71_A_Famous_Clock

71 A Famous Clock

When you visit London, one of the first things (you will see) is Big Ben, the famous clock (which can be heard all over the world on the B.B.C). If the Houses of Parliament had not been burned down in 1834, the great clock would never have been erected. Big Ben takes its name from Sir Benjamin Hall (who was responsible for the making of the clock when the new Houses of Parliament were being built). It is not only of immense size, but is extremely accurate as well. Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day. On the B.B.C. you can hear the clock when it is actually striking because microphones are connected to the clock tower. 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!

Words

• Parliament /ˈpɑrləmənt/ 英国国会大厦
• erected /ɪˈrɛktəd/ 建立
• takes /teks/ its /ɪts/ name /nem/ from /frʌm/ 取名于
• accurate /ˈækjɚət/ 准确的
• Officials /əˈfɪʃəlz/ 官员
• Observatory /əbˈzɝvəˌtɔri/ 格林尼治天文台
• striking /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/ 敲

Expressions

• make it offical 使……正式化

• double check 再次核对

• all over the world 全世界

• burn down 烧毁

• take its name from 得名于

• be responsible for 对...负责

• be connected to 与……相连

• go wrong 出毛病

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