A Nation's Jewel: No. 10 Downing Street 撰文及考題設計 英國文化協會教學團隊 Joel Finnestad
W
ithout a doubt, one of the most famous residences in all of England is No. 10 Downing
Number 10 is one of the most highly guarded build-
Street. It is colloquially known as "Number 10", and
ings in the nation. There are no keys to the front door,
is the home and headquarters of the Executive Arm
which is the only way in or out of the building. Many
of the British Government. Originally the residence
wonder why the door's black exterior is so shiny. After
for the First Lord of the Treasury, it is now where the
the IRA mortar attack in 1991, the original solid oak
prime minister , who also holds this post, resides. De-
door was replaced with a blast proof steel door.
scribed by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher
Despite security guards and high-tech equipment,
as "one of the most precious jewels in the national
thirty-seven computers, four mobile phones, various
heritage", "Number 10" has been through some major
office equipment and a bicycle were stolen in the first
changes.
five years of Prime Minister Tony Blair's term of of-
Located in the City of Westminster, the building has
fice!
approximately one hundred rooms（far less than the
Priceless artwork and antiques adorn the many
775 rooms in Buckingham Palace）, including a pri-
rooms at 10 Downing Street, and change depending
vate residence on the third floor, and a kitchen in the
on the taste of the current Prime Minister. One room
basement. It was originally made up of three houses,
in particular houses many paintings, and the name of
and was offered to Sir Robert Walpole by George II in
the room changes based on the colour the prime min-
1732.
ister chooses to paint it. Margaret Thatcher changed it
Few early prime ministers lived there, and it was close to being razed several times! In the mid-twenti-
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repainted black.
from the Blue Room to the Green Room, and it is now known as the Terracotta Room.
eth century, it was falling apart（again）, and few peo-
A priceless grandfather clock is a permanent fea-
ple were allowed on the second floor for fear the walls
ture in the collection, but during his term of office, Sir
would collapse. At a cost of over three million pounds,
Winston Churchill had it silenced because its ringing
renovations restored Number 10 to its former glory.
annoyed him so much.
In some rooms, fourty coats of paint were stripped
Visitors to Number 10 might be surprised to meet
from the walls, revealing details unseen for two hun-
one of its most popular inhabitants, Larry, "Chief
dred years. The exterior bricks, thought to be black in
Mouser to the Cabinet Office". Larry is stray cat that
colour, were discovered to be yellow. Two centuries of
was shortlisted and eventually appointed to his official
pollution turned them black, and they have since been
post to help deal with a rat problem. Probably the most
全球中央雜誌 2015.06
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英 倫 聚 焦
famous feline in England, Larry roams freely through-
of Prime Minister. Once a part of town with many
out the building and has free access to the garden.
pubs and even an area that hosted cock fighting, it is
Despite its constant need for repair and upkeep, 10 Downing Street has become ubiquitous with the post
now a symbol of the British government, and host to countless foreign leaders and dignitaries.
