說，原來，大家都最愛吃飯。Everyone laughed and said, it turns out that everyone loves rice.

美國是我們的國家America is our country

美國是我們的國家，我們生長的地方。America is our country, the place where we grew up.

這裡有高山、平原; 這裡有沙漠、河川。Here are mountains and plains; here are deserts and rivers.

太陽，天天從大西洋海面升起，The sun rises from the Atlantic Ocean every day,

太陽， 天天從太平洋海面落下，The sun sets into the Pacific Ocean every day,

日升，日落，日落，日升，the sun rises, the sun sets, the sun sets, the sun rises,

在這裡，我們一天天長高，Over here, we grow taller day by day,

在這裡，我們一天天長大，Ove here, we grow bigger day by day,

美國是我們的國家，America is our country,

我們都很愛她。We all love her very much.

美國是我們的國家，我們生活的地方。America is our country, the place where we live.

這裡有城市、高樓;Here are cities and tall buildings.

這裡有鄉村、牧場。Here are villages and ranches.

五十州住在許許多多的人民，Many peoples live in the fifty states,

大家的祖先都是來自四面八方。Our ancestors(forebears) coming from all over the world.

亞洲、歐洲、美洲、非洲，Asia, Europe, America and Africa,

在這裡，有不同的人種;Over here, there are many different races.

在這裡，有多元的文化。Over here, there are multiple cultures.

美國，是我們的國家，我們都很愛他。The United States is our country, we all love her very much.

買不到的禮物A Priceless Gift
星期日早上， On Sunday morning，
青青說：媽媽！ 你有一封信，在廚房的桌子上。
Qingqing said to mom: There is a letter for you on the table in the kitchen.
她說完就去上中文學校了。Then she left for Chinese school.
媽媽把信打開來一看，原來是青青要他去客廳找禮物。
Mom opened the letter and found it was from Qingqing which asked her to do a present hunt starting in the living room.
媽媽覺得很有趣。 Mom thought it was an interesting idea.
媽媽在沙發上找到一封信。Mom found a letter on the sofa.
信上寫著：猜猜看，青青最喜歡哪本書？The letter said: Guess, which book is Qingqing’s favorite?
請媽媽去找找看。 Please find it.
媽媽心想：青青最愛看什麼書呢？My mother thought to herself: What book does Qingqing like to read most?
對了！ 一定是西遊記，我去她的房間找找看。Ah hi!  It must be A Journey to the West, I will go to her room to look for it.
果然，西遊記和一封信在青青的床上。Sure enough, A Journey to the West book and a letter were on Qingqing’s bed.
信上寫著：鏡子，會告訴您，禮物在哪裡？The letter said: The mirror will tell you where to find your present!
媽媽心想：哪面鏡子呢？ 他走進樓下的洗手間，My mother thought to herself： Which mirror is it？  She walked into the bathroom downstairs.
他在鏡子上看到：恭喜您！ 禮物，就在後院。and she saw a note on the mirror: Congratulations!  The Presents right in the backyard.
媽媽在後院找了半天，最後在椅子下面，發現一個金色的盒子。After a long search in the backyard, Mom finally found a golden box underneath the bench.
媽媽好奇地把盒子打開。Mom opened the box curiously.
媽媽叫道：哇！ 好漂亮呀，盒子裡面有一條粉紅色的貝殼項鍊和一張卡片。
Mom exclaimed: “Wow!” So beautiful, there was a necklace made of pink shells in the box, a card was also inside.
卡片上面寫著媽媽：祝你母親節快！ 項鍊是我自己做的。
The card said: Dear Mom, Happy Mother’s Day to you!  I made this necklace just for you.
媽媽我愛您 mom I love you.
青青敬上 Sincerely, Qingqing
今天是母親節，全家一起出去吃飯的時候， Today is Mother’s Day, when the whole family goes out to eat together,
媽媽就帶著青青送的項鍊。Mom wore the necklace Qingqing gave her.
爸爸說：這條項鍊真漂亮！Dad complimented: This necklace is gorgeous!
媽媽對青青眨眨眼說：Mom winked at Qingqing and said:
全世界只有這一條，有錢也買不到呢！
This is one-of-a-kind (the only one in the world), It with all the money in the world (and money can’t buy it! )

