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Timeless Timekeepers 咕咕！咕咕！咕咕钟！

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繁體中文譯本

On the wall hangs a little wooden chalet, its sloping roof sitting comfortably above the chalet front. There’s the face of clock in the center. On the ground is a figurine of a woodcutter. Above the clock is a small trap door. On the hour, the clock springs into action. The trap door opens, and out pops a little bird, calling “Coo-coo! Coo coo!” while the woodcutter chops a log.

墙壁上挂着一栋小屋，一片倾斜的屋顶安稳地座落于小木屋上方。小屋中间是一面时钟，地上有着樵夫的小塑像，时钟上面还有扇小机关门，整点时分，时钟突然有了动静。小门瞬间打开，一只小鸟跳出来，叫着「咕咕！咕咕！」，同时，底下的樵夫也劈了一根木头。

There are few things as quaint as a cuckoo clock. Much more than a simple timepiece, these lovingly-crafted wall ornaments are both souvenirs and collectable from the Black Forest region of Germany, which is still the main producer, and also from Switzerland. Traditional cuckoo clocks feature intricate carving and a high level of ornamentation and decoration. You’ll often see carvings of leaves, woodland animals, and birds in these decorative clocks.

很少有东西像咕咕钟一样的古雅迷人。咕咕钟可不只是个时钟；这些作工精细的墙面饰品来自德国黑森林地区（此地至今仍为咕咕钟主要生产地）和瑞士。它们既是受观光客欢迎的纪念品，亦是收藏家收集赏玩的收藏品。传统咕咕钟最大特色是有着精密复杂的雕刻，极具装饰效果。在这些具装饰性的时钟上，你常能找到树叶、森林动物和鸟儿的精致雕刻。

The origins of the cuckoo clock are murky, but it’s generally agreed that the first Black Forest cuckoo clocks were created in the 1740s. The tradition of clockmaking has flourished there, and Black Forest cuckoo clocks are loved by enthusiasts all over the world.

咕咕钟的起源不明，不过一般认为首座黑森林咕咕钟出现于1740年代。钟表制造的传统于此蓬勃发展。现在黑森林咕咕钟的爱好者遍布全世界。

Designs differ greatly, but generally retain the same old-fashioned charm of the forest. Instead of a woodcutter, a clock might feature a beer-drinking man, a jumping deer, or an angry wife hitting her husband with a rolling pin! Clocks also vary when it comes to how often the cuckoo calls; sometimes it’s every hour, and sometimes it’s every half an hour. A testament to craftsmanship and tradition, these enchanting cuckoo clocks will continue to delight many generations to come.

咕咕钟的设计五花八门，不过大多维持着传统的森林风格。除了樵夫之外，咕咕钟还有别种样式，像是喝着啤酒的酒鬼、跳跃的鹿，甚至气得拿擀面棍打丈夫的妇人！时钟咕咕声鸣响的频率也不尽相同。有些咕咕钟每小时响一次，有些则是每半个小时。这些咕咕钟让我们见识了精湛工艺和传统文化，并将继续为后世带来无限欢乐。

－by Alice Davis

Vocabulary

单词发音

chalet [ˋʃæle] n. 瑞士的农舍

figurine [͵fɪgjəˋrin] n. 小雕像

woodcutter [ˋwʊd͵kʌtɚ] n. 樵夫，伐木工人

trap [træp] n. 陷阱

quaint [kwent] adj. 古雅的；奇特而有趣的

ornament [ˋɔrnəmənt] n. 装饰品

souvenir [ˋsuvə͵nɪr] n. 纪念品，纪念物

collectable [kəˋlɛktəb!] n. 收藏品 (=collectible)

intricate [ˋɪntrəkɪt] adj. 错综复杂的；复杂精细的

ornamentation [͵ɔrnəmɛnˋteʃən] n. 装饰

decoration [͵dɛkəˋreʃən] n. 装饰，装潢; 装饰物，装饰品

woodland [ˋwʊd͵lænd] n. 森林地带

murky [ˋmɝkɪ] adj. 朦胧的; 黑暗的；阴郁的

testament [ˋtɛstəmənt] n. 证明，证据

enchanting [ɪnˋtʃæntɪŋ] adj. 迷人的，使人着魔的

More Information

片语发音

spring into action 忽然行动起来  to suddenly begin moving or doing something

Reading Questions

1. Why do some cuckoo clocks today have a woodcutter chopping wood on them?

(A)  Most cuckoo clocks in the past were made by woodcutters.

(B)  Many people who ordered clocks in the Black Forest were woodcutters.

(C)  Woodcutters represent some of the old charms of the Black Forest.

(D)  Only woodcutters can carve cuckoo clocks in such a fine way.

2. Which of the following is NOT true about the cuckoo clock?

(A)  A little bird may come out of its trap door and make a noise.

(B)  Most of them are old and have very similar designs.

(C)  Today, the Black Forest region in Germany makes lots of them.

(D)  Not all cuckoo clocks make cuckoo sounds every half an hour.

3. What is this article mainly about?

(A)  Products from the Black Forest.

(B)  Different ways to tell time.

(C)  A unique type of clock.

(D)  Where different clocks are made.

cuckoo clock - 8362 - woodchopper

8386 - Jumping Deer cuckoo clock

How It's Made Cuckoo Clocks

Answer