新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 21

ltlong52010

课文21  丹尼尔.门多萨
* I* v9 K  n; s; o* W9 s+ `2 r348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
. }. d  p! o/ x4 b6 @# U        两百年前，拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
0 w( {1 }5 |3 y$ F349. 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。
0 Y, \- T# A! a350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
        因此，他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
! m6 n: ?5 P. ^4 G2 `' G2 a2 \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。
/ t% e; _- t. x0 e3 ]* b; K352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
5 ^& k5 ?- O8 C1 S. M0 R        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。
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
- J# f  e3 W$ t8 k        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。
3 h  ?- P4 D( V3 o354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
$ R" M4 M. c1 X. C3 j9 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.
- h( m, o0 P7 y/ @7 R9 N0 j        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.
: g  i% l+ e; x, r& A  L        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.
$ S( N5 T4 M2 z# i3 E2 o        这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
, R) ?9 E- D; \7 U! ?+ Z358. 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 U1 O9 T4 y- V$ `5 l' E359. 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。
0 A: ^7 w0 }! D& G7 z360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
. a& K2 |; }; P/ L. J* ^8 v9 r        两个人争吵不休，显而易见，只有较量一番才能解决问题。
; X+ O6 z8 Z. D" I8 h  K361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
! e* H5 E* j1 J& o2 Y( e7 |2 e2 q/ i- l        于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场，厮打了一个小时。
* h2 s. |7 F' W2 T9 Z362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
2 A, ~$ v9 w" e% y; ~8 U2 O: k6 B" f. H        公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上，但他却输了。
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
        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。
/ A0 v7 |; h! U1 Y8 F' g364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
1 c5 p' A: [2 X# A        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。
& \# o6 k0 w. [/ \$ C. b0 g365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
        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。
4 W% P0 U0 w( x# K2 s366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
        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。
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。
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
9 G  |4 Z: ]- q3 c. v4 D        他因无力还债而被捕入狱，最后于1836年在贫困中死去。