新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

ltlong52010

课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
5 w4 k& C5 p8 ~: h/ p        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.
+ `6 F; H2 U( i; m4 @  A        当时，拳击手们不戴手套，为争夺奖金而搏斗。
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
        因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
+ X4 `) L6 I6 J& w! o351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
9 h+ P: e7 u7 `* a! q* 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。
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
        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。
  C* n9 W% I9 d2 s# F# p353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
; L, @7 {) |: V2 X: G, N& s. q$ v        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.
  M5 z  w- U2 n0 a  v        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。
- }; q; c# f8 r* x3 ~6 X# E8 w355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
        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。
, z( ?# Q% X) \3 T356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
- V* l" W/ R7 a" n        门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
; B% |. z; K) M7 S, m- q3 L357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
# {5 `; U0 I- F# S  Y        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
2 o3 X4 z" ^, R* l7 v358. 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。
2 O# B9 X7 h7 o" Q7 W359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
& x9 e7 o3 f8 L2 `* X        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。
) Z& y0 u4 l' G; |# {360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
7 o; L% @0 L( d        两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
+ q% k) ^9 S( D3 U* D361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
- e8 }6 f' m' V2 n% [; z        于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，厮打了一个小时。
1 v  b* Z9 A7 N% C/ J: }362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
  |4 P& ~# _3 b        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
$ X4 `1 o; B: B+ F7 l5 {' x" I3 f363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
. I. p3 q: ~' _$ X* I        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.
- \6 U' H0 M" R$ m        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。
; p+ m5 x0 u( Z9 m% s) |365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
; |  O& h1 Z/ v8 A; O: c) Z% \* B; @        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 $100 for a single appearance.
2 B, a! m( t0 D        门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱，一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
# v5 ^$ }8 m) _        尽管收入不少，但他挥霍无度，经常债台高筑。
368. 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。
- T& S; g3 |0 R  f; p369. 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。