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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
" h0 @) f8 \8 }9 F3 C1 F# ]348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.5 O, X; O. Y: O0 \ r. V* o8 r
两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。( D' s4 m6 m* X/ x B
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.8 B" C5 v1 K4 s" M2 `4 \
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
' w" a2 g! D' V4 [8 e350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
; M% P, q- p; f 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
1 J1 D$ W$ ~' w9 _4 C/ A351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
0 G, j+ E1 k8 x" |* R' \ 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。$ a. s3 r- C! a) n2 a' V
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.6 F4 e; f. b/ r3 A9 t, U% X# M
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。: d% [' z6 T; i6 u) }- g! t, _
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
& X8 b6 Z. r( f 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。
# W' i$ J" g& O6 U354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.$ F8 K) q4 C1 c: F7 ?1 J
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。! R# ^% q3 Q1 }2 C r( I4 W
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
7 E' j, V5 q% i% D% q3 ` 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。0 t& x9 H& C4 M& O/ ~
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
6 m; ?7 F% c6 @8 E/ G 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。7 ~3 A: d! f* k8 x: C& C7 \
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.$ j, v0 L9 j& X8 M2 U' k4 n' m+ K
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
0 p+ e1 L* ~1 G7 d" g2 w' U' g$ Z358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
% ~, d0 Z- b# p& w 他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
9 {" J( T% Q* D$ O) G- W4 t359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
: W Q- ]& ]3 y& M% Y0 ]+ H/ A. H 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。8 E5 I. x! { y8 v
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
* Y4 E9 |+ p4 G 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
4 _. M* _: h$ V* C& v. \361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
$ q- J/ {+ c/ _: P: `9 p 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
. N/ f- h2 Q% G% _/ Z2 y. ^' N6 ~* V362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
* |' S1 o$ H0 x$ `+ l4 a- | 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。8 G6 S$ w5 a- s' ], X+ l/ ] n+ C
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.0 V1 j) h: A U2 @: O
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。
4 ?% V' u0 M$ p, b8 e364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.3 O$ d3 V4 V4 Z# o+ n- }, {
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* A& z- d7 D9 p& {5 b3 }/ b9 Q365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.3 o2 P# _/ ~. v, |! z( d; F
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。
! A8 ~9 |6 D! E0 @2 _( N+ v366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
m- d7 O! G' [# E2 U0 T 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
2 |& T! _% O \9 E: q L& @ J367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.' i3 a9 e" K! E) f- ^
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
- n/ z! @0 V& t368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
! {$ F* J& ?( D( }: u! a) Z 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
: w) b2 U. B7 H5 L3 Q& A6 M6 E369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
, S& k. F2 \0 A- f6 f+ o1 F# S 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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