新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
: [1 d6 @5 N9 ?0 S; P18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
9 S% p0 {. X, A/ O0 M& s1 F19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
+ G4 [& |/ c8 z# F" p        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
5 b) P8 q. Q  Q9 H% A/ O( C22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
        牧师拿着一支电筒走上钟楼想去看看究竟发生了什么事情。
% J  s7 F+ [( G' O, ~23. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.
2 l7 B- g+ M- W        借着电筒光。他看见一个人，马上认出那是本地杂货店主经比尔.威尔金斯。
24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
% K0 S7 v( }& K7 t2 \: \25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
) L% D# v, @3 w+ G+ f6 A26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
& z: r  u/ D! l4 [3 y/ U        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
2 x1 q/ E5 Z$ v  T6 X: r        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
( _# M, {+ e% d! N- p# C28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
        “你确实使我大吃了一惊！”牧师说，
29. You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
' ?, G) a7 T! m% 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.
( R! [; o% o8 }" d        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
% q: U7 ~, |" y/ M8 |31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
        “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.
        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
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。
9 o6 M' j: W- v: W0 \7 b5 Z" Y35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”