新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

ltlong52010

课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
8 I  W. G# B1 w% N8 C* }$ f0 X6 @348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
' E6 ]" O, _7 ]        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.
# z" w3 W: ?; P2 J' b        当时，拳击手们不戴手套，为争夺奖金而搏斗。
: \9 s- L/ N) h1 ^. @350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
+ @. P$ i  \5 A% S        因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
- j2 i! o4 S; }' [; Z  f6 I0 f351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
' b' |8 B1 A4 p" P        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。
5 C( [7 _0 T0 [* x# V1 j1 x352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
& l( w" ]1 h0 b! t* f, p8 [/ c        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。
5 c2 p$ M% c# C& E353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
& Z5 G) X3 ^8 b& l& @        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。
7 ]: P/ M, ?3 O5 z! ^/ k355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
+ }; c9 p; G( l0 K/ J        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。
! N% N0 S0 [2 F2 t; e5 w356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
6 @/ P1 s5 h; [# r        门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
: t( Y$ V8 }+ r4 H. t6 s        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
8 t* C" e# B& O& a+ h8 X358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
# {* K2 M1 g( E0 b( \        他主动提出教授门多萨，而年少的门多萨一学就会。
6 v7 p# N$ }: W' Y, K& C7 e359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
' J) K& f' q, |$ {( z) r0 x7 ?        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。
4 F6 J# i& v" s: d  h" w' E360. 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。
361. 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。
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
% b' g: F, V7 W0 G) l; H5 G363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
        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。
7 d1 [$ Q8 \3 X( W4 ?% @& B5 T364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
- u! k( c! ~; M# h        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。
( E6 a* Y( g7 |$ o365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
$ q2 t6 m. d5 ~, n9 g        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。
) H2 S* C+ Q- {  P366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
        门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
6 F8 G0 B0 J( E% R# `; S367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
/ X+ n$ W% S: N# C  F        尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
  \" j0 B9 J% t' i368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
        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.
. v: j  N* J* U8 I7 M+ i        他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。