新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

ltlong52010

课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
! v8 a( z7 E6 K# m348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
        两百年前，拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
9 _7 C; B. R6 a, e: |2 A349. 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。
1 N% y9 Z7 N# j6 t! F350. 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.
( D! S+ Y: P/ ~! h8 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。
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
" Q0 M6 S$ w+ B! b6 ^4 p. 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。
0 c1 @+ H$ y  ^. j9 w5 T353. 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。
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
9 ^0 X8 H  p. H. Q        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。
* [6 {0 M8 V, ]6 a355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
6 C  H% @; }! F' i) {& N  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。
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
% i" E7 J# q5 M7 a7 T! a, [- w        门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
5 [: {0 G9 ]9 x2 t7 g8 j8 g' ]+ y5 T4 v/ P357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
5 j7 X6 F, ~0 \! u, F8 }        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
358. 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。
5 @# R  K* m9 }# O359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
        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.
6 @5 v1 X& @" q5 B        两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
361. 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。
5 u0 |: ]8 k0 H4 T% n, [1 G362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
1 J5 Y, U9 I+ a' R363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
" g# v9 P7 ~+ X$ G9 R        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.
! I! d% X) J6 @/ B. N0 J" S' |7 C        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。
  [$ l" d1 ]5 u# H365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
8 c  x2 u5 K+ t+ M% m        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。
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
) z  ?0 Y2 J+ ]        门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
, P  ~- @9 y; O. ^% j# A# B367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
& |0 Y+ \9 Q2 f; t/ S        尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
3 |- y4 F* C& P1 L+ \. i# [$ M8 h- ^5 N368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
! D5 j/ x3 `# y- t# H) ]        他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
4 Z/ p' h+ W) f5 o! \  j369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
3 M" l( _; C! B! V% `" j4 S* v6 R. Z        他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。