英语口语畅谈世界文化之英国86:Big Ben大本钟mp3

英语口语畅谈世界文化

之英国

86 Big Ben 大本钟

C: Chinese student      G: Guide
C:中国学生                     G：导游

C: Big Ben is a lot bigger and more impressive than I thought.
C:大本钟真的比我原来想的更大，更令人难忘。

G: Yes a lot of people say that when they see it for Lhe first Liiiie.
G：是的，很多人第一次见到的时候都这么说。

C: So how tall is it?
C：那它有多高呢？

G: 316 feet. It's one of London's most visible landmarks, especially at night when the clock faces are dluminated.
G：316英尺。它是伦敦最明显的地面标志之一，尤其是在晚上．钟面亮着的时候.

C: Tell me some more about the famous clock fices.
C：给我多说说这个有名的钟而吧。

G: The four dials of the clock are 23 square feet, the minute hand is 14 feet long and each of the twelve Roman numerals is 2 feet high.
G：大本钟的4个钟盘有23平方英尺，分针有14英尺长，而12个罗马数字都有2英尺高。

C: I can see a light on above the clock. What does that mean?
C：我可以看到钟上方亮着灯。那是什么意思？

G: It means that parliament is in session.
G: 耶代表着正在召开议会。

C: So Big Ben is closely associated with the Houses of Parliament?
C:所以大本钟跟英国议会‘的上下两院密切相关了？

G: Yes. There are even prison cells within the clock tower where Members of Parliament can be imprisoned for a breach of parliamentary privilege, though this is rare; the last recorded crue was in 1880.
G：是的。钟楼里甚至还有一些冈室，用来关押那些违背了议会特权的议会成员。不过这样的情况很少发生，最后一次记录的案例发生在1880年。

C: How did Big Ben get its name?
C:大本钟这个名字是怎么来的呢？

G: Most people think that Big Ben is the name of the clock but the name Big Ben actually refers not to the Clock Tower itself. but to the 13 ton bell hung within which was cast in 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in East London. To this day one of the largest bells they have ever cast The bell was named after the first commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin Hall.
G：大多数人都以为“大本”是这个时钟的名字，但实际上它并不是指钟楼本身，而是指里面挂着的13吨重的大钟。它于1858年铸造于伦敦东部的怀特铸钟厂，是迄今为止他们所铸造的最大的钟。该钟以第一个负责此项工程的本杰明·霍尔爵士的名字命名。

C: Has the clock ever stopped?
C:这个钟有没有停过？

G: No. Not even the descruction of the Commons chamber during \Xtorld War II could stop it but once a workman was clealing one of the faces and hung his bucket on onc of the hands and so it was slowed by about 10 minutes.
G：没停过。即使在第二次世界大战期rF议院被炸毁时它都没停。但曾经有一次．一个清洁工在清洁钟面时把水桶挂在了一根指针上，导致它慢了10分钟。

C: How did Big Ben become much loved by the Bntish public?
C:英国老百姓怎么那么喜欢大本钟呢？

G: I chink it started on 31th December 1923 when the BBC first broadcast the chimes of Big Ben over the radio and everybody heard the chimes ring in the New Year.
G：我想事情起因于1923年12月31号BBC电台首次通过广播播放了大本钟的钟声，每个人都听到了新年的钟声。

C: I would love to be here on New Year's eve to hear chem.
C:我也想在除夕到这里听听钟声。

G: You would be very welcome.
G:非常欢迎。

【单词词组】

the last recorded case量后一次记承的寨例
bccome much loved很受喜欢
To this day迄今为止
Ring in the New Year新年的钟声

【背景介绍】

大本钟即伊丽莎白塔，英国伦敦著名古钟，即威斯敏斯特宫报时钟（坐标：51°30′02.2″N, 00°07′28.6″W）英国国会会议厅附属的钟楼，建于1859年。安装在西敏寺桥北议会大厦东侧高95米的钟楼上，钟楼四面的圆形钟盘，直径为6.7米，是伦敦的传统地标。2012年6月，英国宣布将把伦敦著名地标“大本钟”的钟楼改名为“伊丽莎白塔”。