Funnel Clog and a Quick Spill into the Basin - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Arlo sat at a low table with Odette beside him at home. Small bowls of red, yellow, and blue sand circled a clear bottle. A plastic funnel rested in the mouth of the bottle, and a thin stick waited on the table. A shallow basin sat to the side to catch any extra grains. An awl lay near Odette’s leather pouch, and she slid it farther from his elbow. Fine grains swished in the bowls, and the cool glass touched his thumb when he steadied the neck.

He spooned red sand into the funnel, and a soft hiss slipped down the neck. Inside the bottle, the red spread and formed a small slope against the glass. He lifted the yellow bowl next and felt its fine edge tap his wrist. A loose thread on a mesh bag began to fray, and Odette rubbed it smooth with her thumb. The pause gave Arlo an opportunity to look along the side of the bottle. He chose a narrow space for the next band. He poured slowly, and the yellow settled neatly on the red.

A tiny clump then stuck at the funnel’s neck and held the flow. The stream stopped, and a few bright grains perched on the lip. He kept his hand still and watched the pile rest. Odette steadied the bottle, and he set a small square of mesh over the funnel. The grains that followed broke into a finer fall. When the clump loosened, a quick burst slipped past and tapped into the basin with a light patter. He smiled and pressed the thin stick straight down through the bands. The stick pulled little dots from every color and left a tight line from top to bottom. He turned the bottle just a hand’s width and found a surprise. On that side, the line sat between two bands like a tiny path. He added one more spoon of blue, and the last grains slid through the mesh and settled.

Arlo 在家裡坐在一張矮桌旁，Odette 就坐在他身邊。幾個裝著紅色、黃色和藍色砂子的淺碗圍著一個透明的瓶子。塑膠漏斗卡在瓶口，一根細棒放在桌上。一只淺盆放在旁邊，用來接住多出的砂粒。Odette 的皮袋旁放著一支錐子，她把它往遠離他手肘的方向推。細砂在碗裡沙沙作響；他扶住瓶頸時，冰涼的玻璃碰到他的拇指。

他把紅色砂子舀進漏斗，輕輕的嘶聲順著瓶頸滑下。在瓶裡，紅色鋪開，在玻璃邊上堆出一個小斜面。接著他端起裝黃色的碗，感到薄薄的碗緣輕點著他的手腕。一個網袋上的鬆線頭開始磨損起毛，Odette 用拇指把它抹平。這一停讓 Arlo 有機會沿著瓶身看一看。他選了一條狹窄的位置當作下一道顏色。他慢慢倒下去，黃色整齊地落在紅色上。

接著一小團結塊卡在漏斗的頸部，把流動擋住了。砂流停住，幾粒亮色砂子停在漏斗邊緣。他保持手不動，看著小堆停住。Odette 扶穩瓶子，他把一小塊網布蓋在漏斗上。後面的砂子分成更細的落勢。結塊一鬆開，便有一股短促的砂流滑過去，輕輕滴答進了盆子。他笑了，拿細棒直直地插穿那些色帶。細棒從每一道顏色帶出細小的點，留下自上而下的一條緊密直線。他把瓶子只轉開一個手掌的寬度，便看見一個小驚喜。在那一面，那條線夾在兩道之間，像一條很細的小路。他又加了一匙藍色，最後的砂粒穿過網布滑下，安穩地停住。