新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

ltlong52010

课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
8 v+ _" d2 i9 y! _5 H- z# B        两百年前，拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
        当时，拳击手们不戴手套，为争夺奖金而搏斗。
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
! {2 Q0 ]# }2 J        因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
        不过，拳击是十分野蛮的，因为当时没有任何比赛规则，职业拳击手有可能在比赛中受重伤，甚至丧命。
- L+ q- d, C$ B352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
2 U2 G% J3 N8 W" j9 s/ J        拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼尔.门多萨，他生于1764年。
% f1 a9 C. Z: c6 Z3 M. }$ z353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
4 Y; t7 Y! y+ e0 A! q$ W        1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则，拳击比赛这才用上了手套。
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
        虽然门多萨严格来讲不过是个职业拳击手，但在把这种粗野的拳击变成一种体育运动方面，他作出了重大贡献。是他把科学引进了这项运动。
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
( \; y+ L; v$ A; n/ L/ v" Y/ Y        门多萨在的全盛时期深受大家欢迎，无论是富人还是穷人都对他祟拜备至。
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
        门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
) C5 |! L. w+ ~6 _( m7 o7 `357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
( c9 w2 m: x' I5 i        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
8 B( J9 E4 W, e3 n3 e- z358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
& P" p6 I' L; b        他主动提出教授门多萨，而年少的门多萨一学就会。
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
        事实上，门多萨不久便名声大振，致使汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。
2 M# Q( S" d) \9 ]7 J8 ?8 h360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
        两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
: U$ ~! S: g  G! l# n361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
        于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，厮打了一个小时。
+ L1 p7 u. O( J/ t362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
" h) Y" q4 }1 W3 I# M        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
- L/ D& w7 x, w' t% G        后来，门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳击场上较量，门多萨又输了一场。
( |: ]/ _( I/ L5 c/ W364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
        直到1790年他们第3次对垒，门多萨才终于击败汉弗莱斯，成了全英拳击冠军。
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
        同时，他建立了一所拳击学校，办得很成功，连拜伦勋爵也成了他的学生。
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
5 t8 f) I5 F" I$ y. H, {* Z        门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
        尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
" [! e' I. Y# j# z; J0 X# c368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
. l( ^, D5 |6 S+ y" p% P5 ~% c0 p7 c/ ]        他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
* r- q% ^3 U: W, N# l5 M, l" G: H- ^        他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。