新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
8 P; e; D- G$ g3 Y        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
3 a! F, \3 z+ ^' R, Q% r/ F18. 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。
3 p1 n8 t; L7 m6 z# N9 r19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
" l: E& |  G/ Z8 g, N5 q6 k        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。
4 z( Q7 v" a. G* G) V! M20. 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.
; w3 V3 F' A6 Z" `        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
3 p. r# r) g) f1 w22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
& y* a: c2 j8 n3 V9 r9 E        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。
23. 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.
6 w) @! N5 \$ y, {        “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.
9 |7 z9 j3 A- I1 }5 }0 L) l        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
# o% W. u5 B0 W) H3 _5 ^" C2 k26. 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。
27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
% c0 y" O& k1 J2 @) m        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，
29. You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.
/ }6 N! a, G/ e7 ^        “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.
4 {. Y$ b: _4 {        “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.
" X* W( P  ]0 {! N6 j; T        “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.
( R! T/ ^4 R. G! j- }" V        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
, h$ u0 o! y7 G* T1 m34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
. |8 Y# O7 f+ F2 I2 D- |        “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。”