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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
6 |, R; k" ~' z, H348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
: t( b, d, N4 L" e; [5 } 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。1 a/ D4 o+ u8 o" v7 p/ H
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.5 K( ^4 Z. n; t+ K0 @
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
- x1 b3 c5 Q" x: |350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
$ O$ j2 R: G0 A' y9 P- b 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
* \5 P+ O1 y3 C% z351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match./ y5 l- ]2 |) A( e. n: w: M- O
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。
# ^- F0 }6 u" l! f352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
5 h# ]$ O) f/ u+ \$ 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。
, _$ ?/ i5 r4 f; G% ?353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.: B( d4 ~6 ^6 p- k
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。" l" L S" b6 J' o. u9 o0 r
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
+ N; G; ^6 l! a$ m, b+ n 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。
+ O$ ^; V6 N* f5 c& e5 `355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
0 N9 o/ {2 r# x 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。
, I1 ]2 l. p5 p0 f( W/ q5 X- C* S4 b356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.9 z* J: ?% g. p& w4 q1 u8 i; X$ n
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。$ g3 C8 Q" D: s4 E
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.; J5 Y. i# K$ y5 f8 S' d' R# }
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。. K& g4 w7 b3 I# P1 h7 z
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.2 o6 c, ?% C/ o; _
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。$ [7 r" t. B! u; b6 |& | O
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
) P! C8 l. V/ P2 t, }3 o! p% ~ 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。
# a4 u, N) D2 U5 Q360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
' b/ p4 c* |' k+ K! P7 f! Q# `( q 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。. F* d5 |. n; @; d o$ w
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.! q0 r |6 b- B* p& a2 s; K) t8 b- y
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
( c! S- t! ]7 s& N4 Y0 b5 R362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.* S, e$ C& j n4 g
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
3 q) Z1 y$ i& {* }363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.- t- s9 i/ `, S a, q
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。
' C- g: |4 t0 C3 _364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.# k" y/ u% d! J/ l$ B: b" h: P+ c" u5 ?
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。
' Q) d" S% x: }2 Q$ g365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
( }- ~- x4 B4 q" w 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。# k9 K3 k5 Z4 P: S& \# Y- e
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
- R; Y' ^ d4 ?$ v* e O 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。6 A% J0 d9 P' X3 a
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
" k$ C" U: \% d+ K 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。3 o. q& M1 @6 f% }& W
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
" x# h2 N {8 u3 F 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
) ]3 q" x" N. b! ?369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.. Z1 U+ k7 O' I9 T* R4 _
他因无力还债而被捕入狱,最后于1836年在贫困中死去。 |
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