***

(Passing the physics lab on the way home from pre-school): "Is there a Space Shuttle here?"
"Ah, no, the space shuttle isn't here. They do research here."
(Pause)
"What are those...telescopes doing?"
"They're radio telescopes. They use them to study space."
"Why?"
"Ah...well, because, this is a science lab.. (Pause) Mama works here."
"Why?"
"That's mama's job. She studies space."
"Why?"
"Well, ah...because she is interested in space. She's a scientist."
(Pause)
"I...I am interestingted in space too."

***

"When the big car is dirty, we can take it to the car wash again."
"We can."
After some thought: "Xiaoxi didn't like the car wash."
"No, she didn't, did she."
"Maybe next time, we might don't take Xiaoxi to the car wash."
"Ok, yes."
"Little babies don't like the car wash."
"Right. Because it's noisy and there's water flying around."
"But boys and girls, who are not grownups but they are big kids,
aren't scared by the car wash."
"You're not scared by the car wash."
"Yeah. Because I'm getting bigger. Next time, I will be seven."