新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 20

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课文20   飞行员的先驱
330. In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
( A. U7 P& u! G9 p        1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。
331. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
! w. {  U! N$ ~        然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。
, T  L- k) n3 m% r  K332. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.'
; x* X  {! {: R        1909年7月19日凌晨，休伯特.莱瑟姆驾驶“安特瓦特4号”飞机从法国海岸起飞，
" \! ?$ r$ `0 d. F* W) o6 K+ t333. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
7 K7 x, K4 }2 o& V        但他只在海峡上空飞行7英里，引擎就发生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。
334. The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
        “安特瓦特”号飞机在海上漂浮，后来有船经过，莱瑟姆方才获救。
5 ]" N6 ~4 r( ]335. Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
- @) G/ J; w0 o: C& c0 m        两天之后，路易斯.布莱里奥驾驶一名为“11号”的飞机来到加来附近。
3 [8 Y9 j, {3 ~336. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.
        布莱里奥从1905年起便开始研制飞机，“11号”飞机是他制作的最新型号。
337. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
        一周以前，他曾成功地进行了一次26英里的陆上飞行。
338. Latham, however, did not give up easily.
        但是莱瑟姆不肯轻易罢休。
339. He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new 'Antoinette'.
/ _' f# z2 w$ l        同一天，他驾驶一架新的“安特瓦特”号飞机来到了加来附近。
' l& ~8 x- d. S4 k340. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
! ^1 v. Y' K8 I( H        看来会有一场激烈的飞越英吉利海峡的竞争。
341. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,
        两天飞机都打算在7月25日起飞，
% M. z( m* ]2 z9 i) Z; U+ a342. but Latham failed to get up early enough,
! x+ R5 C: s2 w. Z+ g        但莱瑟姆那天起床晚了。
343. After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
' C! L: {! g; P6 U- i9 O        布莱里奥凌晨4点15分作了一次短距离试飞，半小时后便正式出发了。
344. His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
        他这次伟大的飞行持续37分钟。
5 J/ R- _" m3 f345. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
$ p1 q# U7 T, s/ w3 c% b" o        当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。
% _) `7 B* n" a. b0 N' M/ T4 D346. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
5 }" o, ^. T, V% Y+ S) Q        莱瑟姆一周以后也作了一次尝试，飞到离多佛不到半英里的地方。这次他又遭厄运，
347. His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.
4 N# C% A: p2 q" k' ?( H  a( U        因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。

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