新东方：世界八大名钟（双语）
Ranging from the candle clock to the word clock, this instrument has beenused to indicate, keep, and co-ordinate time, becoming an essential part of
everyday life. Although nowadays clocks are mostly used to show time, they have
also become the symbols of important cities, attracting thousands of tourists
every year. So sit back and relax while we present our top eight most famous
clocks in the world.
从蜡烛时钟到字时钟，时钟这一工具已经成为我们日常生活中必不可少的一部分，一直被用来告诉我们时间，防止我们迟到，帮助我们安排日程。虽然现在时钟主要被用来报时，但有一些也已成为一些重要城市的标志，每年都引来成千上万的游客。所以，现在请坐下来放松一下，听我们为您介绍世界上最著名的八座时钟吧。
Shepherd Gate Clock, Greenwich, UK
The Shepherd Gate Clock adorns the wall outside the gate of the Royal
Greenwich Observatory building in Greenwich, London. This fine looking 24-hour
clock whose divisions) are marked with Roman numbers is famous as it provides
the Greenwich Mean Time which is the standard measurement of time zones.
英国格林尼治的谢泼德门钟
谢泼德门钟就镶嵌在伦敦格林尼治的格林尼治皇家天文台门外的墙上。这座精美的24小时制时钟的刻度用罗马数字标示，所显示的时间被称为格林尼治标准时间，即各个时区的时间标准，这座钟也因此闻名世界。
Spasskaya Tower Clock, Moscow, Russia
The Kremlin chiming) clock is a historic clock placed in 1852 on the
Spasskaya Tower Clock in Red District, Moscow. Major restoration) of the
chimes and the entire clock mechanism were carried along time, so now one can
listen to Russia’s National Anthem while admiring the renovated Kremlin clock.
The musical theme is played four times a day with six-hour intervals.
俄罗斯莫斯科的斯帕斯卡亚塔钟
这个克里姆林宫的报时钟历史悠久，于1852年被安置在位于
莫斯科红区的斯帕斯卡亚塔钟上。其报时装置以及整个时钟机械装置的主要修缮工作与时偕行，所以我们现在可以在观赏修葺一新的克里姆林宫时钟的同时聆听俄罗
斯的国歌。这个主题旋律一天播放四次，每六小时播放一次。
本文选自新东方英语中学生2014年5月刊
The Rathaus-Glockenspiel, Munich, Germany
This chiming clock can be found in the central Marienplatz in Munich.
Tourists gather to see the Glockenspiel. With its 43 bells and 32 life-sized
figures, it chimes every day at 11 a.m. (as well as 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. in
summer). The upper part tells the story of one of the most expensive weddings of
the Middle Ages, whereas on the lower level you can see the Schafflertanz)
(ritualistic dance) performed by the red-coated city’s coopers (barrel makers).
The show last for around 15 minutes, to the pleasure of the crowd.
德国慕尼黑的市政厅钟琴楼
你可以在慕尼黑的玛丽恩广场中央看到这个报时钟，游客们聚集而来一览这座钟琴楼。钟琴内装有43个钟铃和32个真人大小的玩偶，每天上午11点(夏天时还有中午12点和下午5点)钟琴就会报时(编注：玩偶们这时会开始表演)。钟琴楼上面的部分展现的是中世纪最奢华的婚礼之一，下面的部分则是由穿红衣的制桶工人表演的夏夫乐舞(一种宗教仪式舞蹈)。整场表演持续大约15分钟，供钟楼下的人们欣赏。
The Abraj Al Bait Tower Clock, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one can stumble upon the Abraj Al-Bait Towers, also
known as the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower. Just imagine that the hotel tower is
601 meters tall (1972 feet), no less than 120 floors. Believe it or not, the
four faced clock is visible from 25 kilometers (16 miles) away.
沙特阿拉伯麦加的皇家钟塔
在沙特阿拉伯的麦加，你无意中就能发现这座皇家钟塔——又被称为麦加皇家酒店钟塔。想象一下，这座酒店塔楼高601米(1972英尺)，相当于120多层楼的高度。信不信由你，你在25公里(16英里)之外都能看见这座有四个钟面的塔楼。
Strasbourg Cathedral Clock, Strasbourg, France
The Strasbourg Clock is located in the cathedral tower of Cathedral
Notre-Dame of Strasbourg, one of the most beautiful gothic) cathedrals in all
Europe. Behind the decorative shell of the clock lays a mathematical)
demonstration: the clock is able to show the official time, indicate solar
time), the day of the week, the month, the year, the sign of the zodiac),
the phase of the moon and the position of several planets or as foreseeing
upcoming leap years). Moreover, animated characters launch into movement at
different hours of the day. Simply put, this amazing clock as well as the
cathedral are a must see!
