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English → Chinese Roots Before the Leaving Level 5/10

They smelled of old closet and something faintly chemical, like the folded plastic bags her mother kept for market trips.

它们散发着旧衣柜的气味，还有一种隐约的化学气息，像她母亲为去集市而折叠存放的塑料袋。

He stepped carefully over one corner, sniffed the lining, and then went to his place at the foot of the bed and lay down.

他小心翼翼地踩过一个角落，嗅了嗅衬里，然后走到床脚他惯常待的地方躺了下来。

He did not appear troubled.

他看起来并不焦虑。

But that evening, when Nipa sat at her desk doing nothing in particular, Khao came and pressed the full length of his body against her legs, which was something he usually reserved for thunderstorms.

但那天傍晚，妮帕坐在书桌前无所事事时，考走过来，将整个身子紧贴着她的腿，而这通常是他只在雷雨天才会做的事。

She reached down and held his head in both hands the way she had since he was small enough to carry.

她俯身用双手捧住他的头，就像从他小到可以被抱起时她一直做的那样。

"I'm not going yet," she told him.

「我还没走，」她告诉他。

He looked at her steadily with his dark eyes.

他用那双深色的眼睛定定地望着她。

"I'm not going yet," she said again, and it was unclear which of them she was reassuring.

「我还没走，」她又说了一遍，只是不知道她究竟是在安慰他，还是在安慰自己。

Malee had said nothing about the date on the calendar for two weeks.

玛丽两周来对日历上的那个日期只字未提。

This was her way.

这就是她的方式。

She processed things in privacy, at her own pace, and by the time she spoke about something she had usually already made her peace with it — or as much peace as was possible.

她习惯独自消化事情，按自己的节奏，等到她开口谈起某件事时，她通常已经与它和解了——或者说，已经尽可能地和解了。

She cooked more elaborate meals than usual.

她做了比平时更精心的饭菜。

She repaired the screen on Nipa's window, which had been torn since the summer, and she oiled the hinges on the front gate without being asked, and she taught Nipa three recipes she had never bothered to write down, saying only that a person living alone ought to know how to make a proper broth.

她修补了妮帕窗上从夏天起就破损的纱窗，主动给前门的铰链上了油，还教了妮帕三道她从未费心记录下来的食谱，只说一个独居的人应该知道怎么熬一锅像样的高汤。

On the Sunday before Nipa left, they ate dinner on the porch as they always did in the dry season.

在妮帕离开前的那个星期天，她们像旱季时一贯的那样，在门廊上吃了晚饭。

The air had cooled slightly after sunset and smelled of the neighbor's garden — someone growing jasmine, or something that wasn't jasmine but wanted to be.

