Hello, Trevor.
嗨，特雷弗。
Hello, Stephanie. You said you wanted to talk about the course I'm taking on literature for children.
嗨，斯蒂凡尼。你说你想聊聊关于我正在上的那节儿童文学课。
That's right. I'm thinking of doing it next year, but I'd like to find out more about it first.
是的。我下个学期想要上这门课，但是想要先了解一下。
OK, well, as you probably know, it's a one-year course. It's divided into six modules, and you have to take all of them. One of the most interesting ones, for me, at least, was about the purpose of children's literature.
好的，你可能也知道了，这是门一年的课程。分为六个模块，你需要上所有的课。对于我而言最有趣的事情之一就是儿童文学的目的。
You mean, whether it should just entertain children or should be educational, as well.
你的意思是，应该只是为了愉悦儿童，还是应该兼具教育功能是吧。
Right, and whether the teaching should be factual -- giving them information about the world -- or ethical, teaching them values. What's fascinating is that the writer isn't necessarily conscious of the message they're conveying. For instance, a story might show a child who has a problem as a result of not doing what an adult has told them to do, implying that children should always obey adults.
是的，以及教学是应该偏事实性--也就是告诉他们关于这个世界的信息--还是应该偏价值观的塑造，教会他们一些价值。特别吸引人的一点就是作家并不一定完全意识到他们正在传递的信息。比如说，有的故事可能表明一个孩子因为不听大人告诉他们应该做的事情而闯了祸，这在暗示儿童应该听大人的话。
I see what you mean.
我懂你什么意思了。
That module made me realise how important stories are -- they can have a significant effect on children as they grow up. Actually, it inspired me to have a go at it myself, just for my own interest. I know I can't compete with the really popular stories, like the Harry Potter books -- they're very good, and even young kids like my seven-year-old niece love reading them.
那个模块让我意识到故事有多么地重要--它们可能在儿童成长的过程中有着非常重要的作用。其实，这激励了我去自己去尝试一下，只是为了自己的兴趣。我知道自己无法和那些真正深入人心的故事相比，比如说哈利波特系列--它们真的很赞，连像我七岁的侄女这么小的孩子都喜欢看。
Mm. I'm very interested in illustrations in stories. Is that covered in the course?
嗯嗯。我很喜欢故事里面的插图。课程里面也有这部分吗？
Yes, there's a module on pictures, and how they're sometimes central to the story.
是的，有一个模块是关于图片的，以及它们是如何在故事中扮演着重要角色的。
That's good. I remember some frightening ones I saw as a child and I can still see them vividly in my mind, years later! Pictures can be so powerful, just as powerful as words. I've always enjoyed drawing, so that's the field I want to go into when I finish the course. I bet that module will be really helpful.
太好了。我记得孩提时代的时候看到过一些很吓人的图片，甚至现在都历历在目，这么多年过去了！图片也很有力量，就像文字一样。我一直很喜欢画画，所以课程结束之后我想从事那个领域。我打赌那个模块肯定非常有用的。
I'm sure it will. We also studied comics in that module, but I'm not convinced of their value, not compared with books. One of the great things about words is that you use your imagination, but with a comic you don't have to.
我肯定它会的。我们也在那个单元中学习漫画，但是我并不相信它们的价值，和书相比的话。黑纸白字的一个很大的好处就是你可以动用自己的想象力，但是漫画就不用了。
But children are so used to visual input -- on TV, video games, and so on. There are plenty of kids who wouldn't even try to read a book, so I think comics can serve a really useful purpose.
但是孩子们太习惯与视觉输入了--在电视上、电子游戏中等等。有很多孩子甚至都不想去读本书，所以我觉得漫画可以帮助达到目的。
You mean, it's better to read a comic than not to read at all? Yes, I suppose you're right. I just think it's sad when children don't read books.
你的意思是，读点漫画总比什么都不读好，是吗？是的。我觉得你是对的。我只是觉得孩子不读书太可悲了。
What about books for girls and books for boys? Does the course go into that?
那针对女孩的书和针对男孩的书呢？课程有关于这部分的吗？
Yes, there's a module on it. For years, lots of stories, in English, at least, assumed that boys went out and did adventurous things and girls stayed at home and played with dolls. I was amazed how many books were targeted at just one sex or the other. Of course this reflects society as it is when the books are written.
是的，有一个单元是关于这个的。很多年以来，很多故事，至少是英文故事都假定男孩会走出家门去冒险，而女孩子是待在家里玩娃娃。我被竟然有这么多书针对于某一个性别给惊呆了。当然了，这反映了这些书创作之时的社会背景。
That's true. So it sounds as though you think it's a good course.
是的。所以听起来你觉得这是一门不错的课程啊。
Definitely.
当然了。