本集內容

Working on Big Ben 英國大本鐘維修工程竣工倒計時

學習要點

有關 “clocks（時鐘）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

Why did a crack appear when Big Ben was struck in 1858?

文字稿

Countdown to completion. One of the biggest restoration jobs ever undertaken on a landmark British building is approaching the finish line.

竣工指日可待。有史以來在英國標志性建筑上進行的規模最大的修復工程之一就要接近尾聲。

Ian Westworth, Clock Mechanic 
We are servicing the rollers. This is one of the bits that we couldn’t actually get to and service while the minute hands were on.

伊恩·韋斯特沃思       鐘表修理工
“我們正在維修輪軸。這是當表盤上還裝有分針的時候，我們沒法夠到并維修的部件之一。

Working on this clock would be a once in a lifetime opportunity – to actually have taken it all to pieces, putting it back together again, and then carry on looking after it for a few more years – that’s just going to be fantastic.

維修這座鐘是一個千載難逢的機會，能把它全部拆卸、重新組裝，再做幾年維護，這是一件多棒的事情啊?！?

Tim Muffett, BBC Correspondent
One of the most striking things you notice is the colour of the clock faces. For many years, the minute demarcations, the numbers and the clock hands were painted black. But during the refurbishment, as many layers of paint were stripped away, it became clear that they were originally this shade of blue – it’s called Prussian Blue, and that is what they have been repainted in.

蒂姆·馬菲特       BBC通訊員
“其中一個最明顯的地方是鐘面的顏色。多年來，分鐘的標線、數字和指針都被漆成了黑色。但在這次整修過程中，由于多層油漆被剝去，可以很明顯地看出，它們原本是這種藍色，被稱作普魯士藍，這就是它們被重新涂上的顏色?！?

With the clock mechanism out of action, a computerised system has meant that on special occasions, Big Ben has still been struck.

雖然時鐘的機械裝置無法運轉，但由于還有一套計算機系統，在特殊場合中，大本鐘仍可被敲響。

Mark Collins, Historian
We are standing in the belfry of the Elizabeth Tower, and it was specially constructed so that the chiming bells for the four quarters could be heard right across London.

馬克·柯林斯       歷史學家
“我們正站在伊麗莎白塔的鐘室里，鐘室的特殊結構讓每刻鐘敲響的鐘聲都能傳遍倫敦各地。”

There’s one piece of damage here that’s been deliberately left alone.

這里有一處破損被特意保留下來。

This crack appeared when Big Ben was struck during a test in 1858. The hammer was too heavy, but it gives the bell its unique tone. 

這條裂縫是1858年的一次測試中，大本鐘被敲響時出現的。這是因為鐘錘太沉了，但正是這條裂縫給了大本鐘獨特的音調。

Mark Collins, Historian
It should be ‘E’ – the note E <music note>, but it does give it a slightly flat sound, a very serious sound, in fact. No change to the bell whatsoever because it’s become the familiar, the familiar note.

馬克·柯林斯       歷史學家
“大本鐘的音調本來應該是 E，但這的確令它的聲音聽起來偏低，甚至令它聽起來很莊嚴。人們并沒有對鐘作出改變，因為這個音調已經被大家聽慣了?！?

A much-loved building largely hidden for the past few years, slowly revealing itself once more.

在過去幾年里，這座備受喜愛的建筑大部分被遮住了，而現在它又一次慢慢揭開面紗。

詞匯

hands （鐘表的）指針

demarcations 分界線

belfry 鐘樓，鐘塔

chiming 敲，響

hammer 鐘錘

問題答案

The hammer, which hit the bell, was too heavy.