日落后空气稍稍凉了下来，飘着邻家园子的气息——有人种了茉莉，或者是某种不是茉莉却想成为茉莉的东西。

Vocabulary

它们: tāmen — They/them, referring to non-human things or animals.
散发着: sànfāzhe — Emitting or giving off (smell, light, etc.).
旧: jiù — Old, used, or worn out.
衣柜: yīguì — Wardrobe or clothes cabinet for storing clothing.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or description.
气味: qìwèi — Smell or odor, pleasant or unpleasant.
还有: háiyǒu — Also, and also, in addition there is.
一种: yī zhǒng — A type or kind of something.
隐约: yǐnyuē — Faint, vague, barely perceptible.
化学: huàxué — Chemistry; relating to chemical substances.
气息: qìxī — Breath, scent, or subtle atmosphere.
像: xiàng — Like, resembling, similar to something.
她: tā — She or her, third-person singular female pronoun.
母亲: mǔqīn — Mother, a formal word for one's mother.
为: wèi — For, for the sake of, in order to.
去: qù — To go, to travel to a place.
集市: jíshì — Market or fair where goods are bought and sold.
而: ér — And, but, yet; conjunction connecting clauses.
折叠: zhédié — To fold, to collapse or crease something flat.
存放: cúnfàng — To store or put away for safekeeping.
塑料袋: sùliào dài — Plastic bag used for carrying or storing items.
他: tā — He or him, third-person singular male pronoun.
小心翼翼: xiǎoxīn yìyì — Very carefully and cautiously, with great care.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
踩过: cǎiguò — To step over or tread across something.
一个: yī gè — One (general measure word for objects or people).
角落: jiǎoluò — Corner or nook of a room or space.
嗅了嗅: xiù le xiù — Sniffed briefly, took a quick smell.
衬里: chènlǐ — Lining of a garment or bag interior.
然后: ránhòu — Then, after that, subsequently.
走到: zǒu dào — To walk to, to arrive somewhere on foot.
床脚: chuángjiǎo — Foot or base end of a bed.
惯常: guàncháng — Habitual, usual, customary behavior or place.
地方: dìfang — Place, location, or spot.
躺了: tǎng le — Lay down, reclined (completed action).
下来: xiàlai — Down, directional complement indicating downward action.
看起来: kàn qǐlai — It appears, it seems, looks like.
并不: bìng bù — Not at all, emphatically not.
焦虑: jiāolǜ — Anxious, worried, experiencing anxiety.
但: dàn — But, however, yet; contrasting conjunction.
那天: nà tiān — That day, on that particular day.
傍晚: bàngwǎn — Dusk, early evening, late afternoon time.
坐在: zuò zài — Sitting at or in a location.
书桌前: shūzhuō qián — In front of a desk or writing table.
无所事事: wú suǒ shì shì — Doing nothing, idle with nothing to occupy oneself.
时: shí — When, at the time of, during.
走过来: zǒu guòlai — To walk over, to come toward someone.
将: jiāng — Formal marker placing object before verb.
整个: zhěnggè — Entire, whole, the complete thing.
身子: shēnzi — Body, one's physical body or torso.
紧贴着: jǐn tiēzhe — Pressed closely against, clinging tightly to.
她的: tā de — Her, belonging to her (possessive).
腿: tuǐ — Leg or legs of a person or animal.
这: zhè — This, referring to something nearby or just mentioned.
通常: tōngcháng — Usually, normally, under ordinary circumstances.
是: shì — To be; is, am, are.
只在: zhǐ zài — Only in, only during (a specific condition).
雷雨天: léiyǔ tiān — Thunderstorm day, day with thunder and rain.
才会: cái huì — Only then will, only under that condition.
事: shì — Thing, matter, or affair.
俯身: fǔshēn — To bend down, lean forward over something.
用: yòng — To use, to employ something for a purpose.
双手: shuāngshǒu — Both hands, using two hands together.
捧住: pěng zhù — To cup and hold gently with both hands.
他的: tā de — His, belonging to him (possessive).
头: tóu — Head, the top part of the body.
就像: jiù xiàng — Just like, exactly as if.
从: cóng — From, since, starting from a point.
可以: kěyǐ — Can, may, to be permitted or able.
被: bèi — Passive marker indicating action done to subject.
抱起: bào qǐ — To pick up and hold in one's arms.
一直: yīzhí — Always, all along, continuously until now.
那样: nàyàng — Like that, in that way, that manner.
我: wǒ — I, me, first-person singular pronoun.
还没: hái méi — Haven't yet, still have not done something.
走: zǒu — To walk, to leave, to go away.
告诉: gàosu — To tell, to inform someone of something.
深色: shēnsè — Dark-colored, of a deep or dark hue.
眼睛: yǎnjīng — Eyes, the organs of sight.
定定地: dìngdìng de — Fixedly, steadily, with an unwavering gaze.
望着: wàngzhe — Gazing at, looking steadily toward something.
又: yòu — Again, once more, also.
说了: shuō le — Said (completed action), spoke.
一遍: yī biàn — Once, one time through from start to finish.
只是: zhǐshì — Only, merely, just, simply.
不知道: bù zhīdào — Don't know, unaware of something.