我的眼鏡呢？ Where are my glasses?
外公看報紙一定要戴老花眼鏡，When grandpa reads the newspapers. He must wear reading glasses.
他常常手裡拿著報紙找眼鏡。He often looks for his glasses with a newspaper in his hand
有一天， 外公在樓上叫：咦！ 眼鏡呢？One day, my grandfather yelled from upstairs: Hey! Where are my glasses?
誰看見我的眼鏡了？Who has seen my glasses?
媽媽到廚房找、飯廳找、院子找。Mom looked for them the kitchen, the dining room, and the yard.
爸爸到客廳找、洗衣間找，Dad went to the living room and the laundry room to look for them.
他們都沒找到外公的眼鏡。They both couldn’t find Grandpa’s glasses.
友友到書房找，桌子上、椅子上、沙發上，You-you went to the study, and grandpa’s glasses were not on the desk, on the chair, nor on the sofa . ,
都沒有外公的眼鏡。Neither had grandfather’s glasses.
奇怪！ 眼鏡會在哪呢？strangeness! Where will the glasses be?
友友跑上樓，這時候，他看見外公正在床上找眼鏡。You-you ran upstairs. At this time, he saw Grandpa looking for glasses on the bed.
友友笑著說：外公，我找到眼鏡了，You-you smiled and said: Grandpa, I have found the glasses,
外公問：在哪裡？Grandpa asked: Where are they?
友友說：就戴在外公的頭上啊！You-you said: You are wearing them on your head.

檸檬汁和小鳥Lemonade and The Parrot

有一天，明明和媽媽路過寵物店，One day, Ming Ming and her mom passed by a pet shop,

看見櫥窗裡有一隻鸚鵡，樣子很可愛. She saw a parrot through the window, it looked very cute(adorable).

明明一直想要一隻鸚鵡。Ming Ming always wanted to have a parrot.

寵物店的老闆說，那隻鸚鵡要賣四十元。The owner of the pet shop said that the parrot cost forty bucks.

明明回家以後，拿出銀行存摺，After they got home, Ming Ming checked her bank account

打開來一看，戶頭裡只有三十元，and realized she only had thirty dollars.

怎麼辦呢？How to do it? What could she do to raise enough money?

媽媽問：你要幫忙嗎？Mom asked:  Do you need help?

明明說：謝謝媽媽！ 我想賣檸檬汁！一杯賣五毛錢。

Ming Ming said: Thank you, Mom! I want to sell lemonade myself. I can make five cents a cup.

明明說：上星期園遊會，Ming Ming said: When we had the festival in school last week,

我們班賣檸檬汁，賺了很多錢呢！Our class had l a lemonade stand and made a lot of money!

媽媽說，那你試試看吧！Mom said, and then you try it! (You can give it a shot)

星期五，明明先把方桌子放在車房前面的空地上，On Friday, Ming Ming first carried a little square table to the driveway in front of the garage,

然後把檸檬汁、杯子等東西搬出來。Then she put the home –made lemonade, cups, and other stuff on it.

明明忙了半天，才賣了兩杯檸檬汁，一共賣了一塊錢，天就下雨了。It took her a long time to sell two cups of lemonade, she made a dollar, and it started to rain after that.

明明只好把東西搬回家。So she had to move everything back home.

星期六下午，明明把檸檬汁搬到路口去賣，整個下午，一共賣了五塊錢。On Saturday afternoon, Ming Ming moved the stand to the roadside close to an intersection,

She made five dollars after a whole afternoon.

星期天，中中、青青和友友都來幫忙，On Sunday, Zhong-zhong, Qing-Qing and You-You all came to help,

他們一起把檸檬汁拿到路邊的小公園去賣。Together they moved the lemonade stand to the neighborhood.

沒多久，檸檬汁全賣完了，一共賣了十塊錢。The lemonade was sold out after just a short time, they made ten dollars.

明明很高興，他現在一共有四十六塊錢。Ming Ming was very pleased that she got forty-six dollars.

明明把鸚鵡買回來了。Ming Ming finally bought the parrot home from the pet shop.

媽媽問：你要叫他什麼名字？Mom asked: What are you going to name her?

明明想了想說Lemonade. Ming Ming thought a while and said Lemonade.

Continue reading

明明的撲滿Ming-Ming’sPiggy Bank

明明的撲滿是一個可愛的小房子。Mingming’s piggy bank is a cute little house.

