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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
9 m( e* c/ _/ v3 D348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
[6 P3 ~. }+ e 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。% R: u# r# { e' F9 M a& X
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.5 S+ m5 ?$ }5 ]) s8 N
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。6 O% M; b, j" x8 N: ?
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.( a9 C+ J# w `3 e V6 x% n; ]
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。/ N9 J4 N3 C# a5 n- I
351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.; {) Z2 m4 Z' ?6 E
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。: @2 N5 A2 W* R& b% o
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.. ]5 p% }' D/ G: c' X3 r3 O
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。% S) ^( B3 z! k9 h, v3 i5 d
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
" ?( j' {& d" Y 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. T$ t, {/ }6 e5 n" k' b6 [354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
# Z) Y! a; \; m& Q4 L) D 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。
$ w0 T: ]( E' j355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
% g: v# M: v1 f; F' D. a: O1 S 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+ ]/ x5 {: u q356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
& j1 ?) X1 B0 ~4 T: v 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
. C* Q0 h- `1 Y, d. c$ b$ w357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
! y3 H7 `! t& }, H/ _ 这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。7 i, |1 o0 ]' J& p: q1 |
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
- |% r+ m4 ]/ h' M! d' c 他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
# K+ V9 Y! a/ {359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.* A; L( B+ f! f4 P
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。
" v0 `, _# s, M6 X' b360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
0 n5 r1 f) o" }4 |0 s: P3 ?; e 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。5 v% I, y6 X( T" a* u' E
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
: x% l5 A! m! G( H- k! i( d 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。# N% N0 ~. f" o+ [
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.9 s) W4 [* Z4 T- s: H' c
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
+ S3 W u; M" _) }363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.6 `3 p9 N0 F0 B3 G2 Z& D& U
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。
5 X0 O; r7 a- Q6 V8 H6 h364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.: |4 E! d7 ^7 [; i
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。
4 Q- z$ X$ K/ [365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
' u/ ~5 |& n3 P0 Q; E 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。. P- E3 X# S: ~# ?* \6 A3 t
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.$ d/ E& l9 e# r8 w' d" W( h$ n
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。/ D7 c3 `) S/ x
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.: F; ^7 W* E; ?5 b9 S% _
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。( O5 q: m$ r0 @4 T$ @- V1 v
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.( h' @+ [2 B- h4 d, s
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
: O" w' y$ h9 [( y* N369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.0 i3 Q* d$ M4 Q2 i6 a4 n7 b5 W
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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