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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
8 n( {8 ?6 \( \& B; N/ I& ]4 w348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.$ m- r0 M g" r; g$ v7 i1 p t
两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。' v+ s: g9 x8 _, G. F
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.1 ]* E" j8 x: P( L. l
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
3 w' d i+ h3 L) D' H7 q350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.% c( [1 ^. _* L; ]
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
W! A+ `8 A1 y; \8 }0 Q351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
" S4 K7 s; }' t2 K' @' R6 [. f# o 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。& s/ C5 Y/ x# g, Y
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
1 Y3 s; X! Q- ^9 Y 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。3 i' S2 A" O' }. b* l
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.1 W3 a3 @$ N: [8 ^* L
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。4 T9 n/ e8 l" J7 s/ H& t
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.- } z! y4 \0 P
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。
( e2 ~5 b$ W z" P355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.3 p* b4 q# V9 r) y3 P
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。: C& ^9 ~# {3 e5 S, V0 f# O
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.. x- ]; M2 t$ J* {) o- P
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。% G+ [) H# n+ k; I. H2 h
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.% F7 v- P/ W/ G' P* f, i0 @
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
6 w5 c. ? r* R' p3 k. o1 H* f* I358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
7 @2 F6 O; S1 P; _- g0 g$ ~2 { 他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。$ g5 x7 V$ T4 r; r. D( S
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him./ y7 f, G! N* i
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。; r% J, _' u. `3 }# w* @
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.. }9 x) Y0 F: N3 J
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。; y' k8 o2 k5 Z# \
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
( i* G0 L& ?$ J1 w, M* P 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
5 m$ _( q1 H! T- J, {362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.6 i: Z2 K; p- y! ~) K& c" r
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
5 X3 ^, ^# Q4 [4 r1 b# J363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.$ E/ z1 q3 S3 N1 S9 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。' z, O$ u4 [, g b
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
" v4 `5 Z" y8 J 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。6 T H7 a! c% M* V! [3 u+ ] p
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.: D. E9 b* a( v& O* J% C
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( n# g* n& ~! H( z+ i
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.; C, I/ q, E! F D9 K
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。% H/ y. g5 I. |$ F- P4 g- G' `2 ]
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
( j: \, g( w5 C1 u 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。2 W' Q. ^5 e$ E
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
# M% X7 z4 k/ A# a, f 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
8 w" p& A5 W- z( l369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.5 Y: a9 I r3 g2 V: E1 \
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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