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English → Chinese Petals Before the Rains Return Level 5/10

What she did remark on, in the evenings when Nipa's father called from the engineering project up north where he had been stationed for the past year, was that the dog was settling in well.

她确实提到的一件事，是在每天傍晚尼帕的父亲从北方工程项目打来电话时——他在那里已经驻扎了整整一年——她说那只狗适应得很好。

"He's a good animal," she said into the telephone, her voice carrying its usual careful neutrality on the subject of anything that had happened while her husband was away and that she had allowed without fully intending to.

"它是只好动物，"她对着电话说，语气中带着她一贯的小心翼翼的中立——每当谈及丈夫不在家期间发生的、而她并非出于完全有意的决定所允许的事情时，她总是这样的语气。

"Very calm. Nipa is pleased."

"非常安静。尼帕很喜欢它。"

On the other end of the line, her husband said something that made her laugh, and Nipa, doing her homework at the kitchen table, looked up and tried to read her mother's face.

电话那头，丈夫说了什么让她笑了起来，正在厨房餐桌上做作业的尼帕抬起头，试图从母亲的脸上读出些什么。

Malee had turned toward the window so her expression was hidden.

玛莉已经转向窗户，表情因此被遮住了。

But her shoulders had relaxed, and that was usually enough.

但她的双肩已经放松下来，这通常就足够了。

The house itself was easier to understand than its people.

这座房子本身比住在其中的人更容易读懂。

Nipa's grandfather had built it in the years after the war from teak he had sourced slowly, beam by beam, using connections he'd made during a period of his life he never fully explained.

尼帕的外祖父在战后那些年里建造了它，所用的柚木是他一根一根梁地慢慢搜集来的，靠的是他在人生某个从未完全说清楚的时期所结下的关系。

The result was a house that had a certain weight to it, a gravity that newer houses did not have — as though the wood remembered the trees it had come from and had brought something of that patience into its new form.

由此建成的房子有一种特殊的分量，一种新式房屋所没有的厚重感——仿佛木头还记得它们曾经是哪些树，并将那种耐久的气息带入了新的形态之中。

The floors were wide-planked and darkened by decades of feet and oil and the particular quality of northern light that came through the shuttered windows each afternoon at a long, low angle.

地板铺着宽木板，被数十年的脚步、油脂，以及每天下午从百叶窗缝隙中以低斜角度透入的北方特有光线，染成了深沉的颜色。

The terracotta roof had been repaired twice since her grandfather's time but the main beams were original, and on hot still nights you could sometimes hear the wood contracting, small sounds like whispered corrections.

陶土屋顶自外祖父那个年代起已修缮过两次，但主梁仍是原来的，在燥热寂静的夜晚，有时能听见木头收缩发出的声音，细碎而轻微，像是低声吐出的更正。

Khao slept at the foot of Nipa's bed and did not mind the sounds.

