新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
/ u6 s( ^/ J" {1 \  z. |        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
: W, F$ _- x4 B* i- D$ u. R19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
2 |+ s$ H% x" q- U) |20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
1 u; [9 X7 F( P1 A0 [        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
# u* t3 q4 ~4 X4 Z7 y6 o21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
  Q# z1 {* [( I& P: a5 |, o; q& D: q        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
/ i1 G9 |7 p  |& f' }# ~22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
        牧师拿着一支电筒走上钟楼想去看看究竟发生了什么事情。
7 i0 m- x4 A% _5 @6 o* i23. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.
        借着电筒光。他看见一个人，马上认出那是本地杂货店主经比尔.威尔金斯。
24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
8 W% P& p8 ]! J3 ?- \! ^7 N        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
! p( J5 t' C& m7 A0 n25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
5 g3 _0 n) L+ E9 h6 U! O7 l27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
3 E4 V. ~( d) n9 c28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
5 b; v- n7 Q: S" ?+ W2 Y' \        “你确实使我大吃了一惊！”牧师说，
/ E$ p- ?+ {' }8 p" \: @29. You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
% R+ u) q1 s- p% {8 K4 @& v) u        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
# C  h# F2 \/ e; o9 g        “问题就在这里，牧师，”比尔回答说。
32. It's working all right, but I'm afraid that at one o'clock it will strike thirteen times and there's nothing I can do about it.
        “不错，钟能报时了，但是，恐怕每到1点钟，它总要敲13下，对此我已无能为力了。”
33. We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.
0 B, Q5 h) E4 l. S. X( g        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
% ?0 d8 |1 r" f% [. _34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
        “13下是不如1下好，但总比1下也不敲强。
# u+ N2 L8 V- [35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”