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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨8 X( u2 K% Y9 G ], `
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
* Z: _! ]3 S+ A1 d 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
}2 q# J; w7 K4 t9 r) L349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.( x( m5 M! d( t, O, W
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。- N* n- E e0 p% j
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
5 x5 R4 F% {. e$ |6 G R/ B/ K 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
M: v9 N, E5 [) G+ E351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
6 J% v: M3 i$ x. P+ Q J 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。
1 @4 c/ o& o& h$ Y; `- C$ [352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764./ n6 P) n8 q$ P. ^/ P: _
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。9 d) j( S% Q9 P' l- @5 f4 w
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
" c6 q9 v/ X" w. a 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。0 B2 k O8 @$ Z9 E, w: t( Y! G
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
1 n8 {- J5 q, ]3 {2 F, s1 C 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。3 m9 ~" Q5 c) z3 ^+ n
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.- y' G0 ]& z! Y8 S: 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。
]/ u8 V3 E$ `: V356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
: {' ~( s8 v; T2 r# Q5 u 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
0 V3 g1 K$ X: M' q357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
9 [ N3 i+ K; L2 |! \. p 这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
( [! J) ^; c: S358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.8 ^$ X Z7 f" q3 ~& k
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。$ \. {* D, A% }+ E7 r
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
~2 } W% E$ `6 S. v. [ 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。
7 q7 F' H: B. s360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
& g: u% i' G, `; U0 U- M6 S4 ~ 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
' p" _+ W! F( C5 F: D: o# R361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
9 [% d6 F6 j7 P: E, ` 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
' s# V2 M0 R) x362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.- v% v4 q7 Q: a
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。. r& [; t! c4 {
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
[9 H# X) U* z4 X% {6 l$ P$ ^! V 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。
. S" m3 H6 l* z! g/ Y364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England., p/ S# ?5 G6 \' b, n, M
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。, H* T' o, g: k; u5 x+ k
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
) j2 p8 K2 u! O6 r 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。; X% R" W2 b6 l4 j) |; j; ]8 M4 r
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
5 @. m2 ]) w. p3 y! Z, f( B2 O) p3 ] 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
8 y7 @- g3 q9 {1 Q% R367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
7 C; Q8 z( k& y 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。! k i, E0 J- R5 h0 i
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten." ~& L. A9 }" u1 ~
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
2 H: b3 _0 q; M* \1 D) T3 I369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
" L/ \0 g6 D9 A7 b! h 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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