考睡在尼帕床尾，对那些声音毫不在意。

Vocabulary

她: tā — Third person singular feminine pronoun: she, her.
确实: quèshí — Indeed, truly; used to affirm something is correct.
提到: tídào — To mention, bring up a topic in conversation.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
一件事: yī jiàn shì — One matter, one thing or affair.
是: shì — To be; linking verb indicating identity or existence.
在: zài — At, in, on; indicates location or ongoing action.
每天: měitiān — Every day, daily.
傍晚: bàngwǎn — Dusk, early evening, time around sunset.
父亲: fùqīn — Father; formal word for one's male parent.
从: cóng — From; preposition indicating starting point or origin.
北方: běifāng — The north; northern direction or region.
工程: gōngchéng — Engineering project, construction or technical undertaking.
项目: xiàngmù — Project, program, specific item or undertaking.
打来: dǎlái — To call (phone) to someone here; incoming call.
电话: diànhuà — Telephone, phone call.
时: shí — When, at the time of; temporal indicator.
他: tā — Third person singular masculine pronoun: he, him.
那里: nàlǐ — There, that place.
已经: yǐjīng — Already; indicates action completed before reference time.
驻扎: zhùzhā — To be stationed, posted at a location.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or changed situation.
整整: zhěngzhěng — A full, whole amount of time or quantity; exactly.
一年: yī nián — One year, a full year.
说: shuō — To say, speak, tell.
那只: nà zhī — That (one); measure word for animals or certain objects.
狗: gǒu — Dog.
适应: shìyìng — To adapt, adjust to a new environment or situation.
得: de — Structural particle linking verb to degree complement.
很好: hěn hǎo — Very good, very well.
它: tā — Third person pronoun for animals or inanimate objects.
只: zhǐ — Only, merely, just.
好: hǎo — Good, well; also used as degree intensifier.
动物: dòngwù — Animal, creature.
对着: duìzhe — Facing, directed toward something or someone.
语气: yǔqì — Tone, manner of speaking, attitude in speech.
中: zhōng — In, within, inside; amid something.
带着: dàizhe — Carrying, bearing, having something along.
一贯: yīguàn — Consistent, habitual, always the same way.
小心翼翼: xiǎoxīn yìyì — Very careful, cautious, handling with great delicacy.
中立: zhōnglì — Neutral, not taking sides, impartial stance.
每当: měidāng — Whenever, every time a certain situation occurs.
谈及: tán jí — To touch upon, mention something in conversation.
丈夫: zhàngfu — Husband, one's male spouse.
不在家: bú zài jiā — Not at home, away from home.
期间: qījiān — During a period, within a span of time.
发生: fāshēng — To happen, occur, take place.
而: ér — Conjunction: and, but, yet; linking contrasting clauses.
并非: bìng fēi — Not at all, definitely not; emphatic negation.
出于: chūyú — Stemming from, arising out of a reason or motive.
完全: wánquán — Completely, entirely, fully.
有意: yǒuyì — Intentional, deliberate, done on purpose.
决定: juédìng — Decision, to decide; making a definitive choice.
所: suǒ — Particle used before verbs to nominalize or emphasize.
允许: yǔnxǔ — To permit, allow, give permission for something.
事情: shìqing — Matter, thing, affair, happening.
总是: zǒngshì — Always, invariably, at all times.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this, in this way, such.
非常: fēicháng — Extremely, very, exceptionally.
安静: ānjìng — Quiet, calm, peaceful, silent.
很: hěn — Very, quite; common degree adverb.
喜欢: xǐhuan — To like, enjoy, be fond of.
那头: nà tóu — That one (using animal measure word); that creature.
什么: shénme — What; interrogative pronoun or indefinite reference.
让: ràng — To let, allow, cause someone to do something.
笑: xiào — To laugh, smile, express amusement.
起来: qǐlái — Resultative complement indicating action beginning or arising.
正在: zhèngzài — Currently doing; indicates action in progress right now.
厨房: chúfáng — Kitchen, room used for cooking.
餐桌: cānzhuō — Dining table, table used for eating meals.
上: shàng — On, on top of; indicates surface or position above.
做: zuò — To do, make, perform an action or task.
作业: zuòyè — Homework, schoolwork assignment.
抬起头: táiqǐ tóu — To lift one's head, look up.
试图: shìtú — To attempt, try to do something.
母亲: mǔqīn — Mother; formal word for one's female parent.
脸上: liǎn shàng — On the face, facial expression area.
读出: dúchū — To read out, discern or interpret from something.
些: xiē — Some, a few; indicates indefinite small quantity.
转向: zhuǎn xiàng — To turn toward, shift direction or attention.
窗户: chuānghu — Window.
表情: biǎoqíng — Facial expression, look on one's face.
因此: yīncǐ — Therefore, as a result, consequently.
被: bèi — Passive marker; indicates subject receives the action.
遮住: zhēzhù — To cover up, block, conceal from view.
但: dàn — But, however; conjunction introducing contrast.
双肩: shuāng jiān — Both shoulders, a pair of shoulders.
放松: fàngsōng — To relax, loosen up, release tension.
下来: xiàlái — Complement indicating downward movement or settling.
这: zhè — This; demonstrative pronoun indicating nearby thing.
通常: tōngcháng — Usually, normally, in general circumstances.
就: jiù — Then, just; indicates immediacy or sufficiency.
足够: zúgòu — Enough, sufficient, adequate.
这座: zhè zuò — This (building/mountain); measure word for structures.
房子: fángzi — House, building, residence.
本身: běnshēn — Itself, in itself, by nature.
比: bǐ — Compared to, than; used in comparative sentences.
住在: zhù zài — To live in, reside at a place.
其中: qízhōng — Among them, within it, inside.
人: rén — Person, people, human being.
更: gèng — Even more, still more; comparative intensifier.
容易: róngyì — Easy, simple, not difficult.
