The is a story about a monastery¹ in Europe perched high on cliff several hundred feet in th air.

有个关于在 欧洲座落于高空好几百英尺悬涯高处的修道院故事。

The only way to reach the monastery was to be suspended in a basket which was pulled to the top by several monks³ who pulled and tugged⁴ with all their strength .

到达修道院。唯一的方法，就是被悬吊在由数名修道士用尽他们全力拖拉到山顶的篮子里。

Obviously the ride up the steep cliff in that basket was terrifying.

很明显的，乘坐篮子爬上陡峭的悬崖是相当令人害怕的。

One tourist got exceedingly nervous about half-way up as he noticed that the rope by which he was suspended was old and frayed⁵.

有位旅客约在半途中，注意到悬挂他的绳子很老旧而且被磨损时，心中感到极度紧张不安。

With trembing voice,he asked the monked who was riding with him in the basket how often they changed the rope.

他用颤抖的声音询问与他一同乘坐在篮子里的修道士，他们多久换绳子一次。

The monk² thought for a moment and answered brusquely,"Whenever it breaks."

修道士想了一会，然后粗率地回答：“绳子断掉时。”