新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 20

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课文20   飞行员的先驱
8 m' }5 \1 F) H5 z330. In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
: O# t* E! X9 y* `' w' z        1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。
331. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
1 k& B- a( j! t" [- z# y% i9 P        然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。
: ]. Z8 M( W2 d* M332. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.'
        1909年7月19日凌晨，休伯特.莱瑟姆驾驶“安特瓦特4号”飞机从法国海岸起飞，
- x5 O5 g! T0 h" q# J9 i333. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
" ~& W8 x( R$ \- g% D5 c        但他只在海峡上空飞行7英里，引擎就发生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。
( n+ t: [5 a# K* Q7 k334. The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
        “安特瓦特”号飞机在海上漂浮，后来有船经过，莱瑟姆方才获救。
: L) Q+ M( P9 U- j- x' v0 P! O% Y335. Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
        两天之后，路易斯.布莱里奥驾驶一名为“11号”的飞机来到加来附近。
- {$ X; y5 i* w5 K1 p336. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.
        布莱里奥从1905年起便开始研制飞机，“11号”飞机是他制作的最新型号。
337. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
        一周以前，他曾成功地进行了一次26英里的陆上飞行。
% e' ?: `; C. `6 W338. Latham, however, did not give up easily.
5 j9 J' H3 s0 ^, k7 ?        但是莱瑟姆不肯轻易罢休。
339. He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new 'Antoinette'.
        同一天，他驾驶一架新的“安特瓦特”号飞机来到了加来附近。
340. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
3 S1 ^6 n9 F4 w7 U7 @& k7 R        看来会有一场激烈的飞越英吉利海峡的竞争。
341. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,
/ j0 R5 i# h& N, d5 a2 ~( W        两天飞机都打算在7月25日起飞，
342. but Latham failed to get up early enough,
        但莱瑟姆那天起床晚了。
* i1 q1 M' \( R: D343. After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
1 H" j9 x! ~3 o8 C1 b        布莱里奥凌晨4点15分作了一次短距离试飞，半小时后便正式出发了。
344. His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
        他这次伟大的飞行持续37分钟。
345. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
7 ?% m4 R/ H& `% l) ^        当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。
) s! y# n7 U7 w! G, y6 J: q346. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
) @! ~4 \  Y. i/ x) V! ^( \% V        莱瑟姆一周以后也作了一次尝试，飞到离多佛不到半英里的地方。这次他又遭厄运，
347. His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.
8 v1 z( X0 I; V: `# k        因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。

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