新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
! Q" b# A% m  ~" s7 w+ O        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
9 x3 J' x: H" Q& C        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
: V1 K0 q' h' [5 F2 s        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
- p# n: t$ Z1 Q5 {0 a' Y1 Z. \20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
- h3 ]9 y- M& [4 ]! J        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
6 v2 l4 O' P# ^% n% M21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
9 M' y9 ]# D. T2 ^2 H( P3 b        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
1 Z" J8 j" O$ K5 U1 e1 Z, ?22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
! ]5 f3 @" L9 p4 E5 l; e- v        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.
% Z; H; n3 U. F. q        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。
25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
2 x, R2 F9 g9 @9 x6 y. ~# s        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
: g: Q, [  u9 p7 l/ m: d26. 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。
1 K: z, r0 K! b: C2 k4 _27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
4 ^' L+ _1 A  d: r$ F$ M4 G        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，
" p# h5 S$ u8 W6 b29. 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。
+ [, c& R) y0 Q& z5 Q# X30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
  z3 \% y4 m' \* M6 {8 r        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
. k; g  f$ n% ~        “问题就在这里，牧师，”比尔回答说。
8 q; b2 h5 ^! Z& U32. 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.
: U$ h& ^% s) \8 x        “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.
6 ?3 J5 h" l8 }* X" ~+ Z- V7 {        “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.
, i: F+ n7 \+ F! v  I+ U        “13下是不如1下好，但总比1下也不敲强。
. v% H; M0 {; g  L2 P  B35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
; Y7 Q5 ]" H, |. d  a" f- |        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”