第 9 课 · A Cold Welcome

On Wednesday evening, we went to the Town Hall.

星期三晚上，我们去了市政厅。

It was the last day of the year and a large crowd of people had gathered under the Town Hall clock.

那是一年中的最后一天，一大群人已经聚集在市政厅的大钟下。

It would strike twelve in twenty minutes' time.

再过二十分钟，钟就要敲十二点了。

Fifteen minutes passed and then, at five to twelve, the clock stopped.

十五分钟过去了，接着，在差五分十二点时，钟停了。

The big minute hand did not move.

那根巨大的分针一动不动。

We waited and waited, but nothing happened.

我们等了又等，可是什么也没发生。

Suddenly someone shouted.

突然，有人喊了起来。

'It's two minutes past twelve!

“十二点已经过两分了！”

The clock has stopped!'

“这座钟停了！”

I looked at my watch.

我看了看自己的手表。

It was true.

这是真的。

The big clock refused to welcome the New Year.

这座大钟“拒绝”迎接新年。

At that moment, everybody began to laugh and sing.

就在那一刻，大家都笑着唱起歌来。