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English → Chinese The Dog Her Mother Didn't Choose Level 5/10

The garden had two old mango trees that threw shade in irregular patterns across the grass, and along the fence there were frangipani that bloomed in the hot months, dropping white and yellow flowers that Khao, in his first weeks, could not stop investigating.

院子里有两棵老芒果树，在草地上投下形状不规则的阴影，篱笆边种着鸡蛋花，在炎热的月份开放，落下白色和黄色的花朵，考在最初的几周里忍不住一遍遍去探究。

He would nose them gently, as if checking whether they were alive, then leave them and find another one.

他会轻轻地用鼻子嗅它们，仿佛在查看它们是否还活着，然后离开，再去找下一朵。

The porch was where the family ate dinner when the weather allowed, which was most of the year.

天气允许的时候，一家人就在门廊吃晚饭，而这样的天气占了一年中的大部分时间。

Nipa's father, Somchai, had built a low table out there years ago, dark from weather and use, and the family had eaten at it so many times that it had become less a piece of furniture than a kind of fixture, as permanent as the trees.

妮帕的父亲宋猜多年前在那里做了一张矮桌，桌面因风吹日晒和长年使用而变得深暗，一家人在那里吃过太多顿饭，它早已不再只是一件家具，而成了某种固定的存在，像那些树一样恒久。

Khao learned quickly that dinner meant scraps, and scraps required patience, and patience meant sitting very still near the table's edge and watching with an expression of studied neutrality that fooled no one.

考很快就明白了，晚饭意味着残羹剩菜，而残羹剩菜需要耐心，耐心意味着在桌子边缘附近纹丝不动地坐着，摆出一副刻意保持中立的神情——尽管这骗不了任何人。

In those first months, Khao learned the rhythms of the house the way children learn language — not through instruction but through immersion, through the repetition of days.

在最初的那几个月里，考学会了这个家的节奏，就像孩子学语言一样——不是通过教导，而是通过浸润，通过日复一日的重复。

He learned that Malee rose earliest and that this was the signal for the household to come alive.

他知道了玛丽起得最早，而这正是这个家开始苏醒的信号。

He learned that Somchai left on his motorbike each morning at half past six and that this departure was unremarkable.

他知道了宋猜每天早晨六点半骑摩托车离开，这样的离开平淡无奇。

He learned that Nipa left later, with her school bag, and that this departure was different — this one required watching.

他知道了妮帕走得更晚，背着书包，而这一场离开与众不同——这一场，需要目送。

He would follow her to the gate each morning.

每天早晨他都会跟着她走到大门口。

Not in distress, not with any display of reluctance, but as a matter of form — he saw her to the edge of their world and then sat and watched until she was gone.

