新概念英語第三冊
Lesson 2 Thirteen equals one
1 . 'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill.「我想把這口鍾修好，」比爾回答說。
2 . '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.「不錯，鍾能報時了，但是，恐怕每到1點鐘，它總要敲13下，對此我已無能為力了。」
3 . 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.「你究竟在這上面幹什麼，比爾？」牧師驚訝地問。
4 . Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.'來，咱們下樓去喝杯茶吧。」
5 . Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another,我們教區的牧師總是為各種各樣的事籌集資金。
6 . 'I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.「好幾個星期了，我天天夜裡到鐘樓上來。
7 . Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.'不過，鍾又能報時了，我還是很高興的。」
8 . Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on.牧師拿著一支電筒走上鐘樓想去看看究竟發生了什麼事情。
9 . That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill.「問題就在這裡，牧師，」比爾回答說。
10 . 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.「你確實使我大吃了一驚！」牧師說，
11 . Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped.他一看表，才1點鐘，可是那鍾一邊敲了13下才停。
12 . but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.但始終未能籌足資金把教堂的鍾修好。
13 . 'You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well.「也許同時你把村裡所有的人都吵醒了。
14 . The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.教堂的鍾很大，以前不分晝夜打點報時，但很多年前遭到毀壞，從此便無聲無息了。
15 . One night, however, our vicar work up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!一天夜裡，我們的牧師突然被驚醒了，大鐘又在「打點」報時了！
16 . In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.藉著電筒光。他看見一個人，馬上認出那是本地雜貨店主經比爾。威爾金斯。
17 . We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar.「大家慢慢就習慣了，比爾，」牧師說。
18 . You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.'嗯，我是想讓你大吃一驚。」
19 . Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing.「13下是不如1下好，但總比1下也不敲強。