【新 闻】2011-10-10大本钟或变伦敦斜塔 大本钟, 比萨斜塔

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

由于大本钟开始向一侧倾斜，对于钟楼的长期稳定问题的担忧已经被提上日程。

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.

据测量人员检测，钟楼顶部已水平偏移1.5英尺（约0.46米），而且情况逐年严重。

The tower in Westminster is sinking into the banks of the Thames, partly as a result of decades of underground excavation.

位于威斯敏斯特的这座钟楼正朝泰晤士河堤岸倾倒，造成这一结果的部分原因是长达几十年的地下挖掘。

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

钟楼下的地下建筑包括有银禧线（Jubilee line station）地铁站 ，地下停车场和一些下水道。

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.

钟楼的倾斜度已达0.26度，据说仅凭肉眼就能观察到。如果再不加以矫正的话就可能会有倒塌的危险。

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.

然而，以现行速度来计算，大本钟需要经过4000年才能达到比萨斜塔的倾斜度。比萨斜塔的倾斜度是4度，较其垂直时偏离12英尺（约3.66米）。

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.

如果大本钟倒塌的话，就可能会撞上与它隔街相望的保利得大厦（英国国会议员办公点）。目前，这座高达315英尺的建筑物的北侧比南侧的下陷速度要快得多。

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