Celery and a Toy Winch Meet Colored Water - 適合中級的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

On the kitchen counter, a fresh stalk of celery stood in a clear glass of blue water. The cut end rested at the bottom, and the ribs faced the window. A paper towel under the glass felt cool and a little wet. A light celery smell rose near Poppy's hands and the quiet window. Fiona sat within reach and read a small paperback on garden ethics. Poppy set a toy truck on the counter; its tiny winch carried a thin string and a cork. Poppy ventured closer to the glass with the truck and watched both things at once.

Blue already touched the lower ribs inside the stalk near the water. A thin line of color crept upward inside one narrow channel slowly. Higher leaves stayed pale, though small veins began to show a faint tint. Poppy turned the winch slowly, and the small spool clicked with each turn. The string pulled tight, and the cork began to ascend over the counter. The truck's wheels held still, and Poppy kept a steady hand on its roof. Then the string brushed the rim, and a loose loop slipped into the blue water. Color ran along the wet thread by itself, and Poppy's shoulders lifted in surprise. The slip added an element of surprise to the quiet scene. The string turned blue in a narrow stripe, and a drop fell to the towel. The wet loop also touched the celery, and one rib showed a thin stain. Inside the glass, the blue kept climbing through the stalk toward the higher leaves. Poppy kept the winch moving, and the cork rose higher, now dripping blue. Fiona slid a clean napkin across the counter, and her wrist paused near the glass. The room stayed warm and quiet, and the clock ticked while color climbed. Poppy cranked again, and the damp string lifted, glistening above the rim.

在廚房流理台上，一根新鮮的芹菜直立在一杯清澈的藍色水裡。切口貼在杯底，縱紋朝向窗邊。杯子下的紙巾摸起來涼涼的，也有一點濕。Poppy 的手邊和安靜的窗前飄起淡淡的芹菜味。Fiona 坐在伸手可及的地方，翻讀一本關於園藝倫理的小冊子。Poppy 把一台玩具卡車放在台面上；小小的絞車繞著一條細線，尾端綁著軟木塞。Poppy 推著卡車靠近玻璃杯，並同時看著這兩邊的動靜。

靠近水面的莖內側，下端的縱紋已經染上藍色。一條細細的色線在狹窄的管道裡慢慢往上爬。上方的葉子仍然淡色，不過細小的葉脈已經帶出微微的色彩。Poppy 慢慢轉動絞車，小線軸每轉一下都喀噠作響。細線繃直了，軟木塞開始在台面上升起。卡車的輪子不動，Poppy 的手穩穩按在車頂。接著細線擦到杯緣，一圈鬆線無聲地滑進藍色的水裡。顏色自己沿著濕線往上跑，Poppy 的肩膀微微一抬。這一滑，為安靜的畫面添了一點意外的元素。細線染成一條窄藍紋，還有一滴水落在紙巾上。濕線也碰到芹菜，有一道縱紋出現細細的色痕。杯子裡，藍色繼續沿著莖往上爬，朝更高的葉片走去。Poppy 繼續轉著絞車，軟木塞升得更高，現在還滴著藍水。Fiona 把一張乾淨的餐巾滑過台面，她的手腕停在玻璃杯旁。屋內溫暖而安靜，時鐘滴答作響，顏色繼續往上爬。Poppy 又轉了一下，濕線提起來，在杯緣上方發亮。