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English → Chinese Roots in Teak and Rain Level 5/10

He was perhaps three weeks into his life at the house when Nipa noticed him raise his head at the sound of the gate before she had heard it herself.

他来到这户人家大约三周后，尼帕注意到他在她自己还没听到的时候，就已经循着大门的声响抬起了头。

She was sitting on the porch steps doing homework, and she looked up only because the puppy moved — that sudden attentive stillness that dogs have, every part of the body redirected toward a single point — and a moment later she heard the latch and then her mother's footsteps on the path.

她正坐在门廊台阶上做作业，抬起头只是因为小狗动了一下——那种狗特有的骤然凝神的静止，身体的每个部分都朝向同一个方向——片刻之后她听到了门闩的声音，紧接着是她母亲走在小路上的脚步声。

Malee was returning from the market with a cloth bag in each hand, and she looked down at Khao sitting at attention at the bottom of the steps and said, without breaking stride, "Don't look at me like that. I didn't bring you anything."

玛丽两手各提着一个布袋从市场回来，她低头看了看坐在台阶底部、正襟危坐的考，头也不停地说："别用那种眼神看我。我没给你带任何东西。"

She had, of course.

她当然带了。

A small piece of dried fish, wrapped in paper and tucked inside one of the bags.

一小块干鱼，用纸包好，塞在其中一个袋子里。

She gave it to him later in the kitchen, away from Nipa, as though the gesture required privacy.

她后来在厨房里把东西给了他，避开了尼帕，仿佛这个举动需要私下进行。

These small recalibrations were happening all the time, in ways neither of them announced.

这些细小的调整一直在悄悄发生，双方都没有明说。

The rule about staying outside had been revised, without discussion, to a rule about staying off the furniture.

关于待在外面的规定，在没有任何商量的情况下，已经悄然改成了不许上家具的规定。

The rule about staying off the furniture was currently under quiet renegotiation, with Khao advancing his case each evening by settling as close to the base of the sofa as the law would allow and looking at no one in particular.

关于不许上家具的规定目前正在悄悄地重新谈判，考每天晚上都在推进他的主张——尽可能靠近规则所允许的沙发底部蜷下身子，眼神漫不经心地望着虚空。

Nipa did not push.

尼帕没有催促。

She had waited four years; she understood that the best approach to her mother's resistance was patience and the appearance of indifference.

她已经等了四年；她明白，应对母亲的抵触最好的办法就是耐心等待，表现出一副无所谓的样子。

What she had not expected was how completely Khao seemed to understand this too.

她没有料到的是，考似乎也完全明白这一点。

He was not a pushy puppy.

