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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
$ Y2 u* Q' P( O* S7 b3 s348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.( N: c' G0 u) z! W4 L
两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。) I$ g# z6 \* m% l" j
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
0 P' E$ {; x. N( K6 \ 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。! e! \2 ^% D e0 k C- k
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
: j* r$ M3 U; W" e! A a1 G 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
7 V1 g3 S% z5 G+ U3 M' q351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.8 Z0 |+ l6 p+ P1 z
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 o/ n- ?$ l3 b( u& ^* n( D5 Q352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
# [# P) X# m8 w( _ 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。
6 J& J* ]" K: y+ u" d353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
% D/ j; g7 X3 t+ f3 Z1 I6 J 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。. G* a' p( Z8 S: R- P
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
( \5 V! a" p# {( \: A 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。
: z6 b1 j) l* X6 A `355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.. ?) Y0 c6 z% K3 E8 ]
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。
$ s; O/ q. ^# b9 q8 i; m* r356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
) q' ^' M4 U5 C4 H3 ? 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。8 X+ v3 V! D. r0 U* f, `! G
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England., M7 E6 \/ K/ N% [3 Y9 r r
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。, }) F: N* U- h! K# g
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.3 u$ S5 m7 j' l& i$ x9 j! {
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。/ Z! I" `. p8 b) x
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.2 U6 ^" b5 Y8 O, I3 r
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。; f' o; B% Q& {( ]( p( b% d: s
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight. N7 d. b, T) P- ~
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
1 d" a3 [/ `$ \7 d361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
% p2 D, S' A" E, z S 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。) _# [/ u' X+ M8 ^2 } Z
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.' X& u% c" r* S, T( I3 j
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。2 P x; n7 e* c/ [0 \5 s
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
+ @2 j# Q& I% ]3 L( |( w 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。
% N+ a" X" `" R8 O: s" x# t364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
4 B5 r1 Q9 o7 @ ? 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。$ w1 \& T- m9 o
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
/ ^% G4 D' i9 B3 ^/ B 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。8 z" [. ~' i6 @ t/ N
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
& u3 i8 c, e' t: H/ `! L, S# b 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
/ P; W# m0 H* E- g7 j367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
9 S3 S0 }$ S* i! k" t f; W" Y 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。) a6 ` a, F3 L( u
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
- `- R: A. D( p1 i. O2 [ 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
/ n* k1 W6 N- U0 Y9 T; `/ ]' s369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.! m, M5 }! s W2 q2 P' m8 t
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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