《小屁孩日记》是一个美国中学生的日记，受孩子的影响，我也是《小屁孩日记》的成人铁粉啦。这套书故事情节富于想象力，幽默，虽然是一本儿童读物，但地道的英语表达是学习口语的好素材，读着英文，看着笑话，快乐阅读，快乐学习，启程吧！
Mom didn't really say anything at first, but Dad was pretty enthusiastic. I think he was just glad I had a change of heart from how I used to be when I was a kid-
老妈一开始没怎么表态，不过老爸显得相当热心。大概是因为他见我回心转意而倍感欣慰吧，我小时候可不这样—
But Mom said if I wanted a weight set, was going to have to prove that I could stick with an exercise regimen. She said I could do that by doing sit-ups and jumping jacks for two weeks.
老妈说，我要是想要一套健身设备的话，就得先证明我有坚持按时锻炼的决心。她说我要是能把仰卧起坐和开合跳坚持两周她就相信我。
笔记：
stick with: 坚持（做…）
They prefer, in the end, to stick with what they know.
他们最终选择 继续干自己所熟悉的事。
sit-up, 作为一个词时，是一个名词，如本句的"仰卧起坐"的意思；如果没有连字符，作为一个词组，是一个动词， "坐起来","熬夜"的意思。例如：
I didn't feel like sitting up all night.
我不想熬通宵。
I had to explain that the only way to get totally bulked up is to get the kind of high-tech machines they have at the gym, but Mom didn't want to hear it.
我不得不跟她解释，要是想要全面健身的话，一套健身房的高科技器材是必不可少的，不过老妈不吃这套。
Then Dad said if w wanted a bench press, I should keep my fingers crossed for Christmas.
老爸说我要是真想要一套卧推杠铃的话，就食指搭在中指上求神保佑，盼着圣诞节到来吧。
But Christmas is a month and a half away. And if I get pinned by Fregley one more time, I'm gonna have a nervous breakdown.
可是圣诞节还有一个半月才到呢，而且我要是再让弗雷德把我摔倒的话，我的精神就要彻底崩溃了。
笔记：
away: 不仅可以表示时间上的相隔，距离，还可以表示空间上的距离，例如：
The beach is only five minutes away (=it only takes five minutes to get there).
海滩离这里只有五分钟的路。
So it looks like Mom and Dad aren't going to be any help. And that means I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands, as usual.
看起来老爸老妈是见死不救了。这就表示我得亲自出马了，历来如此。
笔记：
as usual: "像往常一样，照例"
He, as usual, was the last to arrive.
和往常一样，他是最后一个到的。
Saturday
I couldn't wait to start y weight training program today. Even though Mom wouldn't let me get the equipment I needed, I wasn't going to let that hold me back.
我实在等不及了，今天就要实施我负重锻炼的大计。虽然老妈不给我买器材，但我是绝不会让这件事拖我后腿的。
笔记：
hold back: 使犹豫；阻挡；隐瞒
She wanted to tell him but pride held her back..
她想告诉他，可是自尊让她没有这么做。
I wanted to wake up, but sleep held me back.
我想要醒来，但困得睁不开眼睛。
You seem to be holding something back.
你好像隐瞒了点什么。
So I went into the fridge and emptied out the milk and orange juice and filled the jugs with sand. Then I taped them to a broomstick, and I had myself a pretty decent barbell.
我跑去把冰箱里的牛奶和橙汁的罐子倒空，往里头灌满沙子，然后把它们分别固定在扫帚柄的两头，就这样做好了一副相当不错的杠铃。
After that, I made a bench press out of an ironing board and some boxes. Once I had that all set, I was ready to do serious lifting.
然后我又拿烫衣板和几个盒子做了个简易卧推架，万事俱备之后，我就要正式开始我的举重训练了。
I needed a spotting partner, so I called Rowley. And when he showed up at my door wearing some ridiculous getup, I knew I made a mistake inviting him.
我还需要一个练习搭档，所以就叫上了罗利。可是当我看到他穿得怪模怪样出现在我家门口时， 我就知道邀他过来真是犯了个大错。
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