The Ball Rolls and Opens the Gap - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

What is under the bench over here?

Thea pointed at the narrow, dark gap. Two kittens frolic on the grass beside the path. Warm dust lay on the flat patio stones. A blue ball filled the gap between two bricks.

One kitten padded over and tried to squeeze past. Its whiskers bent against the plastic, and it stopped. The kitten pressed a paw on the ball. The ball wedged and did not move at first.

The kitten sniffed the rim and tapped it twice. A deep, hollow bonk rang under the bench. Thea bent lower and watched the thin shell bend. The ball lifted a little under its paw.

The kitten slid a paw under and tilted the ball. The ball began to roll down the patio slope. It bumped a shallow tray of pine cones near the hose. Cones spilled out and rattled across the stones.

The gap stood open between the bricks and the bench. The other kitten slipped through and trotted to the shade.

「這邊長椅下面是什麼？」

Thea 指著那道狹窄又陰暗的縫隙。兩隻小貓在小徑旁的草地上嬉鬧。溫熱的灰塵落在平坦的庭院石板上。一顆藍色球卡在兩塊磚之間。

一隻小貓走近，想要擠過去。它的鬍鬚被塑膠頂彎了，身體停住。小貓把一隻爪子按在球上。球卡住了，一開始沒有移動。

小貓嗅著邊緣，又輕拍了兩下。長椅下傳出一聲低沉、空洞的「咚」。Thea 彎下身，更貼近看那層薄殼微微彎曲。球在牠的爪下輕輕抬起一點。

小貓把爪子伸到下面，將球往一邊傾斜。球開始沿著庭院的斜面往下滾。它撞到水管旁一個淺淺的松果托盤。松果灑出來，在石板上喀喀作響。

磚塊與長椅之間的縫隙敞開著。另一隻小貓鑽了過去，快步跑向陰影處。