The Latch Warms and the Football Rolls - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Nadine kicked a football across the short grass.

Sam jogged to the bench and pulled a cooler. Warm light lay on the green field. The vastness of the field reached the far fence. Sam said, "Snack time for us." He tapped the metal latch twice with one knuckle.

They packed fruit, and Sam wanted a pear first. He pulled the small latch hard. The latch did not move at all. The cooler shook, and two paper cups slid. "It sticks," Nadine said, and she bent to look.

Sam pressed his thumb on the latch and paused. The top felt warm, but the latch felt very cold. A thin mist formed on the metal under his breath. He touched a sunlit strip on the lid. It felt warm on his skin. "I have hot cocoa," Nadine said, "and also this towel."

Sam poured a little cocoa to soak the towel. He pressed it on the cold latch for ten seconds. The metal warmed and loosened fast under his hands. He tried again, and the latch popped open. The lid rose and tipped the cups onto the grass. One cup bumped the football, and it rolled downhill. "There it goes," Nadine said, pointing across the field. Sam lifted the pear at last and took a bite.

娜汀把一顆足球踢過矮矮的草地。

山姆跑到長椅旁，拉起一個保冷箱。溫暖的光鋪在綠色的球場上。球場的遼闊一直延伸到遠方的圍欄。山姆說：「該點心時間了。」他用指節在金屬鎖扣上輕敲了兩下。

他們帶了水果，山姆想先吃一顆梨子。他用力拉小鎖扣。鎖扣完全沒動。保冷箱震了一下，兩個紙杯滑了出來。「它卡住了，」娜汀說，並俯身查看。

山姆把拇指按在鎖扣上，停了一下。上蓋摸起來溫暖，但鎖扣卻很冰。薄薄的霧在他呼氣下的金屬上凝起。他摸了摸蓋子上一條日照的地方。那一帶在他皮膚上感覺很暖。「我有熱可可，」娜汀說，「還有這條毛巾。」

山姆倒了一點可可，把毛巾浸濕。他把毛巾按在冰冷的鎖扣上十秒。金屬在他手下很快變暖、鬆了些。他再試一次，鎖扣彈開了。上蓋掀起，把紙杯頂到草地上。有個杯子撞到足球，足球就往下滾了。「它過去了，」娜汀說，手指向球場另一邊。山姆終於拿起梨子，咬了一口。