Talking clock 会说话的钟

While proudly showing off his new apartment to friends, a college student led the way into the "den".
一个学生带他朋友们参观他的新公寓，甚是得意。
"What is the big brass gong and hammer for?" one of his friends asked.
“那个大铜锣和锤子是干什么用的？”他的一个朋友问他。
"That is the talking clock," the man replied. "How's it work?" "Watch," the man said and proceeded to give the gong an ear shattering pound with the hammer.
“那玩意儿厉害了，那是一个会说话的钟”，学生回答。“这钟怎么工作的”，他的朋友问。“看着，别眨眼了”，那学生走上前一把操起铜锣和锤子，拼命地敲了一下，声音震耳欲聋。
Suddenly, someone screamed from the other side of the wall, "Knock it off, you idiot! It's two o'clock in the morning!"
突然，他们听到隔壁墙那边有人狂叫，“别敲了，你这白痴！现在是凌晨两点钟了！”

1.lead the way into the den
v.带路，示范；打先锋；前导
You lead the way and I'll follow you.
你带路，我随后。
这则笑话在这里用了den这个词，打了引号，
den本来是指简陋的小屋，或者兽穴，在这里既然前文提到了是新公寓，而且是proundly，打个引号更为合适。

2.proceeded to give the gong an ear shattering pound with the hammer.
shatter指破碎，震碎，在这里指把耳朵震聋了。
不过震耳欲聋还有一种非常形象的表示方法
wake the dead:这个说法很形象，把死人都吵醒了，足见其震耳欲聋的程度