新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
+ \% t0 o0 v7 M( A17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
) `' H4 o  d* D, _) O        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
% D8 G7 i0 @+ d+ F1 W  d  v18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
1 N2 s5 ]8 F1 f1 N$ V" n8 }19. 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。
; s, S- C" \3 O3 |20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
& B3 U, x' w9 f$ o+ V5 h5 j6 B        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.
* X7 v( E3 A$ Q8 Q* X" `        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
7 X  _$ U) E/ @% h+ s        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。
# l% `1 R! C" ~2 U6 Y3 I) R3 Z23. 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。
$ J7 c- J2 v( b24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
* Y! C$ P% z) V5 r( \        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
# [7 W8 }0 m7 y# N" I# }25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
" F& O4 h" o3 K, V26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
, {" Y9 O1 p. M- a        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
+ f/ s- Q- j4 [3 o8 V' L; }# K7 c' k27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
  r' G7 g4 }) C2 K! Y28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
        “你确实使我大吃了一惊！”牧师说，
0 E# Q  }2 `: v. _! Y+ g8 t29. You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
2 ^0 d* c8 a8 n6 U2 [2 J30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
! ]( w( }2 R7 W4 G8 l31. 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.
7 q1 a: q; i7 _6 M; _3 G        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
* p5 |, {3 C2 i34. 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。
35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”