不是出于焦虑，也没有任何不舍的表示，而是出于一种仪式感——他将她送到他们世界的边缘，然后坐下来望着，直到她的身影消失。

Vocabulary

院子: yuànzi — Courtyard or yard outside a house.
里: lǐ — Inside; within a place or time.
有: yǒu — To have; there is/are.
两棵: liǎng kē — Two (trees or plants); measure word for plants.
老: lǎo — Old; aged; long-established.
芒果树: mángguǒ shù — Mango tree; tropical fruit-bearing tree.
在: zài — At; in; located at a place.
草地: cǎodì — Lawn or grassy ground area.
上: shàng — On top of; above a surface.
投下: tóu xià — To cast down; to project a shadow.
形状: xíngzhuàng — Shape; the form or outline of something.
不规则: bù guīzé — Irregular; not following a regular pattern.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or description.
阴影: yīnyǐng — Shadow; a dark area blocked from light.
篱笆: líba — Fence or hedge made of woven material.
边: biān — Side; edge; beside something.
种着: zhòng zhe — Growing; planted and currently growing there.
鸡蛋花: jīdànhuā — Plumeria flower; fragrant tropical flower, also frangipani.
炎热: yánrè — Scorching hot; intensely hot weather.
月份: yuèfèn — Month; a specific month of the year.
开放: kāifàng — To bloom; to open up, as flowers do.
落下: luò xià — To fall down; to drop to the ground.
白色: báisè — White color; the color white.
和: hé — And; connecting two items or ideas.
黄色: huángsè — Yellow color; the color yellow.
花朵: huāduǒ — Flower; a blossom of a plant.
最初: zuìchū — At first; in the very beginning.
几周: jǐ zhōu — Several weeks; a few weeks of time.
忍不住: rěn bu zhù — Cannot help but; unable to resist doing something.
一遍遍: yī biàn biàn — Over and over again; repeatedly.
去: qù — To go; to move toward a place.
探究: tànjīu — To investigate; to explore and examine carefully.
他: tā — He; third-person singular male pronoun.
会: huì — Will; can; expressing ability or likelihood.
轻轻: qīngqīng — Gently; softly; with light touch or force.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
用: yòng — To use; to employ something as a tool.
鼻子: bízi — Nose; the organ used for smelling.
嗅: xiù — To sniff; to smell something carefully.
它们: tāmen — They/them; third-person plural for non-humans.
仿佛: fǎngfú — As if; seemingly; it seems like.
查看: chákàn — To check; to examine or inspect something.
是否: shìfǒu — Whether or not; used to pose a question.
还: hái — Still; yet; also; continuing a state.
活着: huó zhe — To be alive; living and still breathing.
然后: rán hòu — Then; afterwards; indicating the next step.
离开: líkāi — To leave; to depart from a place.
再: zài — Again; once more; additionally.
找: zhǎo — To look for; to search for something.
下一朵: xià yī duǒ — The next one (flower); the following blossom.
天气: tiānqì — Weather; the atmospheric conditions outside.
允许: yǔnxǔ — To permit; to allow something to happen.
时候: shíhou — Time; moment; when a situation occurs.
一家人: yī jiārén — The whole family; all family members together.
就: jiù — Then; just; indicating a logical consequence.
门廊: ménláng — Porch; a covered entrance area of a house.
吃: chī — To eat; to consume food.
晚饭: wǎnfàn — Dinner; the evening meal of the day.
而: ér — And; but; a conjunction linking clauses.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this; in this way or manner.
占了: zhàn le — Took up; occupied a portion of something.
一年: yī nián — One year; a full twelve-month period.
中: zhōng — Among; within; in the middle of.
大部分: dà bùfen — Most; the majority or greater part of something.
时间: shíjiān — Time; a period or duration of time.
父亲: fùqīn — Father; a formal word for one's dad.
多年前: duō nián qián — Many years ago; in the distant past.
那里: nàlǐ — There; at that place or location.
做了: zuò le — Made; completed the making of something.
一张: yī zhāng — One (flat object); measure word for tables or sheets.
矮桌: ǎi zhuō — Low table; a short, low-standing table.
桌面: zhuōmiàn — Tabletop; the flat surface of a table.
因: yīn — Because of; due to a cause or reason.
风吹日晒: fēng chuī rì shài — Exposure to wind and sun; weathered by elements.
长年: cháng nián — For many years; over a long period of time.
使用: shǐyòng — To use; to make use of something.
变得: biàn de — To become; to change into a certain state.
深暗: shēn àn — Dark and deep in color; deeply darkened.
吃过: chī guò — Have eaten; experienced eating many times.
太多顿: tài duō dùn — Too many meals; an excessive number of meals.
饭: fàn — Meal; cooked rice or food in general.
它: tā — It; third-person pronoun for objects or animals.
早已: zǎo yǐ — Long since; already for a long time.
不再: bù zài — No longer; not anymore; ceased to be.
只是: zhǐshì — Just; merely; only a certain thing.
一件: yī jiàn — One item; measure word for objects or matters.
家具: jiājù — Furniture; household items like tables and chairs.
成了: chéng le — Became; turned into something else over time.
某种: mǒu zhǒng — A certain kind; some type of something.
固定: gùdìng — Fixed; permanent; established in a stable position.
存在: cúnzài — Existence; to exist or be present somewhere.
像: xiàng — Like; to resemble; similar to something.
