The cake 精美英语阅读(带翻译).docVIP

The Cake Cindy glanced nervously at the clock on the kitchen wall. Five minutes before midnight. “They should be home any time now,” she thought as she put the finishing touches on the chocolate cake she was frosting. It was the first time in her 12 years she had tried to make a cake from scratch, and to be honest, it wasn’t exactly an aesthetic triumph. The cake was…well, lumpy. And the frosting was bitter, as if she had run out of sugar or something, which, of course, she had. And then there was the way the kitchen looked. Imagine a huge blender filled with all the fixings for chocolate cake- including the requisite bowls, pans and utensils. Now imagine that the blender is turned on. High speed. With the lid off. Do you get the idea? But Cindy wasn’t thinking about the mess. She had created something, a veritable phoenix of flour and sugar rising out of the kitchen clutter. She was anxious for her parents to return home from their date so she could present her anniversary gift to them. She turned off the kitchen lights and waited excitedly in the darkness. When at last she saw the flash of the car headlights, she positioned herself in the kitchen doorway. By the time she heard the key sliding into the front door, she was THIS CLOSE to expolding. Her parents tried to slip in quietly, but Cindy would have none of that. She flipped on the lights dramatically and trumpeted: ”Ta-daaa!” she gestured grandly toward the kitchen table, where a slightly off-balance two-layer chocolate cake awaited their inspection. But her mother’s eyes never made it all the way to the table. “Just look at this mess !” she moaned. “How many times have I talked to you about cleaning up after yourself?” “But Mom, I was only…” “I should make you clean this up right now, but I’m too tired to stay up with you to make sure you get it done right,” her mother said. “So you’ll do it first thing in the morning.” “Honey,” Cindy’s father interjected gently, “take a look at the table.” “I know- it’s a m