新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
: E- \* C- D8 z, B$ o* N, c7 h17. 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。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
- F0 ?( N( @5 `0 {: G        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
5 z) W7 m+ f9 G4 M0 L' P& S19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
3 y) q, |/ F2 l- s        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!
  U  _" n% a5 ^3 u. T% y        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。
1 o7 n8 i. _4 ?) K$ h8 u+ B. I8 @22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
- v4 }: }7 U: Z) b9 Y        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。
! g! k1 \" g& y$ [/ x2 S% g23. 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.
: p7 A) A) Z# B4 k  ^  f0 D        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
1 S1 G" A" v$ U2 o0 {! ^25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
1 N, r+ d* k5 F+ u        “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.
# a7 T6 C; r/ o, n. 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.
        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
        “你确实使我大吃了一惊！”牧师说，
0 m' ^9 X  ^6 v/ J5 t, s29. 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。
: ~7 M/ M; T' z, p3 q30. 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.
: d( p( M0 G) v* h+ m        “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。”
. }+ ~) z4 O' C4 O3 |33. We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.
        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
3 ?0 l9 a( e+ k" ~# k$ t; R$ s34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
+ l8 K, ]* ]2 x& I4 H. j        “13下是不如1下好，但总比1下也不敲强。
. M. W3 R' G" J$ A- Y) N' z# K' @# L35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
) J4 s. M* r: G. M        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”