Balloon Jet Spins a Toy Prop by the Creek - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

The hand pump hissed beside the creek. The rubber hose squeaked with each push. Willa pressed the handle down and up. Cal held a red balloon on the nozzle. Air rushed in, and the balloon grew round. Cool air touched Willa's cheek from a tiny split. Cool shade lay under the alder tree.

The split made a thin whistle near her ear. Willa pulled the balloon off the nozzle. It shot away over the bench. A strong puff trailed behind and blew across the table. The puff flipped a sheet of paper. The sheet slid along the wood toward a small box. Beside it, a plastic prop from a toy plane lay flat. The jet from the balloon struck the prop and spun it. The spinning sent a faint stream toward the sliding sheet. The sheet turned and slapped the pump body. Dust lifted near the outlet. The flow pushed the sheet away.

"Do you hear that?" Cal said. "I can hold it." The whine grew as the balloon emptied. Cal caught the mouth and pressed the cap on. The prop slowed, and the paper settled beside the box. A thin ripple ran along the creek under the plank.

打氣筒在溪邊發出噴氣聲。橡膠管每按一下就會吱呀響。薇拉把手把往下再往上壓。卡爾把紅色氣球套在噴嘴上。空氣灌進去，氣球變得圓鼓鼓。從小裂縫吹出的涼風吹到薇拉的臉頰。樹蔭下帶來一陣清涼。

裂縫在她耳邊發出細細的哨聲。薇拉把氣球從噴嘴上拉開。它從長凳上方衝出去。後面帶著一股強勁的氣流，吹過桌面。那股風把一張紙翻了起來。紙沿著木頭滑向一個小盒子。旁邊放著一個玩具飛機上的塑膠螺旋槳。氣球噴出的氣流打在螺旋槳上，讓它轉了起來。旋轉又送出一股微弱的氣流，朝著那張滑動的紙吹去。紙轉了個方向，拍在打氣筒的外殼上。噴口附近的灰塵浮了起來。往外吹的氣流把那張紙推開。

「你有聽到嗎？」卡爾說。「我可以抓住它。」氣球裡的氣越來越少，哨聲變尖。卡爾抓住開口，把蓋子壓上。螺旋槳慢了下來，紙在盒子旁邊停住。一道細細的波紋沿著溪水在木板下滑過。