新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
. o. G2 O; T- E9 f' w9 b0 `17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
' ]. X9 K) `: Y- v! [' c        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
( H; t4 U* b1 `( G' o$ W) S! b19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
* s+ c3 G# Z6 A" [0 A$ y+ o, l0 F4 b6 @        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。
: X# t7 j9 B& j0 P0 z5 H20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
+ \( x- D# Y# ~7 i        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.
- A* q& L( {$ ^* m  \, m0 U        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.
2 ~( f$ O+ G) b9 M/ c7 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。
$ T1 D; Y" Z" ~5 v23. 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.
5 Q& T9 k3 C. `6 L3 u        “你究竟在这上面干什么，比尔?”牧师惊讶地问。
( X  O8 n- K' X; z25. 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
" w" B' n& \; c: C" \8 }+ X+ W5 ~( c; J26. 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.
        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.
        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
1 L& l  ^+ {& r3 z+ Q; N) S8 ~30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
0 H: k& O  d1 `0 U" n; Y  A; Q5 M! D        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
        “问题就在这里，牧师，”比尔回答说。
/ D+ F" u8 k' `4 G# C2 k32. 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.
. y2 b5 _, C3 H) f( ^9 n+ G1 Y        “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。”
5 U' a& C, @6 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.
% m3 Y2 ]2 J# {, N& B+ ~5 Q* {        “13下是不如1下好，但总比1下也不敲强。
7 {, s  Z1 p' @" s& ~35. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.
( f+ s/ S+ o* }/ O% u4 L        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”