A Picnic with Friends

On Saturday the class has a small picnic in the park. Everyone brings something: fruit, bread, water, or a mat. The weather is not too hot, and the grass is dry after yesterday's sun. Lin Hao sits between Zhao Min and Chen Yu.

星期六，班里在公园有一次小小的野餐。 每个人都带了东西：水果、面包、水，或者一张垫子。 天气不太热，草在昨天的太阳后已经干了。 林浩坐在赵敏和陈宇中间。

They say hello, share oranges, and talk about the week. Someone remembers the broken pencil. Someone remembers the basketball game. Lin Hao tells the story of the water bottle, and they all laugh kindly. Kind words are short, but they work.

他们问好、分橙子，还聊这一周。 有人想起断掉的铅笔，有人想起篮球赛。 林浩讲了水瓶的事，大家善意地笑。 礼貌的话很短，但很有用。

After eating, they play a game: one student says a sentence, and the next student adds one. Soon they have a funny story about a flying shoe and a rainy bus. The teacher records nothing. She only listens and smiles. English today is not a test. It is a picnic language.

吃完后他们做一个游戏：一个同学说一句，下一个再加一句。 很快他们编出一个关于飞鞋和雨中公交车的好笑故事。 老师什么也没录。她只听着，笑着。 今天的英语不是考试，是野餐时的语言。

When it is time to go, they pick up every bag and bottle. "Be kind to the park, too," the teacher says. Lin Hao waves. The week of friends and polite words feels complete. He will read those short sentences until they feel easy in his mouth.

要走时，他们把袋子和瓶子都捡起来。 老师说：“对公园也好一点。” 林浩挥手。朋友和礼貌的这一周，好像画上了句号。 他会把那些短句子读到在嘴里变得顺。