The Brick Tick by the Fountain - 適合初學者的英文短篇故事，含中譯與發音

Cleo rests her palm on the bench arm.

Thin lines run along the wood.

A tiny candle wax dot sits by her thumb.

Dew shrinks on the arm, a thin pale edge.

An older paw print dries lighter on the seat.

Oak bark smells clean and sharp.

She taps the wood with one knuckle.

A tap sounds.

Another tap comes.

A dull thup comes from the arm.

The grandmother's needles click on the seat.

She says, "I hear that tap."

Cleo nods once.

Cleo steps to the flat stone by the fountain drip.

She plays a small tap game here.

A round pebble sits in her palm.

Its weight presses lightly on her skin.

She taps the stone with the pebble.

A soft plop rises from the puddle.

Small rings slide over the flat step.

She shifts to the low brick edge.

She taps its dry corner with the pebble.

A bright tick comes.

The brick sounds hollow.

Cleo walks back and gives the grandmother a hug.

She kneels by the stone again.

She dips the pebble's edge into the puddle.

New ripples cross the first ring and widen.

Cleo把手掌放在長椅的扶手上。

細細的紋理沿著木頭延展。

她拇指旁邊有一小點蠟燭蠟。

露水在扶手上縮退，留下一圈淡痕。

座位上較早的狗掌印正在變淺。

橡樹樹皮有清新的味道。

她用一個指關節敲木頭。

一下聲音響起。

又一下響起。

沉悶的一聲從扶手傳來。

祖母坐在座位上，針喀喀作響。

她說：「我聽到那一下。」

Cleo點點頭。

Cleo走到噴水台滴水旁的平石上。

她在這裡玩一個小敲擊遊戲。

一顆圓卵石放在她的手心。

它的重量輕輕壓在她的皮膚上。

她用卵石敲那塊石頭。

水窪裡傳出輕輕的一下。

小小的圓圈滑過平坦的台階。

她移到低矮的磚邊。

她用卵石敲它乾燥的角。

清脆的一聲響起。

那塊磚聽起來是空的。

Cleo走回去，給祖母一個擁抱。

她又在石頭旁跪下。

她把卵石的邊緣碰進水窪。

新的漣漪越過第一個圓圈，然後擴大。