据英王室账目显示,苏塞克斯公爵和公爵夫人用了 240 万英镑纳税人资金改造翻修了他们位于温莎城堡的新居。经过翻修,弗洛格摩别墅(Frogmore Cottage)从五个独立的住宅变成了一个大别墅。
文字稿
The Royal Family received more than £80m last financial year from the Treasury, in what's called the Sovereign Grant. That's to cover the cost of official duties and for the upkeep of royal palaces.
英国王室在过去的一个财年里,收到了来自财政部 8000 多万英镑的拨款。这笔款项被称为 “君王拨款”(Sovereign Grant),用于支付公务和皇家宫殿的维护费用。
Some months after their wedding, Harry and Meghan announced that they would move out of Kensington Palace in London and set up in Frogmore Cottage, a large house in the grounds of Windsor Castle. But the house needed a lot of work – £2.4m worth, according to the accounts published today. That money came from the Sovereign Grant.
哈里和梅根在婚礼几个月后,宣布他们将搬出伦敦的肯辛顿宫,并在弗洛格摩别墅安家落户。弗洛格摩别墅是位于温莎城堡内的一幢大房子。不过其房屋需要大量的翻修工作,根据今天公布的账目,翻修花费了 240 万英镑。这笔钱来自君王拨款。
The Palace says the house was in very poor shape and divided into five separate residences. Taxpayer spending on the Royals is always a sensitive topic. Palace sources insist that extensive refurbishment was required. And that only basic fixtures and fittings were supplied with taxpayers' money.
白金汉宫表示,弗洛格摩别墅里面的情况非常糟糕,而且还被分成了五个独立的住宅。纳税人在王室成员身上的支出一直都是一个敏感的话题。白金汉宫消息人士坚称,弗洛格摩别墅确实需要大规模的翻修,而且只有基本的固定装置和配件是用纳税人的钱支付提供的。
1. 词汇
the Treasury 财政部
Sovereign Grant 君王拨款
official duties 公务
upkeep 维修费
set up 安家落户
accounts 账目
poor shape 情况很差
residences 住宅
refurbishment (房屋)翻修
fixtures and fittings 固定装置和配件
2. 阅读理解:请在读完上文后,回答下列问题 。
1. What is the Sovereign Grant used for?
2. Where is Frogmore Cottage located?
3. How has the cost of refurbishing Frogmore Cottage been made known to the public?
4. True or false? Taxpayers’ money was used to pay for the extensive refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage.
3. 答案
1. What is the Sovereign Grant used for?
The Sovereign Grant is taxpayers’ money used to cover the cost of official duties and for the upkeep of royal palaces.
2. Where is Frogmore Cottage located?
Frogmore Cottage is a large house located in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
3. How has the cost of refurbishing Frogmore Cottage been made known to the public?
The cost of the refurbishment was shown in the published accounts.
4. True or false? Taxpayers’ money was used to pay for the extensive refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage.
False. Palace sources insist that only basic fixtures and fittings were supplied with taxpayers' money.