在過去的一年里，由納稅人資助的女王花銷上升了13%，白金漢宮的翻新工程是花銷上漲的部分原因。根據賬目記錄顯示，女王用于官方支出的公共資金從4190萬增加到4740萬。

文字稿

The first set of accounts to be published since the start of the decade-long project to upgrade Buckingham Palace, show that more than ￡4m was spent carrying out the initial phase of works including the removal of old and dangerous wiring.

這是歷時十年翻修白金漢宮工程開始以來發布的第一套賬目報告。報告顯示，超過400萬英鎊被用于完成初期階段的工程，包括拆除舊的和危險的供電線路。

The costs are set to increase exponentially with the renovations moving to the east wing – the section facing the Mall and its famous balcony. The figures also show the Prince of Wales took twice as many journeys on the Royal Train as the Queen, including a trip from London to Durham at a cost of ￡21,000.

隨著翻修工程進入東翼，包括面向林蔭路和著名的陽臺的部分，花銷成本將呈指幾何數增長。公布的賬目數字還記錄了威爾士親王乘坐皇家列車的次數比女王多兩倍，其中包括一次從倫敦到達勒姆的行程，花了2.1萬英鎊。

Costs relating to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have risen by up to 40 per cent over the past financial year. A Palace spokesman refused to be drawn on how much of the rise was related to Meghan, the new Duchess of Sussex.

在過去的財政年度里，劍橋公爵和公爵夫人以及哈里王子的花銷上升了40%。一位王室發言人拒絕透露有多少花銷增長與蘇塞克斯公爵夫人梅根有關。

1. 詞匯表

accounts 賬目
upgrade 翻新
initial phase 初期階段
wiring 供電線路
exponentially 呈幾何數增長得
renovations 裝修
balcony 陽臺
relating to 涉及…，有關…
to be drawn on 透露、告知（詳情）

2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題 。

1. How long has the project to upgrade Buckingham Palace lasted for?

2. Which part of the Palace is the famous balcony located?

3. True or false? The Queen has taken fewer journeys on the Royal Train than the Prince of Wales has.

4. What percentage of the rise in costs was related the new Duchess of Sussex?

3. 答案

1. How long has the project to upgrade Buckingham Palace lasted for?
The project is due to last a decade, which means 10 years.

2. Which part of the Palace is the famous balcony located?
The section facing the Mall and its famous balcony is located in the east wing.

3. True or false? The Queen has taken fewer journeys on the Royal Train than the Prince of Wales has.
True. The figures also show the Prince of Wales took twice as many journeys on the Royal Train as the Queen.

4. What percentage of the rise in costs was related the new Duchess of Sussex?
We don't know. A Palace spokesman wouldn't say much of the rise was related to Meghan, the new Duchess of Sussex.