Clio is fifteen years old. Today is her first pottery class at the art center.
克莱奥十五岁。今天是她在艺术中心上的第一堂陶艺课。
She feels nervous. She walks through the door and doesn't know anyone in the room.
她觉得很紧张。她走进门，教室里一个人也不认识。
Paz, the teacher, waves and points to an empty seat. "Welcome! Sit anywhere you like," she says.
老师帕兹挥挥手，指了指一个空位。“欢迎！想坐哪儿就坐哪儿，”她说。
Clio sits down at a table with three other students. They all look busy already.
克莱奥在一张桌子旁坐下，同桌还有另外三个学生。他们看上去都已经忙起来了。
"Is this your first time with clay?" a boy next to her asks. "Yes, it is," Clio says.
“这是你第一次玩黏土吗？”旁边的男孩问。“是的，”克莱奥说。
"Don't worry, everyone starts somewhere," the boy says. "My name is Anton, by the way."
“别担心，谁都是从头开始的，”男孩说，“对了，我叫安东。”
Paz shows the class how to shape a small bowl. "Start with a ball of clay," she says. "Press your thumbs into the middle."
帕兹给全班演示怎样捏一个小碗。“先拿一团黏土，”她说，“用两个拇指按进中间。”
Clio tries it, but her bowl comes out lopsided. She looks at Anton's bowl, round and even.
克莱奥试了试，但她的碗歪歪扭扭的。她看了看安东的碗，又圆又匀称。
"Mine looks bad," Clio says quietly. Paz walks over and looks at Clio's work.
“我的看起来真糟，”克莱奥小声说。帕兹走过来，看了看克莱奥的作品。
"Actually, this is a great first try," Paz says. "Everyone's first bowl looks a little strange. That's normal."
“其实，这是个很棒的第一次尝试，”帕兹说，“每个人的第一只碗都有点奇怪。这很正常。”
Clio feels calm again. She tries again, and her second bowl looks round and smooth.
克莱奥又平静下来。她再试了一次，第二只碗又圆又光滑。
By the end of class, Clio has three small bowls. Her bowls aren't perfect, but she feels proud.
下课的时候，克莱奥做好了三只小碗。她的碗并不完美，但她觉得很自豪。
