新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
) O! X9 Y8 u2 K' c17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
+ D1 H0 a& ]& a, n( w7 t- z        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
" g0 S! e& x- |* X+ z5 @18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
' J+ X5 Q9 R  ?2 }) K19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
" {: _& `4 Q! B% y* }+ I        教堂的钟很大，以前不分昼夜打点报时，但很多年前遭到毁坏，从此便无声无息了。
20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
; h6 k" V5 G7 s, Y1 |2 l        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
5 J' B9 A5 [( N# K        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
22. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.
! Z8 C$ J5 A$ u2 j' |0 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。
3 J* K; k* |+ e% b( L5 q23. 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。
2 f+ p. M$ r/ G* s8 {24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
, Z$ X: P% s9 l  ~        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
4 m* ]9 z) E$ u' f8 }25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “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.
        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
& A/ q' @/ \! ]) ~6 ]27. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.
5 f" ]- C8 J' Z6 Y# ^2 E% S  X# s$ ~        嗯，我是想让你大吃一惊。”
28. 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.
) ^- D; n3 W* C$ B; D        “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。
30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
& c& y3 W% f% P: Q0 k# I3 t+ j2 ]+ u        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
% q+ b5 U/ j  S4 E7 Z5 C2 E31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
        “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。”
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.
. S' R* x, B3 L$ l5 U8 @        “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.
: d6 @3 U; N- |# b  A- m        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”