《小屁孩日記》是一個美國中學生的日記，受孩子的影響，我也是《小屁孩日記》的成人鐵粉啦。這套書故事情節富于想象力，幽默，雖然是一本兒童讀物，但道地的英語表達是學習口語的好素材，讀着英文，看着笑話，快樂閱讀，快樂學習，啟程吧！
But every time we've gotten serious about going for the record, all the snow has melted, and we've missed our window of opportunity. So this year, I wanted to get started right away.
不過，每次我們認真起來要為世界記錄奮鬥的時候，雪已經融了。我們的一線希望就成為泡影，今年我可要馬上動手。
筆記：
window of opportunity: 難逢的機會
He suggests the window of opportunity for buying is within the next six months.
他暗示買入的機會會在下六個月内出現。
補充幾個有關opportunity的詞組：
oportunity to do sth: 做某事有機會
rare /unique opportunity: 難得的機會
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: 千載難逢的機會
golden opportunity: 絕佳的機會
missed opportunity: 失去的機會
take/seize/use an opportunity: 把握、抓住、利用機會
an opportunity arises: 出現了機會
When Rowley came over, we started rolling the first snowball to make the base. I figured the base was going to have to be at least eight feet tall on its own if we wanted to have a shot at breading the record. But the snowball got real heavy, and we had to take a bunch of breaks in between rolls so we could catch our breath.
羅利一到，我們便開始滾第一個雪球，做底下的大球。我琢磨了一下，要想打破世界紀錄，雪球至少得有八英尺高，但這雪球真的很重，我們滾幾步就得歇一歇，好喘上幾口氣。
During one of our breaks, Mom came outside to go to the grocery store, but our snowball was blocking her car in. So we got a little free labor out of her.
我們歇腳時，老媽出來準備去市場買菜，但大雪球擋住車子的去路，于是我們在她身上賺了一些免費勞動力。
After our break, me and Rowley pushed that snowball until we couldn't push it any farther. But when we looked behind us, we saw the mess we had made.
歇夠了，我和羅利一直往前推着雪球走，走到我們走不動為止。回頭一看，我們搞出來的亂子盡收眼底。
The snowball had gotten so heavy that it tore up all the sod Dad had just laid down this fall.
雪球太重了，老爸秋天剛鋪的草皮全粘在上面。
I was hoping it would snow a few more inches and cover up our tracks, but just like that, it stopped snowing.
我本來巴望着天再下幾英寸的雪，蓋住這些痕迹，但跟以前一樣，在這時雪停了。
Our plan to build the world's biggest snowman was starting to fall apart. So I came up with a better idea for our snowball.
要堆世界上第一大雪人的計劃破産了，于是我想出一個更妙的主意，讓這個雪球物盡其用。
Every time it snow, the kids from Whirley Street use our hill for sledding, even though this isn't their neighborhood.
每回下雪，威利大街的小孩就跑到我們的小山坡上滑雪橇，全然不管這裡并不是他們的地盤這一事實。
So tomorrow morning, when the Whirley Street kids come marching up our hill, me and Rowley are going to teach those guys a lesson.
明兒一早，等威利大街的小屁孩們爬上我們的坡時，我和羅利就會給他們上一課。
Thursday
When I woke up this morning, the snow was already starting to melt. So I told Rowley to hurry up and get down to my house.
今早我一覺醒來，雪已經開始化了，我立馬讓羅利趕來我家。
While I was waiting for Rowley to show up, I watched Manny trying to build a snowman out of the piddly crumbs of snow that were left over from our snowball.
等羅利現身的空當，我看到曼尼用我們滾雪球掉下的邊角餘料堆雪人，費的那個勁呀。
It was actually kind of pathetic.
真有點可憐見的。
Ppathetci /pəˈθetɪk/ : 可憐的
I really couldn't help doing what I did next. Unfortunately for me, right at that moment, Dad was at the front window.
我真的控制不住自己不去做接下來的這件事，倒黴的是，就在我作案之際，老爸剛好站在房子前面的窗前。
Dad was already mad at me for tearing up the sod, so I knew I was in for it. I heard the garage door open and I saw Dad coming outside. He marched right out carrying a snow shovel, and I thought I was going to have to make a run for it.
本來老爸已經對我扯掉草皮的事懷恨在心，我知道自己在劫難逃。我聽到車床車庫門打開的聲音。老爸走出來了 ，他扛着鏟子，氣沖沖往外走，三十六計，走為上計。
be in for it: 将受到懲罰
If they find out what I've done, I'll be in for it, won't I?
如果他們發現我做的事，我會受到懲罰的，是不是？
be in for sth: 将要遭遇不愉快的事
I'm afraid he's in for a bit of a disappointment.
恐怕他要失望了。
But Dad was heading for my snowball, not me. And in less than a minute, he reduced all our hard work to nothing.
但老爸是沖着我的雪球而來，不是我，不到一分鐘光景，他一筆勾銷了我們的艱苦勞動。
reduced to nothing: 一筆勾銷
It's taken 41 years, but a previously unseen set of photos of the mighty Niagara Falls reduced to nothing more than a barren cliff-top have finally surfaced.
英國《每日郵報》報道，根據此前不為人所知的一組照片，美國側尼亞加拉大瀑布曾經在41年前斷流。當時，瀑布奔流的景象成為過去，隻留下光秃秃的峭壁，可以說慘不忍睹。
