大本钟(Big Ben)，坐落于泰晤士河畔议会大厦的北面，耸立着高高的钟楼，镶有大钟，名为“大本”。建于1859年。也称为威斯敏斯特宫报时钟，英国国会会议厅附属的钟楼，每隔一小时，大钟根据格林威治时间发出沉重而铿锵的响声，在数英里之外也能听到钟声的回荡。安装在westminster桥北议会大厦东侧高95米的钟楼上，钟楼四面的圆形钟盘，直径为6.7米，是伦敦的传统地标。塔顶的旗帜升起时，表示议会正在开会。

　　“大本钟”被视为伦敦的象征，凡到伦敦观光的人，无不想到钟楼周围，站在议会桥上欣赏伦敦这个独具一格的建筑。

　　作为伦敦的地标性建筑大本钟近年来倾斜速度加快，目前的倾斜程度可以肉眼观察到。调查报告显示，大本钟的倾斜与钟楼下方长期的地下施工有关。大本钟会不会成为伦敦斜塔?

　　Fears over the long-term stability of Big Ben have been raised because it is beginning totilt to one side.

　　人们一直在担心大本钟的长期稳定性：它已经开始向一边倾斜了。

　　The top of the clock tower is leaning one-and-a-half feet off a level position, according to surveyors, and getting worse each year.

　　据监测员的测量结果，钟楼的顶部已经偏离水平位置倾斜了1.5英尺，而且每年的倾斜幅度都在增加。

　　The tower in Westminster, which houses the giant bell known as Big Ben, is sinking into the banks of the Thames, partly as a result of decades of underground excavation.

　　大本钟的钟楼位于威斯敏斯特区，目前钟楼正慢慢陷入泰晤士河的河岸里，部分是因为长期的地下挖掘施工造成的。

　　Subterranean works beneath the tower include the Jubilee line station, an underground car park and sewers.

　　钟楼下方的地下施工包括银禧线地铁站台，还有一个地下停车场和部分下水道工程。

　　Its lurch of 0.26 degrees is said to be visible to the naked eye – and if it goes uncorrected could cause the tower to crash.

　　据说现在大本钟0.26的倾斜度用肉眼都能清晰看到，如果不进行矫正，可能会造钟楼倒塌。

　　However at current rates, it would take 4,000 years before the tower is as slanted as the Leaning Tower of Pisa which leans by four degrees and is around 12ft off the vertical.

　　不过以目前速度来看，大本钟要像比萨斜塔一样倾斜可能要花四千多年。比萨斜塔的倾斜度为4，已经偏离垂直位置达12英尺。

　　John Burland, emeritus professor at Imperial College London, said: ‘I’ve heard tourists saying “I don’t think it is quite vertical” and they are right. If it started greater acceleration we would have to look at doing something, but I don’t think we need to do anything for a few years yet.’

　　伦敦大学帝国理工学院的名誉教授John Burland表示：“我也曾经听到参观者说觉得大本钟不是垂直的，事实确实如此。如果倾斜速度加快，那我们就需要采取一些行动了。不过我觉得近几年还用不着。”

　　If Big Ben were to fall it would crash into MPs' offices over the road in Portcullis House. Currently, the clock tower is sinking more quickly on the north side of the 315ft-tall building.

　　如果大本钟真的倒塌了，那会直接砸进保得利大厦内的国会议员办公室里。315英尺高的保得利大厦北侧的钟楼目前下陷得更快。

　　A just published 2009 survey for London Underground and the Parliamentary Estates Department found that the rate of movement has accelerated in recent years.

　　日前公布的伦敦地下和议会地产部门2009年度调查报告显示，近年来钟楼的下陷速度已经加快。

　　Engineers cannot explain why the tower's clock face moved up to an eighth of an inch (3.3mm) away from the vertical between November 2002 and August 2003.

　　至于在2002年11月到2003年8月间，钟楼的钟面为何偏离垂直位置上移达0.125英寸(3.3毫米)，工程师们无从解释。

　　Since 2003, monitoring instruments show the tilt has increased 0.04in (0.9mm) a year, compared to the long-term average rate of just 0.025in (0.65mm) a year.

　　监测试备显示，与长期的平均水平每年0.025英寸(0.65毫米)相比，自2003年以来，钟楼每年的倾斜位置增加了0.04英寸(0.9毫米)。

　　The report, obtained by the Sunday Telegraph, revealed that the tower was now leaning towards the north-west at an angle of 0.26 degrees, meaning the top of the tower is 1ft 5in (435mm) from vertical.

　　据周日电讯报获得的报告显示，大本钟目前已经朝西北方向倾斜了0.26度，这就意味着钟楼的顶部已经偏离垂直位置1英尺5英寸(435毫米)。

　　Big Ben's movement has caused cracks in the walls of other parts of the House of Commons, including corridors where ministers and shadow ministers have their offices.

　　大本钟的倾斜运动还造成了下议院其它部分墙面出现裂纹，其中包括部长和影子部长办公室的走廊墙面。

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