法国斯特拉斯堡的斯特拉斯堡教堂天文钟
斯特拉斯堡天文钟位于斯特拉斯堡圣母大教堂的钟塔里，这座大教堂可是欧洲最美的哥特式教堂之一。在时钟的装饰壳后面有精确的图示：这座钟可以显示标准时间，指示太阳时、星期、月份、年份、黄道十二宫的符号、月相、一些行星的位置，还能预告即将到来的闰年。而且，在一天中不同的时段，这座钟里都会有栩栩如生的人偶突然动起来。简而言之，这座令人惊叹的天文钟以及它所在的大教堂都是必游之处!
The Astronomical Clock, Prague, Czech Republic
The oldest Astronomical Clock is one of the most popular tourist
attractions in Prague, Czech Republic. Situated on the southwest wall of the Old
Town City Hall in the Old Town Square, it is an overwhelming through its
artistic beauty. Its technological complexity is remarkable: the clock keeps
pace with of the Earth, Moon, Sun and stars. Moreover, when it strikes the two
blue windows on the clock tower open and show the processions of the wooden
figures of the apostles).
捷克布拉格的天文钟
这座世界上最古老的天文钟是捷克布拉格最受游客欢迎的景点。布拉格天文钟在老城广场的老市政厅西南墙上，不仅富于艺术美，而且其技术复杂性也令人赞叹：它能与地球、月亮、太阳和星星运动同步。而且，当钟声敲响时，钟楼上的两扇蓝色窗户就会打开，人们就可以看到由木头雕刻的耶稣十二使徒列队祈祷的场景。
Time Square Clock, New York, USA
Times Square is thought to be the crossroads of the world as at least one
million people pass through the square every day and have a look at the NY Time
Square clock. The clock is the main attraction on New Year Eve, when people
gather for the countdown towards the New Year. Placed in the heart of the
square, the digital clock was built half a century ago and is a representative
land mark for the city.
美国纽约的时代广场时钟
纽约的时代广场被认为是世界的十字路口，因为每天至少有上百万人从这里经过，并看看时代广场的时钟。这座钟是新年前夜的主要景点，人们从四面八方聚到这里倒数计时，迎接新年。这座建于半个世纪前的数字时钟位于广场中心，是纽约代表性的地标建筑。
Big Ben Clock, London, UK
Being without a doubt the most famous clock in the world, the Big Ben is
located in the clock tower in the House of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) in
London. Seen as an excellent symbol of London, the Big Ben is actually the
nickname used for the main bell, also known as Great Bell, the largest of the
clock’s five bells. The clock is known for its reliability, as even after the
nearby House of Commons was destroyed by bombing during World War II, the clock
kept on chiming.
英国伦敦的大本钟
位于伦敦议会大厦(即威斯敏斯特大教堂)附属塔楼上的大本钟无疑是世界上最著名的时钟。大本钟被看作是伦敦绝佳的象征，而“大本钟”这个名字其实是对钟楼最主要的钟(这里的五个钟里最大的一个)的昵称。大本钟因可靠而著名，因为甚至在二战时钟楼附近的下议院被炮弹炸毁后，这座钟也没有停止过报时。
1. division n. 刻度;标度
2. chime vi. (钟)报时，敲响
3. restoration [ˌrestəˈreɪʃn] n. 修复
4. Schafflertanz: 夏夫乐舞
5. gothic [ˈɡɒθɪk] adj. 哥特式的。哥特式建筑的特点是尖塔高耸，尖形拱门，大窗户。
6. mathematical [ˌmæθəˈmætɪkl] adj. 精确的
7. solar time:
太阳时，这里指真太阳时，即地球自转一圈的实际时间。地球是椭圆的，自转一圈有时不到24小时，有时多于24小时。生活中用的是平太阳时，一天24小时整。
8. zodiac [ˈzəʊdiæk] n. 【天文学】黄道带;黄道十二宫图
9. leap year: 闰年
10. apostle [əˈpɒsl] n. 使徒(耶稣基督派遣传布福音的十二个门徒之一)
division n. 刻度;标度
chime vi. (钟)报时，敲响
restoration [ˌrestəˈreɪʃn] n. 修复
Schafflertanz: 夏夫乐舞
gothic [ˈɡɒθɪk] adj. 哥特式的。哥特式建筑的特点是尖塔高耸，尖形拱门，大窗户。
mathematical [ˌmæθəˈmætɪkl] adj. 精确的
solar time:
太阳时，这里指真太阳时，即地球自转一圈的实际时间。地球是椭圆的，自转一圈有时不到24小时，有时多于24小时。生活中用的是平太阳时，一天24小时整。
zodiac [ˈzəʊdiæk] n. 【天文学】黄道带;黄道十二宫图
leap year: 闰年
apostle [əˈpɒsl] n. 使徒(耶稣基督派遣传布福音的十二个门徒之一)
注：文章选自《新东方英语中学生》杂志2014年5月号
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