倫敦最具歷史價值地標： 唐寧街10號 中譯 陳怡君 （中央社編譯）
庸置疑，全英格蘭最知名的寓所之一當屬唐寧
無
樹門被換成防爆鋼門。
街10號。簡稱為「10號」的這間寓所是英國行
儘管寓所有配置保全與高科技設備，首相布萊爾
政總部，原是第一財政大臣（首席財政大臣）官邸，
上任的前五年，就掉了37部電腦、四支手機、各類辦
因首相也兼任這個職務而居住於此。前首相柴契爾
公室設備以及一輛腳踏車。
夫人就稱唐寧街10號為「全國歷史資產中最珍貴的 珠寶」，而這座倫敦地標也歷經許多重大改變。
宅邸內許多房間有價值不菲的藝術品與古董裝飾 品，而這些擺飾往往會根據時任首相的品味更換。其
唐寧街10號位於西敏市，內有約100個房間（遠低
中有間廳房的畫作特別多，而該廳房的名字也會根
於白金漢宮的775個房間），其內包括三樓的私人住
據首相選擇漆上的顏色而更名，像是柴契爾夫人就
所與地下室有個廚房。唐寧街10號原由三棟房子組
把「藍廳」改成「綠廳」，目前這間房間的名字為「赤
成，是1732年英王喬治二世（George II）送給華普爾
土廳」。
爵士（Sir Robert Walpole）的賞賜。 早 期很 少首 相住過 這裡，也曾有 數次幾乎被拆 除。到了20世紀中葉，這間寓所（再度）解體。由於當
一座無價的老爺鐘在這些收藏中屹立不搖，但首 相邱吉爾在任時，因為嫌這座老爺鐘太吵，就下令把 它靜音。
局擔心牆壁可能會倒塌，幾乎沒有人可以獲准上二
來到唐寧街10號作客的貴賓，可能會很驚喜地見
樓。英國政府耗資300多萬英鎊後，才將唐寧街10號
到宅邸內最受歡迎的住戶―「首相府首席捕鼠官」
回復到原本榮景。
賴瑞。賴瑞原本是隻流浪貓，納入決選名單後被欽
在某些房間，牆壁剝落了40層油漆，200年來被掩
點這個「官職」來處理首相府內的老鼠問題。身為可
蓋的細節重見天日。一開始眾人以為是黑色的外磚
能是全英國最知名的小貓，賴瑞可自由進出首相府
也展露原本的黃色，原來是因外磚歷經兩個世紀的
和花園。
汙染而變成黑色，後來也就一直被漆成黑色。
儘管唐寧街10號需要時常翻修和維護，這座宅邸
唐寧街10號是英國戒備最森嚴的建築之一，建築
已和首相職位幾乎畫上等號。唐寧街10號隸屬的市
唯一出入口的正門沒有鑰匙。許多人在想，為什麼這
區，過去擁有許多酒吧、甚至舉辦過鬥雞比賽，如今
道門的黑色外觀光亮如新。1991年發生愛爾蘭共和軍
這座宅邸是英國政府的象徵，接待無數外國政要與
（IRA）對唐寧街發射迫擊炮攻擊後，原本堅固的橡
名人。
CNA NEWSWORLD
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Key Words without a doubt – 無庸置疑 agreed by many to be true colloquially – 用白話來說 informally known as, usually in speech rather in formal writing
back to its original state; repaired to how it used to be mortar attack – 迫擊砲攻擊 a mortar is a weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as （mortar） high-tech – 高科技的 advanced technology
razed – 夷平 completely destroyed
adorn – 裝飾 make more beautiful or attractive
renovations – 翻新 repairs made to a building
terracotta – 赤陶；赤土 red and brown, earth colours
restored to its former glory – 回到過去榮景 taken
stray cat – 流浪貓 a street cat; a cat with no home
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雅思考試模擬試題 IELTS questions
Choose TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN for the following statements: 1. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher thought that 10 Downing Street is an important building for the history of England. 2. The bricks of 10 Downing Street are now black again because of the amount of pollution in the air. F 3. The original front door was replaced because repairs were needed at the time and much of the building was in danger of falling apart. 4. Many priceless works of art can be found at 10 Downing Street, more than in any government owned building in Great Britain. 5. Larry the cat was chosen only after careful consideration of other cats.
Answers
1.T
2.F
3.a 3.F
4.b 4.NG
5.b
5. T
全球中央雜誌 2015.06
2.c
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1.c
Choose the correct answer(multiple choice): 1. Many people refer to 10 Downing Street as simply "Number 10" because a) this is the original name it was given b) it used to be three houses and is now converted into one c) this is the informal name people have come to use 2. The original door was replaced because a) it needed repair b) there were no keys to open it c) the building was attacked 3. The entire building was in danger of being razed at one time, meaning a) it would have been torn down b) it would have been fixed up c) it would suffer a bomb attack 4. Priceless artwork changes all the time based on a) the cost of purchasing it b) the taste of the current prime minister c) the colour of a certain room 5. Larry the cat was brought to the house primarily because a) it was a stray and had no other home b) the home had a pest problem c) the prime minister needed a pet