小房子有黑色的煙囪、紅色的門和兩個方方的窗戶。The little house has a black chimney, a red door, and two square windows.

明明常常把她的零用錢從煙囪放進小房子里。Ming-Ming often puts her allowance into the little house through the chimney.

有一天，小房子里的錢滿了，明明把門打開。One day, the little house was full, so Mingming opened the door.

明明開心地說：「哇！ 好多錢啊！」Mingming said happily, “Wow! That’s a lot of money!”(so much money)

小房子里有許多十分、兩毛五分和一元的硬幣，It took Ming Ming a long time to finish counting(to count all money).

明明數了半天才數完。It took Ming Ming a long time to finish counting(to count all money).

明明跟媽媽說：「媽媽，這裡一共有二十一塊錢！Mingming said to her mother, “Mom, there are twenty one dollars altogether in here!

我想把這些錢存進銀行，好嗎？ 」I want to deposit this money into a bank, is that okay? ”

媽媽說：「好啊！ 我現在就帶妳去吧！」Mom said, “Okay! I’ll bring you there right now!”

明明說：「媽媽，謝謝您！」Mingming said, “Mom, thank you!”

老鼠娶新娘The Mouse got married on the third day of the Chinese New Year

從前有一個老鼠市長，他的女兒又聰明又漂亮，許多老鼠都想跟他結婚。Once upon a time there was a mouse mayor. His daughter was smart and beautiful, and many mice admired her and wanted to marry her.

老鼠市長對女兒說：女兒，老鼠又小又沒有本事，你不要和老鼠結婚。Mouse Mayor said to his daughter: My daughter, mice are small in size and incapable, so don’t want you to marry a mouse. Continue reading

蠶絲的故事The Story of The Silk

青青說： 媽媽，這是我從學校帶回來的silkworm。

Qing Qing said: Mom, this is the silkworm I brought back from school.

Look! I took some silkworms back from school.

媽媽說：蠶寶寶，好可愛呀！Mom said (exclaimed): silkworm baby! They are so cute!

蠶寶寶每天都要吃好幾片桑葉，The silkworms consumed several mulberry leaves a day.

青青每天寫筆記，把蠶寶寶生長的情形記下來。Qing Qing kept a journal of the silkworms’ daily life.

(Write down the growth of the silkworm baby.)

過了兩星期，Two weeks later,

蠶寶寶吐出白色的絲把自己包起來，做成一個繭。The silkworms started to spin silk and wrapped themselves into cocoons,

青青說：Qingqing said:

今天老師告訴我們， 蠶絲可以做成布料，The teacher told us today that silk can be made into fabrics,

他的絲巾就是蠶絲做的。Her silk scarf is made of silk.

媽媽說：用蠶絲做衣服，是五千年前中國人發明的。My mother said: Clothing made of silk was invented by the Chinese five thousand years.

Actually, the technique was invented by a Chinese queen five thousand years ago.

我說個故事給你聽—-I’ll tell you a story—- (let me tell you the story)

有一天，皇帝的太太嫘祖在桑樹下喝茶，It happened five thousand One day when the queen was having tea under a mulberry tree.

有個蠶繭掉進他的杯子裡。A silkworm cocoon fell into her teacup.

嫘祖把蠶繭拿出來的時候，她看見一根又亮又軟的絲。When Leizu took out the cocoon out of her cup, and she noticed a shiny and soft sting.

嫘祖想，如果用這種絲做衣服，穿在身上，一定又舒服又好看。Lei Zu had an idea, she thought it would be comfortable and beautiful to wear an outfit made of this kind of material.

於是，嫘祖教全國人民種桑樹、養蠶和織布。Therefore, she started to teach all the people in China how to plant mulberry trees, breed silkworms and weave silk cloth.

古時候，全世界只有中國才有蠶絲。In ancient times, China was the first country to make silk fabrics.

那時候，外國商人帶著金子，走幾千里絲路到中國買絲。 At that time, foreign merchants would carry gold and Travel thousands of miles by foot to China to buy silk.

一直到現在，中國絲還是全世界最有名的。Until now, Chinese silk is still the best in the world.

青青說：媽媽，明天該我上臺說故事，我要把這個故事說給大家聽，

Qing Qing say: Mom, it’s my turn to do Show and Tell tomorrow in school.

I will share this story with my class.

老師一定說我很棒！I am sure the teacher will love it! (Must say that I am great!)