III-TWO-Thirteen equals one

Questions:Was the vicar pleased that the clock was striking? why? 

Text:

       Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enought money to have the church clock repaired. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since. One night, however, our vicar woke up with a start: the clock was striking the hours! Looking at his watch, he saw that it was one o'clock , but the bell stuck thirteen times before it stopped.  Armed with a torch, the vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on. In the torchlight, he caught sight of a figure whom he immediately recognized as Bill Willkins, our local grocer. 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surpise.  'I 'm trying to repair the bell,' answered Bill. 'I've been coming up here night after night for weeks now.You see,I was hoping to give you a surprise.' 'You certainly did give me a surprise!' said the vicar.'You've probably woken up everyone in the village as well. Still I'm glad the bell is working again.' 'That's the trouble,vicar.' answered Bill. 'It's working all right, but I'm afraid that at one o'clock it will strike thirteen times and there's nothing I can do about it.'  'We'll get used to that,Bill,' said the vicar. 'Thirteen is not as good as one, but it's better than nothing. Now let's go downstairs and have a cup of tea.'

equal

v.Two plus two equals 4.

a. All men are created equal.

equal pay for equal work

n.Our boss treated us all as equals

vicar---英国国教的神父

priest(天主教的神父),pastor(基督教的神父老兄弟),rector(强调掌管一个教区的神父),clergyman(神职人员的总称)

raise:筹集 raise cash / capital / fund

for one cause or another

the cause of world peace.

We'll get out of the mess in one way or another.

have sth done.

have my car repaired

have my hair done/cut

strike the hour(s)

When the clock was striking twelve, Cinderella ran away.

Twelve had just struck when she ran away.

day and night = night and day

damage:强调物的损坏

injure,hurt 均指的受到伤害 injure:指人的身体上, hurt:指人的心灵上

 silent :强调无声的安静 still:强调没有动作的安静 quiet:气氛上的安宁/安祥.

a silent film

The letter 'h' in 'hour' is silent.

One night , our vicar woke up with a start

The sound of footsteps gave me quite a start

She started at the sound of the phone.

arm

armed to the teeth

she came to the meeting armed with all the facts and figures.

catch sight of

lose sight of

local

local goverment

local time

better than nothing

The only hotel here was dirty, but is was better than nothing.

Better late than never.

The vicar went up into the clock tower to see what was going on  (更口语化)= what was happening

It's working all right.

 all right:good.

He is doing all right in the States..

Whatever are you doing up here? = What on earth are you doing up here?

You certainly did give me a surprise!

do/does/did + v.

Do sit down.

He did own a farm.