STEPHANIE: Hello, Trevor.

史蒂芬妮：你好，特雷弗。

TREVOR: Hello, Stephanie.

特雷弗：你好，史蒂芬妮。

You said you wanted to talk about the course I'm taking on literature for children.

你说你想要和我谈谈我正在学的关于儿童文学的课程。

STEPHANIE: That's right. I'm thinking of doing it next year, but I'd like to find out more about it first.

史蒂芬妮：是的。我正在考虑明年修读这门课，但首先我想要了解更多关于它的信息。

TREVOR: OK, well, as you probably know, it's a one-year course.

特雷弗：好的，你可能已经知道了，这门课程为期一年。

It's divided into six modules, and you have to take all of them.

分为六个模块，你需要全部修读。

One of the most interesting ones, for me, at least, was about the purpose of children's literature.

至少对我来说，其中最有趣的一个是关于儿童文学的目的的模块。

STEPHANIE: You mean, whether it should just entertain children or should be educational as well.

史蒂芬妮：你的意思是，儿童文学是否是仅用于儿童的娱乐，还是也应当具有教育意义？

TREVOR: Right, and whether the teaching should be factual - giving them information about the world - or ethical, teaching them values.

特雷弗：是的，还有教学是否应该是基于事实的——是向他们传达关于世界的信息——还是应该是道德层面的，教导他们价值观。

What's fascinating is that the writer isn't necessarily conscious of the message they're conveying.

引人注意的一点是，作者并不一定能意识到他们所传达的信息。

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.

比如，某个故事可能会说一个孩子由于没有做大人让他们做的事而遇到麻烦，这暗示着孩子总是应该听大人的话。

STEPHANIE: I see what you mean.

史蒂芬妮：我理解你的意思。

TREVOR: That module made me realise how important stories are - they can have a significant effect on children as they grow up.

特雷弗：这一模块的课程让我意识到故事的重要性——他们会在孩子的成长过程中产生重大影响。

Actually, it inspired me to have a go at it myself, just for my own interest.

事实上，它激励我为了自己的兴趣去尝试。

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.

我知道我无法与真正流行的故事竞争，比如《哈利·波特》系列丛书——它们非常棒，甚至像我七岁的侄女一样的小孩都爱读。

STEPHANIE: Mm. I'm very interested in illustrations in stories.

史蒂芬妮：嗯。我对故事里的插图非常感兴趣。

Is that covered in the course?

这也包含在课程里面吗？

TREVOR: Yes, there's a module on pictures, and how they're sometimes central to the story.

特雷弗：是的，有关于图画的课程，以及有些时候他们是如何对故事起到关键作用的。

STEPHANIE: That's good.

史蒂芬妮：非常好。

I remember some frightening ones I saw as a child and I can still see them vividly in my mind, years later!

我记得小时候看到一些可怕的东西，多年以后仍然可以在我的脑海里清晰地浮现出来！

Pictures can be so powerful, just as powerful as words.

图片可以如此的强大，就像文字一样。

I've always enjoyed drawing, so that's the field I want to go into when I finish the course.

我一直很喜欢画画，所以当我完成课程时，我想要进入这个领域。

I bet that module will be really helpful.

我敢打赌，这个模块将非常有用。

TREVOR: I'm sure it will.

特雷弗：我相信它会很有用的。

We also studied comics in that module, but I'm not convinced of their value, not compared with books.

我们还在那个模块中学习了漫画，但我不相信它们的价值，它们是不能与书籍相比的。

One of the great things about words is that you use your imagination, but with a comic you don't have to.

文字的一个好处是在阅读时你可以运用你的想象力，但是阅读漫画就不必使用想象力。

STEPHANIE: But children are so used to visual input - on TV, video games, and so on.

史蒂芬妮：但是孩子们习惯于视觉输入——电视、电子游戏等等。

There are plenty of kids who wouldn't even try to read a book, so I think comics can serve a really useful purpose.

有很多孩子甚至不会尝试去读书，所以我认为漫画可以起到非常有用的作用。

TREVOR: You mean, it's better to read a comic than not to read at all?

特雷弗：你的意思是，读漫画比什么都不读要更好？

Yes, I suppose you're right.

没错，我觉得你说的对。

I just think it's sad when children don't read books.

我只是觉得孩子们不读书是件令人悲哀的事。

STEPHANIE: What about books for girls and books for boys?

史蒂芬妮：关于给男孩读的书和给女孩读的书呢？

Does the course go into that?

这个课程有研究到这个问题吗？

TREVOR: Yes, there's a module on it.

特雷弗：是的，课程里面有一个模块说到这个问题。

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.

多年来，至少有许多英语故事假设男孩们出去做冒险活动，女孩们呆在家里玩娃娃。

I was amazed how many books were targeted at just one sex or the other.

令我惊讶的是，许多书针对的是一种性别或另一种性别。

Of course this reflects society as it is when the books are written.

当然，这也反映了写书时的社会情况。

STEPHANIE: That's true.

史蒂芬妮：有道理。

So it sounds as though you think it's a good course.

那么听起来你好像认为这门课程挺不错的。

TREVOR: Definitely.

特雷弗：当然。