读懂: dúdǒng — To read and understand, comprehend through reading.
外祖父: wàizǔfù — Maternal grandfather, mother's father.
战后: zhàn hòu — Post-war, after the war period.
那些: nàxiē — Those; plural demonstrative pronoun for distant things.
年里: nián lǐ — Within those years, during that period of years.
建造: jiànzào — To build, construct a structure.
所用: suǒ yòng — Used for, materials employed in construction.
柚木: yòumù — Teak wood, a durable tropical hardwood.
一根: yī gēn — One (long thin object); measure word for beams, sticks.
梁: liáng — Beam, rafter; structural timber in a building.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb/adjective to verb.
慢慢: mànmàn — Slowly, gradually, little by little.
搜集: sōují — To collect, gather together over time.
来的: lái de — That came from; indicating source or origin of something.
靠的: kào de — Relying on, depending on something to achieve.
人生: rénshēng — Life, one's life journey or experience.
某个: mǒu gè — A certain, some particular (unspecified) one.
从未: cóng wèi — Never ever, at no point in time.
说清楚: shuō qīngchǔ — To explain clearly, make something understood verbally.
时期: shíqī — Period, phase, a span of time.
结下: jiéxià — To form, establish a lasting relationship or bond.
关系: guānxi — Relationship, connection, tie between things or people.
由此: yóucǐ — From this, thereby, as a result of this.
建成: jiànchéng — To complete construction, finish building something.
有: yǒu — To have, possess, there is/are.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of, a type of something.
特殊: tèshū — Special, particular, unusual, out of the ordinary.
分量: fènliàng — Weight, substance, gravitas, sense of importance.
新式: xīnshì — New-style, modern type, contemporary design.
房屋: fángwū — House, building, dwelling structure.
没有: méiyǒu — Do not have, there is no, lacking.
厚重感: hòuzhòng gǎn — Sense of solidity, heaviness, substantial weightiness.
仿佛: fǎngfú — As if, seemingly, as though.
木头: mùtou — Wood, timber, a piece of wood.
还: hái — Still, yet, also; indicating continuation or addition.
记得: jìde — To remember, recall, retain in memory.
它们: tāmen — They, them; third person plural for non-human things.
曾经: céngjīng — Once, formerly, at some point in the past.
哪些: nǎxiē — Which ones; interrogative plural demonstrative.
树: shù — Tree, woody plant.
并将: bìng jiāng — And will, and also; indicates addition of future action.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind of, that type of.
耐久: nàijiǔ — Durable, long-lasting, able to withstand time.
气息: qìxī — Breath, aura, subtle atmosphere or essence.
带入: dài rù — To bring into, carry something into a new place.
新的: xīn de — New, fresh, a new version or form.
形态: xíngtài — Form, shape, state, configuration of something.
之中: zhīzhōng — Within, amid, in the middle of.
地板: dìbǎn — Floor, flooring of a room or building.
铺着: pūzhe — Laid with, spread with; describes flooring covering.
宽: kuān — Wide, broad in measurement.
木板: mùbǎn — Wooden plank, board made of wood.
数十年: shù shí nián — Decades, tens of years.
脚步: jiǎobù — Footsteps, pace, sound or mark of walking.
油脂: yóuzhī — Oil, grease, fat; natural oily substance.
以及: yǐjí — As well as, and also; connecting coordinate elements.
下午: xiàwǔ — Afternoon, the period after noon.
百叶窗: bǎiyèchuāng — Venetian blinds, louvered shutters on windows.
缝隙: fèngxì — Gap, crack, narrow slit or opening.
以: yǐ — With, using, by means of; formal preposition.
角度: jiǎodù — Angle, perspective, degree of inclination.
透入: tòu rù — To penetrate into, filter through and enter.
特有: tèyǒu — Unique to, characteristic of, exclusively belonging.
光线: guāngxiàn — Light, rays of light, lighting condition.
染成: rǎn chéng — To dye into, color something to become a shade.
深沉: shēnchén — Deep, profound; rich and dark in tone or character.
颜色: yánsè — Color, hue, shade.
陶土: táotǔ — Clay, earthen material used in pottery.
屋顶: wūdǐng — Roof, top covering of a house or building.
自: zì — From, since; formal preposition indicating starting point.
那个: nàge — That, that one; singular demonstrative pronoun.
年代: niándài — Era, decade, period in history.
起: qǐ — Starting from, since; indicates beginning of time span.
已: yǐ — Already; formal or literary version of 已经.
修缮: xiūshàn — To repair and restore, renovate a building.
过: guò — Experiential particle; indicates past experience of action.
两次: liǎng cì — Two times, twice.
仍是: réng shì — Still is, remains to be, unchanged.
原来: yuánlái — Original, former; as it originally was.
燥热: zàorè — Hot and dry, parching heat.
寂静: jìjìng — Silent, still, completely quiet.
夜晚: yèwǎn — Night, nighttime, evening hours.
有时: yǒushí — Sometimes, occasionally, at times.
能: néng — Can, be able to, have the ability.
听见: tīngjiàn — To hear, catch the sound of something.
收缩: shōusuō — To contract, shrink, draw inward.
发出: fāchū — To emit, produce a sound or signal.
声音: shēngyīn — Sound, voice, noise.
细碎: xìsuì — Fine and fragmentary, tiny broken pieces or sounds.
轻微: qīngwēi — Slight, minor, faint, not serious.
像是: xiàng shì — Seems like, resembles, as if.
低声: dīshēng — In a low voice, whispering, softly spoken.
吐出: tǔchū — To spit out, breathe out, expel from inside.
更正: gēngzhèng — Correction, rectification of an error.
睡在: shuì zài — To sleep at, be sleeping in a location.
床尾: chuáng wěi — Foot of the bed, end opposite the pillow.
对: duì — Toward, regarding; also means correct.
毫不: háo bù — Not at all, not in the slightest.
在意: zàiyì — To mind, care about, pay attention to.

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