Magda: I wasn’t suggesting anything! (laughs) Olivia: I hope not! Anyway, he’s away at the moment, gone to visit his family. He’ll be back next week.

Tony: Here you are...four coffees.

All: Thanks Tony!

Tony: (grunts)

Olivia: Cheer up Tony.

Harry: Yeah...it can only get worse!

Tony: It might get worse! This café might be closing down soon, so then you’ll all have to find somewhere else to go.

All: Oh no!

Olivia: What’s this all about, Tony?

Tony: A big property company—they’re building new luxury flats, just behind here. They want to get rid of these old buildings.

Magda: “Get rid of”?

Tony: Yeah...knock them down. 4)Demolish them.

All: Oh no, that’s terrible!

Tony: It is terrible! I’ve worked here for ages. I mean, they’re offering me compensation, but I want to stay here.

Olivia: Oh no...I’ve just realised...perhaps that means my shop’s affected too.

Tony: It might be. Your shop’s only next door.

Olivia: They can’t knock my shop down! We must do something.

格林威治天文台(Royal Greenwich Observatory,簡稱RGO)是英國國王查理二世於1675年在倫敦格林威治建造的一個綜合性天文台,在當年8月10日安放了奠基石,同時國王也創建了皇家天文學家的職位(第一位擔任此職的是約翰·弗蘭斯蒂德),以擔任天文台的台長和“致力於以最誠摯的關心和努力校正天體運動的星表,和恒星的位置,以便能正確地定出經度,使導航成為完美的藝術”。天文台坐落於格林威治公園俯瞰倫敦泰晤士河的一座小山上。

國際上為了協調時間的計量和確定地理經度,1884年在華盛頓召開國際經度會議。會議決定以通過當時格林威治天文台埃裏中星儀所在的經線,作為全球時間和經度計量的標準參考經線,稱為0°經線或本初子午線。此後,不僅各國出版的地圖以這條線作為地理經度的起點,而且也都以格林威治天文台作為“世界時區”的起點,用格林威治的計時儀器來校準時間。