新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
9 `& B! ^+ R+ p+ z* |17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
18. but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
* l/ U7 {8 s$ f4 K# y        但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。
! t8 A5 U" o% ?* K7 X; F19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
0 P% \' G+ \& u$ f; ]0 F        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。
3 p. i  i' u% G  Z2 m! n- Z" j20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
  C* s- ^4 G# Z& M; \$ `        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.
1 a1 T. {0 k' q/ b# R) [. k- `5 [% v        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
2 X6 j+ J2 m- b' o0 u! C22. 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。
4 \2 ~: k3 T0 X# ]# K8 T& W23. 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。
  {0 B) _8 M6 r' a) |+ z2 @24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
4 d2 [1 G% T+ D) `5 J% O) O! l8 K        “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.
( i) [# s) K  H) r! J; G        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
4 e( B+ A: c; T+ ]" Q' K26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
# \7 [- z0 B0 L# A" l        “好几个星期了，我天天夜里到钟楼上来。
( M* u+ p3 c+ _- O1 B9 H27. 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.
' O: [# P) n3 P3 `        “也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。
9 D- i% D6 B, u30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
/ g- V* ?' E2 J" M! Z4 o0 p        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
5 D0 b" |$ q# B6 H( ^: J  I$ `( S/ V31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
1 l5 G+ }3 ?  ^* a+ ], w  U: d$ b  M        “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.
3 t* B: j4 c; r+ e# Q3 ~' u        “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.
' V1 |: G; t7 ]0 Z* ^+ G9 k7 q        “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.
) P1 k  t6 b, h" x1 t        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”