新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

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课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
5 N# ~7 P! ^9 r3 p1 G348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
5 O: c- ]. s- ]$ U        两百年前，拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
        当时，拳击手们不戴手套，为争夺奖金而搏斗。
# I" G! w8 z! x+ C) ]350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
        因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
        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。
! Q# S: c* T: V, }# P352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
. F! K( m/ J8 `0 [. X        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。
$ B* l7 \2 M2 n' L! T2 l- q5 J353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
        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。
+ a/ [2 e6 C+ P7 D% _354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
6 t: r: M8 G+ K( g* ~& [  t        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。
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
; S4 v- P( m( ?        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。
/ c3 ?; V0 c" r" O356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
, H0 ]8 \9 C9 z+ q        门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
3 |$ W5 C- [+ c& |8 K+ s3 O358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
        他主动提出教授门多萨，而年少的门多萨一学就会。
4 t; H; I: }6 A% ]' c359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
+ b6 D3 e5 S/ i! x/ 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。
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
        两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
; L/ Y* Q) g7 I) R" T5 [  a. V, S361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
        于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，厮打了一个小时。
0 S% \% G5 \2 [/ u7 t* Y, n. X5 F362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
, k/ C+ u8 [  x/ ^        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
4 q9 T' g- T, p: V6 N- c( J  o363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
) M- E2 [# I1 a, J: l/ A        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。
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
; q( M% ^/ S' F/ P1 A5 J# u2 B& 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。
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
6 _7 |/ e: z; s0 A% 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。
; G% ~+ \5 G" z- h, @" j) I2 C  j366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
' n: T  A$ H) Y) m% @        门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
        尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
0 M' m+ T9 W! V- D; p4 A* V368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
        他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
        他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。