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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨, z+ q( H3 C' m3 W! N# B3 e! I
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
/ F: o+ L& c, l) k1 j- o 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。) }# X0 o) e5 `
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
3 [, a j' Y# c8 x' h W( t [6 e 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
- Q7 ?) a( i/ m5 K' I0 B3 ^350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.% a8 \$ Y3 }" ]7 s, f0 |
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
5 p- a) ] J0 {, U$ U+ o351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
, m- {, V8 W( K$ d. K# r7 Q1 u5 ` 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。
1 ] t& k3 e! Y: J/ f/ b+ _352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.7 U) A1 a( [1 C4 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。
- R2 m r- w* i I( ~. ~- j353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
, C$ R" K- l$ B* k& j 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。; n0 W9 \7 O j2 Q9 u6 q
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
, f# B; R. T. b/ m" _8 f% u7 D; r* ~ 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。
- D4 n8 g+ k* r" f+ `355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
5 y& \6 x& g2 B5 O: x! [ e$ U1 B 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。
1 @* p' @. @* c* I9 W356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.0 @1 I5 z" o, ]3 H
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
, M5 F( R7 M5 G j; k' Q357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England., W" t2 F2 j6 {
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。' \+ r' i4 n9 ], l( l6 w
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.& J% n3 E# z, R8 K
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
. I! z' C2 R0 k, \9 H359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
8 T9 ^- t4 Y% @( Q5 n, R( M 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。2 L; a* n" c! v$ A8 O- B4 V2 f
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.# z8 `! P7 j9 M3 Z3 [/ R
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。* ~: B6 j' Y, f8 n0 J" c/ ]2 T% g
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.( c( x# ^" u9 b# b0 G5 ~
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
1 [4 _3 i ], R1 W362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
6 S! i/ j4 g$ d$ j+ F$ ` F6 k 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
# p' [0 T; i5 G% S) N363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
4 |# r V+ c7 J# _( ` 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。
$ s6 D' }+ D8 |' I k! ~; L! L& C- e364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
# v* F/ g2 y+ s' ^3 ^3 I) Y 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。# f& N& ~& Q* I7 l+ D
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
9 J9 n. M$ u, u. ~) N% i 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。
+ e# _" {8 D: x5 P366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
! i4 r& n6 @& ` 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。 F1 O* ~+ A/ b
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt./ _9 Z1 n# [- n5 a
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
) M9 c+ D# y' w: W6 @% m9 B368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
1 P+ l( X% }5 k; N 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
- X6 I1 ]) E% M0 x7 `369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
! |6 Z% c+ g) ~, u+ |# E+ e* A+ f 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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