他不是一只爱撒娇逼人的小狗。

Vocabulary

来到: lái dào — To arrive at or come to a place.
这户: zhè hù — This household or this particular family unit.
人家: rén jiā — A household, family, or other people's home.
大约: dà yuē — Approximately, roughly, or about a certain amount.
三周: sān zhōu — Three weeks, a period of twenty-one days.
后: hòu — After, later, or behind in time or space.
注意到: zhù yì dào — To notice or become aware of something.
自己: zì jǐ — Oneself, one's own self or personal identity.
还没: hái méi — Not yet; indicates something has not happened yet.
听到: tīng dào — To hear or catch the sound of something.
时候: shí hou — A point in time, moment, or period when something occurs.
就已经: jiù yǐ jīng — Already at that point, even before something else happened.
循着: xún zhe — Following along, tracing in the direction of something.
大门: dà mén — Main gate or front door of a house or compound.
声响: shēng xiǎng — A sound, noise, or audible disturbance from somewhere.
抬起: tái qǐ — To lift up or raise something, such as one's head.
正: zhèng — Just, right at this moment, currently in the middle of.
坐在: zuò zài — To be sitting at or on a particular place.
门廊: mén láng — A porch, veranda, or covered entrance to a building.
台阶: tái jiē — Steps or stairs leading up to a building's entrance.
作业: zuò yè — Homework or assignments given to students for completion.
只是: zhǐ shì — It's just that, merely, or simply because of something.
小狗: xiǎo gǒu — A small dog or puppy, a young or little dog.
动了: dòng le — Moved or made a movement; began to stir slightly.
一下: yī xià — Once, a brief moment, or a single quick action.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind of, that type of, referring to a specific sort.
特有: tè yǒu — Unique to, characteristic of, or exclusive to something.
骤然: zhòu rán — Suddenly, abruptly, all at once without warning.
凝神: níng shén — To fix one's attention, concentrate intently on something.
静止: jìng zhǐ — To be still, motionless, in a state of no movement.
身体: shēn tǐ — The body, physical form of a person or animal.
每个: měi gè — Every, each one of a group or set of things.
部分: bù fen — Part, portion, or section of a whole thing.
朝向: cháo xiàng — Facing toward, oriented in the direction of something.
同一个: tóng yī gè — The same one, identical, referring to one shared thing.
方向: fāng xiàng — Direction, the course or orientation toward something.
片刻: piàn kè — A brief moment, a short while, a fleeting instant.
之后: zhī hòu — After, afterward, following a particular event or time.
门闩: mén shuān — A door bolt or latch used to secure a gate.
声音: shēng yīn — Sound, voice, or any audible noise produced by something.
紧接着: jǐn jiē zhe — Immediately following, right after, closely succeeding something.
母亲: mǔ qīn — Mother, a formal word for one's female parent.
走在: zǒu zài — Walking on or along a particular path or surface.
小路: xiǎo lù — A small path, lane, or narrow walkway.
脚步声: jiǎo bù shēng — The sound of footsteps walking on a surface.
两手: liǎng shǒu — Both hands, the two hands together carrying something.
各: gè — Each, respectively, every one on its own side.
提着: tí zhe — Carrying by hand, holding something suspended in hand.
布袋: bù dài — A cloth bag or fabric sack used for carrying items.
市场: shì chǎng — A market, marketplace where goods are bought and sold.
回来: huí lái — To come back, return to a previous place.
低头: dī tóu — To lower one's head, bow the head downward.
看了看: kàn le kàn — Took a look, glanced briefly at something.
底部: dǐ bù — The bottom part or base of an object or container.
正襟危坐: zhèng jīn wēi zuò — To sit up straight and proper, with dignified posture.
考: kǎo — To examine, test, or think over something carefully.
头也不停: tóu yě bù tíng — Without pausing or lifting one's head, continuously.
别: bié — Don't; an imperative to not do something.
眼神: yǎn shén — The expression in one's eyes, one's gaze or look.
没给: méi gěi — Did not give, failed to bring something for someone.
带: dài — To bring, carry, or take something along with you.
任何: rèn hé — Any, whatever, whichever; referring to no specific thing.
当然: dāng rán — Of course, naturally, it goes without saying.
带了: dài le — Did bring along, carried something to a destination.
一小块: yī xiǎo kuài — A small piece or chunk of something edible.
干鱼: gān yú — Dried fish, fish preserved by drying or salting.
用纸: yòng zhǐ — Using paper, wrapped in paper as packaging material.
包好: bāo hǎo — Wrapped up well, properly enclosed in wrapping material.
塞在: sāi zài — Stuffed or tucked into a place or container.
其中: qí zhōng — Among them, within it, inside one of the items.
袋子: dài zi — A bag, sack, or pouch used for carrying things.
后来: hòu lái — Later on, afterward, subsequently in the story.
