https://online2.tingclass.net/lesson/shi0529/0008/8497/4250B.mp3
https://image.tingclass.net/statics/js/2012
1--I thought Big Ben was a grisly bear when I heard the name for the first time.
2--Oh, that's funny. Really it's one of London's best-known tourist landmarks.
1--Yes, now I know it's the name of the huge clock tower at the House of Parliament.
2--Oh,no, it's not. Most people think Big Ben is the House of Parliament's clock tower, but actually it refers to the bell hung inside the clock tower.
1--Big Ben is the name of a big bell!
2--That's right! It weighs over thirteen tons.
1--Thirteen tons! That's amazing. Why was it called Ben rather than Blake or Bruce?
2--It got its nickname from Sir Benjamin Hall,who supervised its casting.
1--I see. When was Big Ben made?
2--In 1850s,at a foundry in east London.
1--So Big Ben is more than one hundred years old. Does it still work today?
2--Yes. It strikes every hour on the hour with great accuracy.
1--Has it ever stopped ringing?
2--Yes. It stopped a few times for various reasons, but the chimes resumed ringing again over London.
1--It must have a great sound!
2--Yes. When there were air raids over London during the World War II,the chimes of Big Ben brought people comfort and hope.
1--Oh,so Big Ben must be much loved by the British people.
2--Not only the British people but people of various countries too. Now visitors from all over the world come to see it and hear its chimes.
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注解:
1.grisly可怕的
2.best-known最著名的
3.accuracy準(zhǔn)確(性)
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譯文:
1--我第一次聽到別人說“大本鐘”時(shí),還以為是在說一頭可怕的熊呢。
2--哈哈,是嗎?大本鐘可是英國(guó)最有名的旅游景點(diǎn)之一。
1--嗯,現(xiàn)在我知道了,它原來(lái)是指英國(guó)議會(huì)大廈的鐘樓。
2--其實(shí)不是這樣的。很多人都以為大本鐘是指英國(guó)議會(huì)大廈的鐘樓,但它其實(shí)是鐘樓里那口大鐘的名字。
1--原來(lái)“大本鐘”真的是指一口大鐘啊!
2--是的。大本鐘十分巨大,有13多噸重。
1--13噸?真是太驚人了!那它為什么叫“大本”而不是叫“布萊克”或者“布魯斯”之類的呢?
2--大本鐘由當(dāng)年負(fù)責(zé)工務(wù)的專員本杰明?豪爾監(jiān)制,故名“大本”。
1--我知道了,那大本鐘是什么時(shí)候造的呢?
2--它是19世紀(jì)50年代的時(shí)候,在倫敦東部的一個(gè)鑄造廠里造的。
1--那距今也有100多年的歷史了,它現(xiàn)在還能正常工作嗎?
2--能啊,大鐘每逢整點(diǎn)敲響一次,十分精確。
1--每個(gè)小時(shí)都敲響,一次也沒有停過嗎?
2--也由于種種原因停過幾次,但是鐘聲不久就又在倫敦上空響起。
1--大本鐘的鐘聲一定很好聽吧?
2--嗯。即使是第二次世界大戰(zhàn)的時(shí)候,倫敦遭到空襲,大本鐘也會(huì)準(zhǔn)時(shí)響起,深沉而鏗鏘的鐘聲給英國(guó)人民帶去了鼓勵(lì)和希望。
1--難怪大本鐘深受英國(guó)人的喜愛。
2--不僅深受英國(guó)人喜愛,也吸引了各個(gè)國(guó)家的人?,F(xiàn)在世界各地的游客來(lái)到倫敦,一睹大本鐘的風(fēng)采,聆聽它的鐘聲。