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Big Ben has rarely gone wrong。 Once； however； it failed to give the correct time。 A painter who had been working on the tower hung a pot of paint on one of the hands and slowed it down！
New words and expressions 生词和短语
parliament n。 议会，国会
erect v。 建起
accurate adj。 准确的
official n。 官员，行政人员
Greenwich n。 格林尼治
observatory n。 天文台
check v。 检查
microphone n。 扩音器，麦克风
tower n。 塔
参考译文
当你游览伦敦时，首先看到的东西之一就是“大本”钟，即那座从英国广播公司的广播中全世界都可以听到它的声音的著名大钟。如果不是国会大厦在1834年被焚毁的话，这座大钟永远也不会建造。“大本”钟得名于本杰明。霍尔爵士，因为当建造新的国会大厦时，他负责建造大钟。此钟不仅外型巨大，而且走时也非常准确。格林尼治天文台的官员们每天两次派人矫正此钟。当大钟打点的时候，你可以从英国广播公司的广播中听到，因为钟塔上接了麦克风。“大本”钟很多出差错。然而有一次，它却把时间报错。在钟塔上干活的一位油漆工把一只油漆桶挂在了一根指针上，把钟弄慢了！
Lesson 72
A car called bluebird
“蓝鸟”汽车
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What mistake was made？
The great racing driver； Sir Malcolm Campbell； was the first man to drive at over 300 miles per hour。 He set up a new world record in September 1935 at Bonneville Salt Flats； Utah。 Bluebird； the car he was driving； had been specially built for him。 It was over 30 feet in length and had a 2；500…horsepower engine。 Although Campbell reached a speed of over 304 miles per hour； he had great difficulty in controlling the car because a tyre burst during the first run。 After his attempt； Campbell was disappointed to learn that his average speed had been 299 miles per hour。 However； a few days later； he was told that a mistake had been made。 His average speed had been 301 miles per hour。 Since that time； racing drivers have reached speeds over 600 miles an hour。 Following in his father's footsteps many years later； Sir Malcolm's son； Donald； also set up a world record。 Like his father； he was driving a car called Bluebird。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
racing n。 竞赛
per prep。 每
Utah n。 犹他（美国州名）
horsepower n。 马力
burst v。 爆裂
average adj。 平均的
footstep n。 足迹
参考译文
杰出的赛车选手马尔科姆。坎贝尔爵士是第一个以每小时超过300英里的速度驾车的人。他于1935年9月在犹他州的邦纳维尔盐滩创造了一项新的世界纪录。他驾驶的“蓝鸟”牌汽车是专门为他制造的。它的车身长30英尺，有一个2；500 马力的发动机。尽管坎贝尔达到了每小时超过304英里的速度，但他很难把汽车控制住，因为在开始的行程中爆了一只轮胎。比赛结束后，坎贝尔非常失望地得知他的平均时速是299英里。然而，几天之后，有人告诉他说弄错了。他的平均时速实际是301英里。从那时以来，赛车选手已达到每小时600英里的速度。很多年之后，马尔科姆爵士的儿子唐纳德踏着父亲的足迹，也创造了一项世界纪录。同他父亲一样，他也驾驶着一辆名叫“蓝鸟”的汽车。
Lesson 73
The record…holder
纪录保持着
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Did the boy go where he wanted to？
Children who play truant from school are unimaginative。 A quiet day's fishing； or eight hours in a cinema seeing the same film over and over again； is usually as far as they get。 They have all been put to shame by a boy who； while playing truant； travelled 1；600 miles。 He hitchhiked to Dover and； towards evening； went into a boat to find somewhere to sleep。 When he woke up next morning； he discovered that the boat had； in the meantime； travelled to Calais。 