厨房: chú fáng — A kitchen, the room where food is prepared.
把: bǎ — Disposal marker indicating an object is acted upon.
给了: gěi le — Gave, handed over something to someone.
避开: bì kāi — To avoid, keep away from, or steer clear of something.
仿佛: fǎng fú — As if, seemingly, as though something were the case.
举动: jǔ dòng — An action, move, or gesture performed by someone.
需要: xū yào — To need, require, or have a necessity for something.
私下: sī xià — In private, secretly, away from public or others' knowledge.
进行: jìn xíng — To carry out, conduct, or proceed with an activity.
这些: zhè xiē — These, referring to multiple nearby or mentioned things.
细小: xì xiǎo — Tiny, minute, very small and subtle in nature.
调整: tiáo zhěng — Adjustment, modification, or fine-tuning of something.
一直: yī zhí — All along, continuously, the whole time without stopping.
悄悄: qiāo qiāo — Quietly, stealthily, without making noise or drawing attention.
发生: fā shēng — To happen, occur, take place as an event.
双方: shuāng fāng — Both parties, both sides involved in a situation.
明说: míng shuō — To state explicitly, say something openly and directly.
关于: guān yú — About, regarding, concerning a particular topic or matter.
待在: dāi zài — To stay in or remain at a particular place.
外面: wài miàn — Outside, the exterior area beyond a boundary or wall.
规定: guī dìng — A rule, regulation, or stipulated requirement.
商量: shāng liang — To discuss, consult, or negotiate something with someone.
情况下: qíng kuàng xià — Under the circumstances, in a particular situation or condition.
已经: yǐ jīng — Already, indicating something has happened before now.
悄然: qiāo rán — Quietly, silently, in a hushed and unnoticed manner.
改成: gǎi chéng — Changed into, altered to become something different.
不许: bù xǔ — Not allowed, prohibited, forbidden to do something.
家具: jiā jù — Furniture, household items like sofas, tables, chairs.
目前: mù qián — Currently, at present, at this point in time.
正在: zhèng zài — Currently in the process of, right now doing something.
重新: chóng xīn — Again, anew, starting over or doing something afresh.
谈判: tán pàn — Negotiation, talks between parties to reach an agreement.
每天: měi tiān — Every day, daily, on a day-to-day basis.
晚上: wǎn shang — Evening, nighttime, the later hours of the day.
都在: dōu zài — All are, everyone is currently engaged in doing something.
推进: tuī jìn — To advance, push forward, or make progress on something.
主张: zhǔ zhāng — A stance, claim, or position one advocates for.
尽可能: jǐn kě néng — As much as possible, to the greatest extent feasible.
靠近: kào jìn — To get close to, approach, or be near something.
规则: guī zé — A rule, guideline, or established principle to follow.
所: suǒ — Particle used before a verb to form a noun phrase.
允许: yǔn xǔ — To allow, permit, or give permission for something.
沙发: shā fā — A sofa, couch, or upholstered seat for sitting.
蜷下: quán xià — To curl up, crouch down into a compact position.
身子: shēn zi — The body, one's physical form, especially in posture.
漫不经心: màn bù jīng xīn — Carelessly, absent-mindedly, without attention or concern.
望着: wàng zhe — Gazing at, staring toward, looking in a direction.
虚空: xū kōng — Emptiness, void, staring into nothingness blankly.
催促: cuī cù — To urge, press, or rush someone to do something.
等了: děng le — Has waited, spent time waiting for something to happen.
四年: sì nián — Four years, a period of forty-eight months.
明白: míng bai — To understand, realize, or be clear about something.
应对: yìng duì — To deal with, respond to, or handle a situation.
抵触: dǐ chù — Resistance, conflict, or opposition against something.
最好: zuì hǎo — The best, most ideal option or approach available.
办法: bàn fǎ — A method, way, or solution to handle a problem.
就是: jiù shì — Is exactly, precisely, it is none other than this.
耐心: nài xīn — Patience, the ability to wait calmly without frustration.
等待: děng dài — To wait, to remain in expectation for something.
表现出: biǎo xiàn chū — To show, display, or express a quality outwardly.
一副: yī fù — An air of, a look of, an expression or manner.
无所谓: wú suǒ wèi — Indifferent, don't care, it doesn't matter attitude.
样子: yàng zi — Appearance, look, manner, or the way something seems.
料到: liào dào — To anticipate, foresee, or predict something in advance.
似乎: sì hū — It seems, apparently, as though something appears to be.
完全: wán quán — Completely, entirely, fully, without any reservation.
这一点: zhè yī diǎn — This point, this particular aspect or fact.
一只: yī zhī — One (animal); measure word for animals like dogs.
撒娇: sā jiāo — To act coy, seek affection, behave in a spoiled way.
逼人: bī rén — Pressing, imposing, or forcing oneself upon others.

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