新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
* f9 J: T- e( z4 _  k17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
7 k1 ]- z. `4 ?8 z- A18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
# O* L  Y2 c6 q/ ?+ J# h% Z4 G4 K4 F        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
: h3 a& P3 H) Q6 y, b- J6 `& [19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
0 x6 D  R5 F2 E* ]; T        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
7 H; n& i" c' S3 j+ k# v6 D        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
) K' v) x7 {3 |3 p$ X        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
1 e2 n6 p: ~* \/ V- W% \22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
) E4 j- x# D: ^  O        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 O2 k$ Q2 Q- k23. 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.
/ P* I, @7 D, F- F+ s7 {+ G! @        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
- N- C; U& K- \5 ?' Q6 @) Q        “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.
. l5 U! y) I# d) [7 c% D        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
4 _9 h" ?5 \0 p4 m27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
* @& M. L5 e* X% S. l9 }        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
2 `# R$ `% }3 l* e& Q$ l        “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.
        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
9 d5 p. {) S+ u9 W8 r* r2 R/ w30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
+ i5 t0 w: ]0 R+ |# u: {5 g31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
; r9 |0 f) u8 C! j0 [        “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。”
! l4 A% a* C4 O33. 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。
  G$ S4 y7 A7 q) [7 _( P' \35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”