新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）---课2

ltlong52010

$课文2  十三等于一
17. Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,
. M' P# [+ x" A# \$ y- l( D$ U5 N        我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金。
$ A% \. f8 u" x7 r# W- c) H18. 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。
3 p9 Q. @( R, `6 r) r/ w, v4 ]19. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
        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。
& s+ I$ |% M: x+ M, H- C1 n9 m20. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
7 r1 @' \8 ^+ ]! {( t: b" X1 W        一天夜里，我们的牧师突然被惊醒了，大钟又在“打点”报时了！
' \, R- c+ l- b. W21. Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.
2 ]  ^, u" ~8 p" T, W  F9 ~        他一看表，才1点钟，可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。
/ x0 W, G! V; W22. 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。
23. 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。
7 Q, r+ e9 t9 S24. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
# A5 o2 s# b7 ]8 e5 J' F6 V( [& F# ]        “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.
        “我想把这口钟修好，”比尔回答说。
$ U* b. F5 K6 z) A6 y' C% Z26. I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.
$ \" Y' }. ~* f. [. o1 Q" s/ u        “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.
# ^$ [# _$ B& X" M$ S: {# l7 E        “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。
! \' a1 c  K/ r; v30. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.
& I1 ^5 `1 X- M5 o        不过，钟又能报时了，我还是很高兴的。”
2 ^) }/ P7 u' X1 M31. That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.
        “问题就在这里，牧师，”比尔回答说。
9 e8 v& z9 O+ m$ ^8 D: _& r! i: P32. 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。”
* m# w+ p2 O! P% f" ~! o33. We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.
$ L0 d, _' v" h3 D        “大家慢慢就习惯了，比尔，”牧师说。
; ?( u& W) N. T  x; v34. Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.
) a) P. Z3 t7 E0 [        “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.
        来，咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”