Mila on the Seaside Ridge- 適合中級的英語短篇故事

Mila adjusts the fabric strap of her small recorder outside the seaside museum. The class lines up for a field trip. Their route follows a low path that climbs the ridge. A clear ocean echo will complete her science project. She hurries toward the tall grass. She has carried the recorder since breakfast, yet the bus leaves again at noon. Wind sweeps sand across her ankles and shakes the microphone cover. Her fingers tighten around the device while gulls turn above the glittering water.

Near the top, a narrow cut in the ground opens. It becomes a sheltered valley hidden between two rocks. Inside, the air grows still, and distant waves resonate against the stone walls like slow drums. The scarf that has covered her recorder flutters, then settles. The settings have been checked, and the recording level is set automatically. She sets the device on the sandy floor and steps back. Without the strong wind, the microphone finally captures steady sound. A sudden car horn echoes upward; the bus waits earlier than expected. Mila jolts, grabs the recorder, and jogs downhill by another route that skirts the ridge. She reaches the museum door as classmates pour inside. The red light on her recorder still glows.

蜜拉在海邊博物館外調整她的小錄音機背帶。全班準備出發去校外教學，路線沿著低矮的小徑攀向山脊。她的自然科學作業需要清晰的海浪回響，所以她加快腳步穿過高草。自早餐後，她一直揹著錄音機，但中午巴士就會開走。風吹起沙粒拍打她的腳踝，也搖晃著麥克風罩。海鷗盤旋在閃亮的水面上，她的手緊抓著裝置。

接近頂端時，地面上的狹縫展開，形成隱藏在兩塊岩石間的避風谷地。谷中空氣靜止，遠方的浪聲像鼓聲一樣在石壁間共鳴。包住錄音機的圍巾先被風吹起，隨即落下。她早已檢查過設定，錄音音量已自動調整。她把裝置放在沙地上，退後幾步。沒有強風干擾，麥克風終於錄到穩定聲響。突然一聲汽車喇叭傳上山坡，原來巴士提早等候。蜜拉猛然一震，抓起錄音機，沿著繞過山脊的另一條路快步下山。當同學們湧入博物館大門時，她也趕到，錄音機上的紅燈仍亮著。