Milo Near the Garden Steps- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

On a typical Saturday morning, Milo balances a tray of lemonade. He has filled three tall glasses and added mint leaves that float. The kitchen door swings open toward the sunny yard, yet smooth tiles offer little friction under his sandals. A bright rubber ball, left from yesterday’s game, begins to bounce across the path. His small dog Ziggy darts after it, tail wagging and ears flapping. Milo steps aside, but another ball rolls out from the grass and taps his ankle. Liquid trembles near the rim, and he tightens both hands around the tray.

A surprise twist follows when Ziggy knocks the skateboard, which has been forgotten since autumn, that rests by the wall. The board is pushed forward, touches Milo’s heel, and stops. An idea flashes. Milo lowers the tray onto the board, then sinks cross-legged so the wood touches his lap. With weight spread evenly, he pushes forward. Wheels hum over the tiles, and the bouncing balls now slide aside. Wind brushes the mint leaves, yet the glasses stay upright. When the board reaches the grass, movement slows, and Milo lifts the tray again. He places the lemonade on the garden table just as distant voices drift over the fence.

在一個典型的星期六早晨，米洛端著檸檬水托盤前行。他已經把三個高玻璃杯裝滿，還加了浮在水面的薄荷葉。廚房門向陽光燦爛的庭院敞開，但光滑的瓷磚幾乎沒什麼摩擦力，讓他的涼鞋容易打滑。一顆亮眼的橡膠球從昨天的遊戲裡遺留下來，此刻在小徑上彈跳。小狗齊格立刻追了上去，尾巴搖擺，耳朵拍動。米洛側身閃避，卻又有另一顆球從草叢裡滾出，碰到他的腳踝。杯中的液體微微顫動，他雙手更緊地抓住托盤。

突然出現的反轉來自齊格撞到牆邊那塊自秋天以來就被遺忘的滑板。滑板被推著向前滑動，碰到米洛的腳跟後停住。一個念頭閃過，他把托盤放在滑板上，盤腿坐下，讓木板貼在他的大腿上。重量平均分散後，他往前輕推。輪子在瓷磚上嗡嗡作響，彈跳的球此時紛紛滑開。微風拂過薄荷葉，杯子依舊穩穩站立。滑板滑入草地時速度減慢，米洛再次舉起托盤。就在遠處傳來親友的聲音時，他把檸檬水安穩地放上花園桌。