The Napkin Snap That Freed a Cup Bead - 適合初級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Etta bends the napkin corner and lets it go.

Her father sits at the head, grating cheese over his plate.

A small wire strainer rests on the grated cheese bowl.

A warm tomato smell rises from her plate.

A picture on her place mat shows a sculptor at work.

The napkin snaps up and sends a small puff of air.

It reaches the bowl and shakes a thin cheese flake.

The flake hops, lands on the strainer, and bends the mesh.

The mesh springs back and flicks the flake across the bowl.

It skims the rim, brushes the cup, and drops back inside.

A hanging bead stretches thin, snaps free, and slides to the base.

A drop falls on the napkin edge and curls the paper.

Etta sets her palm on the napkin and holds it still.

"I hear the ice clink," the older sibling says.

Outside the window, a crow calls once and goes quiet.

A round knob on the chair back brushes Etta's elbow.

Sauce runs in a thin vein by the short straight noodle.

A new bead creeps down the cup's side.

Etta 把摺好的紙餐巾角壓下去，又放開。

她的父親坐在桌子的前端，正把起司磨在自己的盤子上。

一個小金屬濾網放在碎起司的碗上。

她的盤子飄出溫熱的番茄香氣。

她的餐墊上有一張圖，畫著一位雕塑家在工作。

餐巾彈起，帶出一小股氣流。

氣流拂到碗邊，搖動一片細薄的起司屑。

那片屑跳起來，落在濾網上，把細網壓彎。

細網彈回，讓那片屑掠過碗面。

它掠過碗緣，擦到杯身，又掉回碗裡。

一顆掛著的水珠被震到拉細、脫落，沿著杯身滑到杯底。

有一滴水落在餐巾邊，讓紙邊微微捲起。

Etta 把手掌按在餐巾上，讓它不再晃動。

姊姊說：「我聽到冰塊叮一聲。」

窗外有一隻烏鴉叫了一聲就安靜了。

椅背上的圓形把手輕輕碰到 Etta 的手肘。

一條細細的醬汁紋從那根短直麵旁邊流過。

新的一顆水珠沿著杯身慢慢往下爬。