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to previously mentioned items.
树: shù — Tree; a large woody perennial plant.
一样: yīyàng — The same; identical; just like something else.
恒久: héngjiǔ — Eternal; lasting forever; permanently enduring.
很快: hěn kuài — Very quickly; soon; in a short time.
明白了: míngbai le — Understood; came to realize or comprehend something.
意味着: yìwèi zhe — To mean; to signify or imply something.
残羹剩菜: cán gēng shèng cài — Leftovers; food remaining after a meal.
需要: xūyào — To need; to require something necessary.
耐心: nàixīn — Patience; the ability to wait calmly.
桌子: zhuōzi — Table; a piece of furniture with a flat top.
边缘: biānyuán — Edge; the border or rim of something.
附近: fùjìn — Nearby; in the vicinity of a place.
纹丝不动: wén sī bù dòng — Perfectly still; not moving even slightly.
坐着: zuò zhe — Sitting; in a seated position continuously.
摆出: bǎi chū — To put on; to display a certain expression.
一副: yī fù — A look of; measure word for facial expressions.
刻意: kèyì — Deliberately; on purpose; with intentional effort.
保持: bǎochí — To maintain; to keep a state or position.
中立: zhōnglì — Neutral; not taking any side or position.
神情: shénqíng — Expression; the look on someone's face.
尽管: jǐnguǎn — Even though; despite; in spite of something.
这: zhè — This; referring to something nearby or just mentioned.
骗不了: piàn bu liǎo — Cannot fool; unable to deceive anyone.
任何人: rènhérén — Anyone; any person at all.
那: nà — That; referring to something distant or previously mentioned.
几个月: jǐ gè yuè — Several months; a few months of time.
学会了: xué huì le — Learned; successfully mastered a skill or knowledge.
这个: zhège — This; this particular thing or person.
家: jiā — Home; family; household.
节奏: jiézòu — Rhythm; pace; the regular pattern of activity.
就像: jiù xiàng — Just like; exactly as; similar to.
孩子: háizi — Child; a young person or kid.
学: xué — To learn; to study or acquire knowledge.
语言: yǔyán — Language; a system of communication used by people.
不是: bù shì — Is not; negating identity or description.
通过: tōngguò — Through; by means of; via a method.
教导: jiāodǎo — Instruction; teaching and guiding someone formally.
而是: ér shì — But rather; instead it is something else.
浸润: jìnrùn — Immersion; soaking in gradually through exposure.
日复一日: rì fù yī rì — Day after day; repeatedly every single day.
重复: chóngfù — Repetition; to repeat something over again.
知道了: zhīdào le — Came to know; learned or discovered a fact.
起得: qǐ de — Gets up; rises from bed at a time.
最早: zuì zǎo — The earliest; first to wake or arrive.
正是: zhèng shì — Exactly; it is precisely; this is the moment.
开始: kāishǐ — To begin; the start of something.
苏醒: sūxǐng — To wake up; to regain consciousness or alertness.
信号: xìnhào — Signal; a sign indicating something is starting.
每天: měitiān — Every day; daily; each and every day.
早晨: zǎochen — Morning; the early part of the day.
六点半: liù diǎn bàn — Six thirty; half past six o'clock.
骑: qí — To ride; to sit on and travel by vehicle.
摩托车: mótuōchē — Motorcycle; a two-wheeled motorized vehicle.
平淡无奇: píng dàn wú qí — Ordinary; plain and unremarkable; nothing special.
走得: zǒu de — Leaves; departs at a certain time or manner.
更晚: gèng wǎn — Even later; at a later time than someone.
背着: bēi zhe — Carrying on one's back; wearing a backpack.
书包: shūbāo — School bag; backpack used for carrying books.
一场: yī chǎng — One instance of; measure word for events or performances.
与众不同: yǔ zhòng bù tóng — Unique; different from everyone else; standing out.
目送: mùsòng — To watch someone leave; to see off with eyes.
都会: dōu huì — Always would; invariably does something.
跟着: gēn zhe — Following; going along behind someone.
她: tā — She; third-person singular female pronoun.
走到: zǒu dào — To walk to; to reach a place on foot.
大门口: dàménkǒu — Main entrance; the front gate of a property.
出于: chūyú — Out of; arising from a feeling or motive.
焦虑: jiāolǜ — Anxiety; a feeling of worry and unease.
也: yě — Also; too; as well; additionally.
没有: méiyǒu — Do not have; there is no; lacking something.
任何: rènhé — Any; whatever; used in negative or question contexts.
不舍: bù shě — Reluctance to part; unwilling to say goodbye.
表示: biǎoshì — To express; to indicate a feeling or meaning.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; one type of something.
仪式感: yíshì gǎn — Sense of ritual; feeling that an act is ceremonious.
将: jiāng — To send; formal word indicating future or direction.
送到: sòng dào — To send to; to escort someone to a place.
他们: tāmen — They/them; third-person plural pronoun.
世界: shìjiè — World; the realm or domain one belongs to.
坐下来: zuò xià lái — To sit down; to take a seated position.
望着: wàng zhe — Gazing at; watching continuously in a direction.
直到: zhídào — Until; up to the point that something happens.
身影: shēnyǐng — Silhouette; the figure or shadow of a person.
消失: xiāoshī — To disappear; to vanish from sight.

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