No one noticed the boy as he crept off。 From there； he hitchhiked to Paris in a lorry。 The driver gave him a few biscuits and a cup of coffee and left him just outside the city。 The next car the boy stopped did not take him into the centre of Paris as he hoped it would； but to Perpignan on the French…Spanish border。 There he was picked up by a policeman and sent back to England by the local authorities。 He has surely set up a record for the thousands of children who dream of evading school。
New words and expressions 生词和短语
record…holder 纪录保持者
truant n。 逃学的孩子
unimaginative adj。 缺乏想像力的
shame n。 惭愧，羞耻
hitchhike v。 搭便车旅行
meantime n。 其间
lorry n。 卡车
border n。 边界
evade v。 逃避，逃离
参考译文
逃学的孩子们都缺乏想像力。他们通常能够做到的，至多也就是安静地钓上一天鱼，或在电影院里坐上8个小时，一遍遍地看同一部电影。而有那么一个小男孩，他在逃学期间旅行了1；600英里，从而使上述所有逃学的孩子们都相形见绌了。他搭便车到了多佛，天快黑时钻进了一条船，想找个地方睡觉。第二天早上他醒来时，发现船在这段时间已经到了加。当男孩从船里爬出来时，谁也没有发现他。从那里他又搭上卡车到了巴黎。司机给了他几块饼干和一杯咖啡，就把他丢在了城外。男孩截住的下一辆车，没有像他希望的那样把他带到巴黎市中心，而是把他带到了法国和西班牙边界上的佩皮尼昂。他在那儿被一个警察抓住了，之后被当局送回了英国。他无疑为成千上万梦想逃避上学的孩子们创造了一项纪录。
Lesson 74
Out of the limelight
舞台之外
First listen and then answer the question。
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why was their disguise 'too perfect'？
An ancient bus stopped by a dry river bed and a party of famous actors and actresses got off。 Dressed in dark glasses and old clothes； they had taken special precautions so that no one should recognize them。 But as they soon discovered； disguises can sometimes be too perfect。
'This is a wonderful place for a picnic；' said Gloria Gleam。
'It couldn't be better； Gloria；' Brinksley Meers agreed。 'No newspaper men； no film fans！ Why don't we come more often？'
Meanwhile； two other actors； Rockwall Slinger and Merlin Greeves； had carried two large food baskets to a shady spot under some trees。 When they had all made themselves comfortable； a stranger appeared。 He looked very angry。 'Now you get out of here； all of you！' he shouted。 'I'm sheriff here。 Do you see that notice？ It says 〃No Camping〃 in case you can't read！'
'Look； sheriff；' said Rockwall； 'don't be too hard on us。 I'm Rockwall Slinger and this is Merlin Greeves。'
'Oh； is it？' said the sheriff with a sneer。 'Well； I'm Brinksley Meers； and my other name is Gloria Gleam。 Now you get out of here fast！'
New words and expressions 生词和短语
limelight n。 舞台灯光
precaution n。 预防措施
fan n。 狂热者，迷
shady adj。 遮荫的
sheriff n。 司法长官
notice n。 告示
sneer n。 冷笑
参考译文
一辆古旧的汽车停在一条干涸的河床边，一群著名男女演员下了车。他们戴着墨镜，穿着旧衣裳，特别小心以防别人认出他们。但他们很快就发觉，化装的效果有时过分完美了。
“在这个地方野餐简直太妙了，”格格利亚。格利姆说。
“是再好不过的了，格格利亚。”布林克斯利。米尔斯表示同意，“没有记者，没有影迷！我们为什么不经常来这里呢？”
“此时，另外两位演员，罗克沃尔。斯林格和默林。格里夫斯，已经把两个大食品篮子提到了一片树荫下。当他们都已安排舒适时，一个陌生人出现了。他看上去非常气愤。“你们都从这里走开，全都走开！”他大叫着，“我是这里的司法长官。你们看到那个布告牌了吗？上面写着‘禁止野营’－－除非你们不识字！”
“好了，好了，司法官，”罗克沃尔说，“别使我们难堪。我是罗克沃尔。斯林格，这位是默林。格里夫斯。”
“噢，是吗？”那位司法长官冷笑一声说道，“好，