作者：小雅和英美友人
◆ Collage和college，别傻傻分不清楚。
◆ 美国人完全不用autumn指秋天吗？
◆ 说一个名字很形象，别再用vivid了。
Making a Leaf Collage 做树叶拼贴画
Child: Mom, look at these leaves I found outside!
宝宝：妈妈，看我在外边找到的这些树叶啊！
I love the bright fall colors.
我喜欢明亮的秋天的颜色。
Mom: So do I.
妈妈：我也是。
They really cheer up those gray, cloudy days.
它们能让灰蒙蒙、阴沉沉的日子充满生气。
The leaves are a stark contrast to the dreary sky.
树叶和阴沉的天空形成鲜明对比。
That gives me an idea
这让我有个想法
-- why don't we make a leaf collage today?
—— 咱们今天做个树叶拼贴画吧？
Collage是拼贴画，读作 [k??lɑ:?]，college是大学，读作 [?kɑ:lid?]。
Why don't you help me get the supplies?
你帮我准备用具吧？
We'll need a paint brush, Mod Podge,
咱们需要油画刷、摩宝胶、
some cardstock or a canvas,
一些卡纸或者一张画布、
and some of your beautiful leaves.
还有你那些漂亮的树叶。
Make sure they are dry, though.
不过得确保它们是干的。
The Mod Podge won't work properly if they are wet
如果它们湿了，摩宝胶就不好用了，
and the leaves won't hold their color over time.
时间一长，树叶就不能保持它们的颜色了。
Here's a paper towel.
这有一张擦手纸。
After we gather all the supplies,
咱们把用具都放到一块之后，
dab the leaves gently
轻轻地擦拭叶子，
to make sure there are no wet spots or drops of water.
确保没有湿的地方或者水滴。
Child: Okay. Here are my leaves.
宝宝：好的。我的树叶在这儿。
I think the paintbrush is in the bottom desk drawer.
我记得油画刷在书桌最下层的抽屉里。
Where is the Mod Podge?
摩宝胶在哪里？
Mom: It should be in the same drawer as the paintbrush.
妈妈：应该和油画刷放在同一个抽屉里了。
I can grab a canvas.
我可以去拿画布。
I think we have one leftover from the last time I tried painting.
我记得有块上次画画剩下的。
Here is one that is a good size -- 8" x 10".
这有一个尺寸刚刚好的—— 8 x 10的。
Let's dry off your leaves now.
现在咱们把树叶弄干。
Child: I will dab them.
宝宝：我来擦拭它们。
I have so many orange ones,
我有好多橙色的，
but the reds and yellows are just as pretty.
但是红色和黄色的也一样漂亮。
Mom: They are.
妈妈：是的。
Okay, so now that our leaves are dry,
好，既然树叶干了，
let's first press them if they are not already flat.
咱们先把还不平的叶子压一压。
This will help them stay down
这能让它们待住，
and help the glue secure them.
让胶把它们粘牢。
Let's put them under this book.
咱们把它们放在书下面。
It may take a while,
可能得有一会儿，
so let's go have a snack while we wait.
咱们等的时候去吃个加餐吧。
(later)
（过了一会儿）
Peek under the book
看一眼书下面，
and see if they are ready.
看看好了没。
Child: I think they are!
宝宝：我觉得可以了！
Mom: Great.
妈妈：很好。
So let's plan how you would like to place them.
咱们想一想怎么摆。
We can just lay them out on the table.
咱们可以就把树叶摆在桌子上。
You can make lots of different designs.
你能拼出许多不同的图样。
Child: I could make a big sun!
宝宝：我能拼出一个大太阳！
I will put some yellow in the center,
我会把一些黄色的放在中间，
use all those orange leaves in a circle around the yellow ones,
用所有橙色的树叶在黄色的周围放一圈，
and put a few red ones around that.
然后在它周围放一些红色的。
Mom: That sounds good.
妈妈：听起来不错。
Lay it out on the table.
把它放在桌子上。
Now that that's been done,
既然拼好了，
let's glue some down.
咱们把一些用胶水粘上。
How about the yellow leaves first?
先从黄色树叶开始吧？
Handle them carefully
小心地拿着它们，
-- they are very delicate
——它们很容易碎，
and become more delicate as they dry out even more.
它们越干，就越容易碎。
Let's spread some Mod Podge on the canvas first with the paintbrush.
咱们先用油画刷在画布上铺一些摩宝胶。
Very good.
很好。
Now press the leaf down gently until it feels secure
现在轻轻按压树叶，直到感觉它很牢固，
and let's put another layer of glue on top of the leaf.
然后咱们在树叶最上面涂一层胶水。
It's looking good!
看起来不错！
Now keep going until you've finished your design.
继续这么做，直到完成图样。
Child: All done!
宝宝：完成了！
Mom: It looks beautiful!
妈妈：看起来真漂亮！
What a bright sun!
多么明亮的一个太阳啊！
Let's set it out to dry for a bit.
咱们把它放置一会儿，晾干。
Child: Can I give it a name?
宝宝：我能给它起个名字吗？
Some artists give their pieces names.
一些艺术家会给他们的作品起名字。
Mom: Sure. What were you thinking?
妈妈：当然。你想到了什么？
Child: How about "Autumn Sun"?
宝宝：“秋天的太阳”怎么样？
在美式英语里，表达“秋天”多用fall，但在比较正式的语境下，如给画起名字，会用到autumn。
Mom: Well, that is definitely descriptive of it.
妈妈：嗯，确实很形象。
Do you like it?
你喜欢吗？
Child: Yes!
宝宝：嗯！
Mom: Alright then, that's what we'll call it.
妈妈：那好吧，咱们就叫这个名字。
As soon as it finishes drying,
等它晾干，
we'll hang the "Autumn Sun".
咱们把“秋天的太阳”挂起来。