When the Lamp Blinked- 適合初級的英語短篇故事

Warm light filled the living room. Sam placed balloons and cups for a small housewarming. He wanted to show photos on an old computer monitor. The shelf above the sofa offered limited space for it. He pulled a small cable through the shelf hole. Sam lifted the heavy screen toward the corner. The edge caught a hanging cord and pulled a green plant. Water spilled, hit a socket, and the lamp blinked out.

Two quick decisions followed the splash on the floor. First, Sam unplugged everything and wiped the wet wood. Next, he pushed the shelf higher to repair loose screws. The monitor settled flat, far from the dripping leaves. A faint smell of wet soil rose near his shoes. The lamp stayed dark, so Sam replaced its small bulb. A gentle click returned bright color across the room. Footsteps sounded outside; friends waited behind the door. Sam tossed the towel into a basket and opened the door.

溫暖的光線充滿客廳。Sam為小小的入厝聚會擺好氣球和杯子。他想用一台舊電腦螢幕播放照片。沙發上的架子空間有限。他把一條細線穿過架子的小洞。Sam把沉重的螢幕抬向角落。螢幕邊緣勾到吊線，拉倒了一盆綠色植物。水濺出，打到插座，燈一下子熄滅。

水聲落地後，兩個快速決定接連出現。首先，Sam拔掉所有插頭並擦乾濕木板。接著，他把架子推高，修好鬆動的螺絲。螢幕平放，離開滴水的葉子。鞋邊飄起淡淡濕土味。燈仍然黑著，於是Sam換上小燈泡。輕脆一聲，明亮重新灑滿整個房間。外面傳來腳步聲；朋友們站在門後等候。Sam把毛巾丟進籃子，打開了門。