新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
* v; G: q! f. x5 Y+ q, m0 H9 i        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
* r/ U9 A" O" k1 ]  Z18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
- }0 ?% K, l( D8 y0 A19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
; O1 |' m0 x1 q5 r6 [: v        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
2 b; m. T7 R8 c) b, q" k20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
/ a! ?! S( Z7 q. K21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
4 R4 Z6 d& a# \: ~+ e22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
        牧师拿着一支电筒走上钟楼想去看看究竟发生了什么事情。
* L- H$ _0 Y" U0 E6 x6 Y5 W# K- a23. 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.
        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
& H8 Q5 H+ ]$ x/ x, i5 R25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
/ V" y( s; S- ]26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
0 \: \7 W0 h, I5 l: J8 X- ]        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
: }5 i$ N3 I- I% t1 s& |( Z3 [27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
7 g% C2 d& O3 O+ x9 l. }4 ?+ ^        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
& Y) t2 Q' q  X6 g  G        “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 n6 l3 k' G- 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.
        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
) S2 x. X0 l6 v' d# L  F7 K4 {1 e        “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.
' c1 S6 J. y# p2 [6 G        “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。
( M% n8 {. c% A4 D9 ?6 _+ A( ^35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”