BBC英国史

He even built a giant wooden model to show the king and clergy just what they would be getting.

他建造了一个木制模型 向国王及教士 展示未来的大教堂

How could they not be awestruck by the huge dome

当他们看到这个采用了类似显微镜的技术

that used the same technology as a microscope to flood the interior with light?

以便让阳光洒进教堂的巨大圆顶时 怎能不惊奇呢

But there was a problem.

然而还有一个问题

Wren had designed his cathedral as a Greek cross,

为在光学及声学上求得完美

sacrificing the traditional floor plan of a Protestant church

雷恩按照希腊十字架的样式设计这座教堂

in favour of perfect acoustics and light.

从而牺牲了传统的新教教堂的结构

You can almost hear the mystified, angry complaints of the reverends.

牧师们迷惑而愤怒的责怨 随处可听

Where exactly is the choir supposed to go?

唱诗班该站在哪里呢

How do we process up a nave which isn't there?

没有中殿 还怎么上中殿布道呢

Mostly they said, "Call us old-fashioned,

大部分教士认为 我们确实守旧

But this looks suspiciously to us like a Catholic basilica.

可我们很怀疑这是天主教教堂

We'll be, if your partner phrase, damned If we're going to let St Paul's turn into St Peter's.

我们会遭诅咒 如果我们任凭圣保罗教堂变成圣彼得教堂

When the king joined the critics,he told him to go back to the drawing board,

国王听到埋怨后 责令他重新设计

Wren's normally very dry eyes are said to have filled with tears.

雷恩熬夜干涩的眼睛禁不住涌出泪水

He would have his chance to build his dome cathedral,

他可以建造他梦想的圆顶教堂

but only when it was joined to a long nave,

但前提是必须加上长长的中殿

something resembling a traditional church.

而这与传统的教堂大同小异

词汇解析

1、traditional

传统的;习俗的;惯例的

traditional teaching methods.

传统教学方法

traditional Indian music.

传统印度音乐

因袭的;守旧的

We're still a traditional school in a lot of ways.

我们在很多方面仍是一所旧式学校。

traditional parents, who believed in laying down the law for their children.

信奉需要对子女严立规矩的老派父母

2、complaint

投诉;意见;抱怨

There's been a record number of complaints about the standard of service on Britain's railways.

有关英国铁路服务水平的投诉空前的多。

People have been reluctant to make formal complaints to the police.

人们不愿向警方作出正式投诉。

投诉的原因;不满的原因

If you have a complaint about shoes bought from a shop covered by the Footwear Code, there are several ways of putting the matter right.

如果对在Footwear Code旗下零售店里买的鞋有不满意的地方，有几种解决问题的方式。

I've got no complaints about them...

对他们我没什么意见。