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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨) M) R* y7 l! F! W, x. z
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago./ y- F5 _( n1 g1 K; \2 ]
两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。! l; y& o7 y5 z; v9 V) w
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
/ O& }+ ]6 p1 I& x; N/ ? 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
' {4 K1 i$ H# U. Z6 }350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.! R& \+ x- m1 d( a7 ]
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
! o% k( J, K6 ~# T. }351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.; V: U% F8 e8 O( L9 X9 F/ Q
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。
3 L. G! i4 W0 Q' B9 h7 _0 K7 k6 Y352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.( U6 S! K# X. p. i
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。
3 x' W" L0 J: s6 M2 e353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
& K9 y7 M0 x4 ?, H 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。
5 B2 X- ?- A& B+ [$ W8 h( Q* C354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
+ {( a5 j8 d& g& K6 t. u 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。
5 { P7 ^! G1 |7 Y2 b( w355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.9 P( s* o( h1 O
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。
u/ d0 \: y$ K8 s' m356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.; c$ k4 s0 _# C, q
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。7 B5 Y% q& j4 e7 F( L) |
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.6 f. `& y$ @/ A8 a
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
8 l# G0 _8 _* [* G8 f$ `1 K5 V358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.) k) @+ A; |' w/ I
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。 w, ^- u7 Q) F
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.( T& e+ k8 w1 A
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。; D0 g7 ?$ \$ ^- d/ U. C0 `" q8 _
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.' k, d0 {6 r+ Z/ t9 V7 L
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。! s, w3 C7 Q# x
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.7 V8 G# t1 `# w- _' U
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。: }9 d: x' \" O" h8 d$ p% `
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated./ _8 h" `' w4 e+ C. f
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
% g2 T9 w5 l' \7 y$ v0 ]" G363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
& b1 K+ M6 P; q+ t: C9 c 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。! K# K$ f) g1 e& U( }2 v' @
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
. D/ L; ]8 P! f* Y0 W 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。
2 I5 ], T' L* }) e b/ U" M365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.0 S8 @$ T- P4 ]9 x# D! A
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。
& _$ J" T2 p9 a366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
1 R# J9 O* O7 |- d' ]! |# c; k 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
9 r% j3 }+ @! X, @# s: X8 P9 w! {367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
0 ^. u! S& t. _$ t 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
, H1 o- v! V4 K- O M% t. E2 r368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
% P0 g2 j6 O! X0 y+ r 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
9 m! O9 \, h, `$ Q( ]; O369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
4 m' o8 V {, d# `6 |# n 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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