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 $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
& S' R! |6 z# Y7 K+ F        1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。
331. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
* w. T+ ~1 P/ z7 i        然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。
" |, }$ B% g6 N, q: d) ~% k! y332. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.'
        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，
" P  x: W1 i' o8 _4 A% x333. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
7 p; C0 P- |$ j4 B9 _" C        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。
' @7 R( _  E5 N4 c# b; K334. The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
- \5 x/ P0 \7 m4 a1 n9 q        “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。
- l. e3 W0 W; d4 N+ {8 V1 d335. Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
& N& y' L) U3 o, c        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。
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.
! I" B" }+ l9 I* l7 [- k; M) V. d& h& G        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.
  {' V& U/ J4 J' N/ E% g7 W. {# f! r        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'.
) y: E1 }2 {! h        同一天，他驾驶一架新的“安特瓦特”号飞机来到了加来附近。
) W5 l! h6 Y4 n# d1 {/ h# V1 T6 w340. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
        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，
/ a) Z9 g: t; \# y342. but Latham failed to get up early enough,
* w- Y. D( w9 N$ M# h6 z) e; O. ]( 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.
        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.
# C5 Y% ~5 T( `; |        他这次伟大的飞行持续37分钟。
345. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
        当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。
: h9 r3 d% {. q0 @$ |3 u346. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
        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 w4 p, ]7 k5 T        因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。

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