Ribbon Above the Hall- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Emma balanced on a short ladder inside the school hall. She wanted to hang the final paper lantern before the open-house afternoon began. Countless footsteps echoed below, because half the class carried boards and paint. One table had been moved near the door, and its corner pressed against the ladder. A fearful squeak rose from the steel frame each time she shifted. Although Emma has practiced climbing at home, the narrow space now felt tighter. Milo, who held spare ribbon, actually stepped back when the ladder tilted. The ribbon slipped, and one bright coil fell around his shoulders like an accidental embrace. Helpers laughed, but the lantern remained dangling.

Emma carefully climbed down and inspected the obstacle. The pressed table could not move because paint buckets covered its surface. She searched the floor and noticed two spare benches that were usually kept near the stage. An idea arrived; the benches could brace the ladder. Milo has already lifted one, while another classmate steadied the second. Together they slid the benches against each side, and the ladder no longer wobbled. Milo nodded, reassured by the strong new support. Emma climbed again, reached the beam, and hooked the lantern. A quick surprise followed below. The coil of ribbon that had embraced Milo now unwound itself and drifted upward. It caught a slow current from the ceiling fan and spun like a tiny flag. Bright strips shimmered until the final chair was pushed into place.

Emma 站在學校禮堂裡的一把矮梯上保持平衡。她想在校園開放日下午開始前，掛上最後一盞紙燈籠。無數腳步聲在下面回響，因為半數同學正搬著木板和油漆。有一張桌子被移到門邊，它的角正頂住梯子。每當她移動，金屬框架就發出一聲令人心驚的吱嘎聲。雖然 Emma 在家裡已經練習過爬梯子，但狹窄的空間此刻更顯擁擠。拿著備用緞帶的 Milo 在梯子傾斜時居然退後一步。緞帶滑落，一圈亮色纏到他肩上，像是不小心給了他一個擁抱。同學們都笑了，可燈籠依舊懸著。

Emma 小心地下梯，查看障礙。那張被擠壓的桌子因為擺滿油漆桶而動不了。她搜尋地面，注意到舞台邊通常放著的兩張備用長凳。她忽然想到，用長凳可以固定梯子。Milo 已經抬起其中一張，另一位同學扶穩第二張。他們把長凳分別推到梯子兩側，梯子不再晃動。Milo 因為新的支撐而點頭放下心。Emma 再次爬上去，伸手掛好燈籠。接著樓下出現一個小驚喜。剛纏住 Milo 的那圈緞帶鬆開自己，向上飄去。它被天花板風扇緩慢的氣流托起，像一面小旗旋轉。亮色緞帶閃閃發光，直到最後一張椅子也被推回定位。