究竟: jiūjìng — Exactly, after all, in the end (emphatic).
安慰: ānwèi — To comfort, to console someone in distress.
还是: háishì — Or, still, or rather (in questions/alternatives).
在: zài — At, in, on; indicating location or ongoing action.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself, self, one's own.
两周: liǎng zhōu — Two weeks, a period of fourteen days.
来: lái — To come; directional or approximate time marker.
对: duì — Toward, regarding, directed at something.
日历上: rìlì shang — On the calendar, marked on a calendar.
那个: nàge — That one, referring to a specific item or person.
日期: rìqī — Date, a specific calendar day.
只字未提: zhī zì wèi tí — Never mentioned a single word about something.
就是: jiùshì — Precisely is, exactly is, that is exactly.
方式: fāngshì — Way, method, manner of doing something.
习惯: xíguàn — Habit, custom; to be accustomed to something.
独自: dúzì — Alone, by oneself, without company.
消化: xiāohuà — To digest; to process emotionally or physically.
事情: shìqíng — Thing, matter, affair, situation.
按: àn — According to, following, in accordance with.
自己的: zìjǐ de — One's own, belonging to oneself.
节奏: jiézòu — Rhythm, pace, tempo of doing things.
等到: děng dào — To wait until, by the time that.
开口: kāikǒu — To open one's mouth, to begin speaking.
谈起: tán qǐ — To bring up, to start talking about a topic.
某件事: mǒu jiàn shì — Some certain matter or thing (unspecified).
已经: yǐjīng — Already, by now, at this point.
和解了: héjiě le — Made peace with, reconciled with something.
或者说: huòzhě shuō — Or rather, to put it another way.
尽可能地: jǐn kěnéng de — As much as possible, to the greatest extent.
做了: zuò le — Did, made, completed an action.
比: bǐ — Compared to, more than (comparative marker).
平时: píngshí — Usually, normally, in ordinary times.
更: gèng — Even more, still more, further degree.
精心的: jīngxīn de — Elaborate, carefully prepared, painstaking.
饭菜: fàncài — Food and dishes, cooked meal.
修补了: xiūbǔ le — Repaired, patched up, mended something.
夏天: xiàtiān — Summer, the hottest season of the year.
起: qǐ — Starting from, since (a time or event).
就: jiù — Then, right away, already (emphasis particle).
破损的: pòsǔn de — Damaged, broken, worn or torn.
纱窗: shāchuāng — Screen window, mesh window covering for ventilation.
主动: zhǔdòng — On one's own initiative, proactively, voluntarily.
给: gěi — To give; for, on behalf of.
前门: qiánmén — Front door, the main entrance of a building.
油: yóu — Oil, grease, or cooking oil.
还: hái — Also, still, in addition, moreover.
教了: jiāo le — Taught, instructed someone (completed action).
从未: cóng wèi — Never, never ever, not once before.
费心: fèixīn — To take the trouble, to bother doing something.
记录: jìlù — To record, to document, written record.
食谱: shípǔ — Recipe, cookbook, cooking instructions.
独居的: dújū de — Living alone, of a person who lives solo.
人: rén — Person, people, human being.
应该: yīnggāi — Should, ought to, it is proper to.
知道: zhīdào — To know, to be aware of something.
怎么: zěnme — How, in what way, by what means.
熬: áo — To simmer or boil slowly for a long time.
一锅: yī guō — One pot (measure word for pot of food).
像样的: xiàngyàng de — Decent, proper, respectable in quality.
高汤: gāotāng — Stock or broth, a rich flavorful cooking liquid.
离开: líkāi — To leave, to depart from a place or person.
星期天: xīngqītiān — Sunday, the last day of the week.
她们: tāmen — They/them, referring to a group of females.
旱季: hànjì — Dry season, the period with little rainfall.
一贯的: yīguàn de — Consistent, habitual, characteristically usual.
门廊上: ménláng shang — On the porch or veranda, front covered area.
吃了: chī le — Ate, finished eating (completed action).
晚饭: wǎnfàn — Dinner, the evening meal.
日落后: rìluò hòu — After sunset, after the sun goes down.
空气: kōngqì — Air, the atmosphere surrounding us.
稍稍: shāoshāo — Slightly, a little bit, somewhat.
凉了: liáng le — Became cool, cooled down (completed change).
飘着: piāozhe — Drifting, floating (of scent or objects in air).
邻家: línjiā — Neighbor's home, the house next door.
有人: yǒu rén — Someone, there is a person who.
种了: zhòng le — Planted, grew (a plant, completed action).
茉莉: mòlì — Jasmine, a fragrant flowering plant.
或者: huòzhě — Or, alternatively, either-or (in statements).
某种: mǒu zhǒng — Some kind of, a certain type of (unspecified).
不是: bùshì — Is not, to not be, negation of identity.
却: què — But, yet, however (expressing contrast).
想: xiǎng — To want, to think, to desire something.
成为: chéngwéi — To become, to turn into something.
东西: dōngxi — Thing, object, stuff (general term).

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