新概念英語(yǔ)作為家喻戶曉的英文學(xué)習(xí)教材，《新概念英語(yǔ)》在中國(guó)經(jīng)久不衰，影響了好幾代學(xué)習(xí)者。即使以今天的角度來看，這套出版于幾十年前的教材無(wú)論是在編排體系，題材和題材，詞匯還是語(yǔ)法上都有出彩之處，值得各個(gè)層次的人學(xué)習(xí)。
Lesson2 Thirteen equals one十三等于一
新概念3課文內(nèi)容：
Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
One night, however, our vicar work up with a start: the clock was striking the hours! Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock, but the bell struck thirteen times before it stopped. Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Wilkins, our local grocer.
'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
'I'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill. 'I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now. You see, I was hoping to give you a surprise.'
'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar. 'You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well. Still, I'm glad the bell is working again.'
That's the trouble, vicar,' answered Bill. '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."
We'll get used to that, Bill,' said the vicar. "Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea."
新概念英語(yǔ)3逐句精講：
1.Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
我們教區(qū)的牧師總是為各種各樣的事籌集資金，但始終未能籌組資金把教堂的鐘修好。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)1:句子結(jié)構(gòu)分析:but連接兩個(gè)轉(zhuǎn)折關(guān)系的并列句，轉(zhuǎn)折的目的一般為否定前一個(gè)分句的意思，多為閱讀中的考點(diǎn)。to have the church clock repaired作目的狀語(yǔ)。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)2:for one reason or another表示說不清楚的原因或者不想一一說明的原因。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)3:manage to do sth是“設(shè)法做某事”的意思。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)4:在have the church clock repaired中，have sth done表示“讓別人做某事”。
2.The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.
教堂的鐘很大，以前不分晝夜打點(diǎn)報(bào)時(shí)，但在很多年前遭到毀壞，從此便無(wú)聲無(wú)息了。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)1:句子結(jié)構(gòu)分析:which引導(dǎo)定語(yǔ)從句，修飾clock。第二個(gè)and連接兩個(gè)并列的分句，說明大鐘前后兩種截然不同的情況。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)2:在used to strike the hours中，used to do sth表示過去常常做某事而現(xiàn)在不再做了。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)3:day and night表示“日日夜夜地”。
3.One night, however, our vicar work up with a start: the clock was striking the hours!
一天夜里，我們的牧師突然被驚醒了，大鐘又在“打點(diǎn)”報(bào)時(shí)了！
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)1:句子結(jié)構(gòu)分析:however表示轉(zhuǎn)折。With a start接冒號(hào)及一個(gè)解釋性的從句，說明牧師被驚醒的原因。
語(yǔ)言點(diǎn)2:由strike the hours還可以引申學(xué)習(xí)以下短語(yǔ):
Strike the clock 敲鐘
Beat/play a drum 打鼓
Ring the bell 搖鈴
Alarm clock 鬧鐘