Limescale is the hard white or grey crust that builds up inside kettles, taps, pipes and water tanks when the water is “hard” — water that carries a lot of calcium. Boil the same kettle for months and you may see a rough white layer on the bottom and around the spout.

Limescale is limescale就是 the hard white or grey crust那種又硬又白或灰的水垢 that builds up inside會堆積在裡面 kettles, taps, pipes and water tanks水壺、水龍頭、水管和水塔裡面 when the water is "hard"當水質「硬」的時候 water that carries a lot of calcium就是含很多鈣的水 Boil the same kettle for months同一個水壺煮好幾個月 and you may see你可能會看到 a rough white layer粗粗的白色一層 on the bottom and around the spout在壺底和壺嘴附近

In much of Britain this is an everyday nuisance; in much of Taiwan the water is softer, so students often meet it first as kettle crust rather than as a plumbing problem. Cleaners and plumbers talk about it all the time.

In much of Britain在英國大部分地方 this is an everyday nuisance這是日常的小麻煩 in much of Taiwan在台灣大部分地方 the water is softer水質比較軟 so students often meet it first所以學生常常先認識它 as kettle crust當成水壺裡的結垢 rather than as a plumbing problem而不是水管的問題 Cleaners and plumbers清潔工和水電工 talk about it all the time常常講到它

The “lime” here is not the green fruit. It is the calcium material you also meet in limestone.

The "lime" here這裡的「lime」 is not the green fruit不是指那種綠色水果 It is它指的是 the calcium material那種鈣質 you also meet in limestone你在limestone石灰岩裡也會遇到的東西

Vinegar or other weak acids can sometimes loosen it.

Vinegar or other weak acids醋或其他弱酸 can sometimes loosen it有時候可以把它鬆開