Red Dye Bursts Over Sand and Rice in the Workshop - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Dry cedar dust rasped against Nolan's palms as he turned a narrow plank on the low table. Glue shone on the fresh cut wood. He lifted a small spoon and let fine sand pour along the wet line. "This deck needs more grip," he said. "I can add rice for weight," Zara replied. She stood at a side bench. She scooped uncooked rice from a tin into a cloth pouch. Each scoop made a soft hiss as the grains trickled down. Warm air carried a faint, tangy scent from lemon oil that Inigo rubbed into a curved mast nearby. The retired fisherman shaped small wooden fish for wind chimes. Many saw him as a patient mentor, yet he kept carving without a word. Cedar shavings piled around Nolan’s shoes. He shifted one foot to keep his balance.

Nolan reached for a small plane that rested on the far corner. At the same moment, Zara slid her filled pouch across her table. The cloth brushed the plank and tore a tiny hole. Rice spilled, scattering over the sandy glue and tumbling onto the floor. The mixed grains formed a crackling carpet that turned the boards slippery under Nolan’s boot. He rocked back, arms flailing, and the plank tipped toward a shelf. A tin of powdered red dye slid off and burst in a bright cloud. Color drifted onto the spill, painting the sand and rice like sunset on pale foam. "That looks better than my brush work," Nolan laughed. "Leave it; the gull can stand there," Zara answered. Nolan pressed a tiny wooden gull into the centre of the bright mound. Zara added one quick tap, scattering a red sparkle over the ring.

乾燥的雪松粉在諾蘭轉動矮桌上的窄木板時刺搔他的手掌。新抹的膠水在木面上閃著光。接著他舀起一小匙細沙，讓細粒沿著濕膠線安靜地倒下。「這層甲板需要更多摩擦力。」他說。「我可以用米增加重量。」莎拉回答。她站在側邊的工作桌前，從鐵罐舀生米進布袋，每一勺米落下時都發出柔和的沙沙聲。溫暖的空氣帶來微微酸香的檸檬油味，那是伊尼戈在旁邊把油擦進彎曲的桅杆。他這位退休漁夫安靜地雕刻風鈴用的小木魚。許多人把他當成耐心的指引者，但他只是默默地繼續雕刻。雪松刨花堆在諾蘭的鞋邊，他移動一隻腳，保持身體平衡。

諾蘭伸手去拿放在遠角的小刨刀。就在同一刻，莎拉把裝滿的布袋滑過自己的桌面。袋子擦過木板，撕出一個小洞。米粒瀉出，在帶沙的膠面上四散，接著滾到地板上。混雜的顆粒鋪成咯吱作響的地毯，地板因此變得滑溜，諾蘭的靴子立刻打滑。他猛地後仰，雙臂亂揮，木板向架子傾倒。一罐紅色染粉滑落，碰地炸開成亮麗的雲霧。染粉飄到沙與米的混堆上，把它們染得像淡色泡沫上的夕陽。「這比我用刷子畫的還好看。」諾蘭笑說。「就這樣吧，小海鷗可以站在這裡。」莎拉回答。諾蘭把一隻小木海鷗壓在鮮亮的顆粒中央。莎拉又輕拍一下，讓紅色粉末在圓環上再閃出一點光芒。