Nia's brother, Theo, said she could never stay silent for a whole day. Nia did not like losing. She wrote on a piece of paper: "I will not speak until bedtime." Theo signed it, and the challenge began.
妮娅的哥哥西奥说，她绝对不可能一整天不说话。妮娅不喜欢输。她在一张纸上写道：“睡觉前我都不说话。”西奥签了名，挑战开始了。
At breakfast, Nia pointed at the milk and tapped her cup. Her mother looked confused. Nia opened her notebook and drew a glass with a question mark. Soon everyone was laughing, and Nia had to press her lips together to keep her promise.
早饭时，妮娅指指牛奶，又敲敲杯子。妈妈一脸困惑。妮娅打开笔记本，画了一个杯子，旁边加上问号。很快大家都笑了，妮娅只好抿紧嘴唇，守住自己的承诺。
At school, a new boy named Amir sat alone. He spoke very little English. Nia wanted to help, but she could not use her voice. She drew a soccer ball and a smiling face. Amir pointed to himself, then to the ball, and nodded.
在学校，一个叫阿米尔的新男孩独自坐着。他几乎不会说英语。妮娅想帮忙，却不能出声。她画了一个足球和一张笑脸。阿米尔指指自己，又指指球，点了点头。
At recess, they played together and used hands and faces instead of words. Nia showed him where to stand and how to pass. When Amir scored, he gave her a thumbs-up. Nia answered with a wide grin. For the first time, her silence felt useful.
课间休息时，他们一起玩，用手和表情代替语言。妮娅告诉他站在哪里，怎样传球。阿米尔进球时，向她竖起大拇指。妮娅回以一个灿烂的笑容。第一次，她觉得自己的沉默很有用。
That evening, Nia's family gathered for dinner. Theo reminded her that the challenge ended at bedtime. Nia nodded, but she did not rush to speak. She listened to Theo's story, her father's joke, and her mother's news about work.
那天晚上，妮娅一家聚在一起吃晚饭。西奥提醒她，挑战要到睡觉时才结束。妮娅点点头，却没有急着开口。她听西奥讲故事，听爸爸讲笑话，也听妈妈说工作上的事。
When the clock struck eight, Theo grinned. "You can talk now," he said. Nia looked around the table and smiled. "Amir is coming to play soccer tomorrow," she said. Her voice was quiet, but everyone heard. Then she added, "And I liked listening to you all."
时钟敲响八点时，西奥咧嘴笑了。“你现在可以说话了，”他说。妮娅环顾餐桌，笑了笑。“阿米尔明天要来踢足球，”她说。她的声音很轻，可大家都听见了。接着她又说：“而且，我喜欢听你们说话。”