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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨+ L- @4 ]+ x% j! O+ W
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
9 I7 }2 l- m1 t/ ^5 G9 A 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
0 X V! G' u9 y4 c, {349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
6 B: W& d9 L& e7 A* B3 }: y7 I 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。! ?0 _& w) U! a! T9 ^
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.0 A- P& {( B+ b$ W, t ?1 y3 ]
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。! E1 @" b: C- Z, [. ?2 Y6 Y5 o& o
351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.: C1 {/ u, r7 {, \: g. K( 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。1 G9 x0 y/ H& ^ Z- s t7 G
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.# x) X' j3 u1 c8 {: E
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。
2 Q4 e, R6 b' @353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
2 c5 W8 u8 G- M8 k" K- S, t 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。 h3 t( r2 i- X% p
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.; y1 E& _; t+ X1 [$ h
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. h+ ?# Z6 C8 M% V( Y/ L355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
( i! F1 J/ y% p N$ z 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。
$ G5 f2 F$ T- h& [5 I: Z. e- `356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
4 C7 t/ ^1 G8 e2 L5 d, o 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。0 A: u/ y7 b) j/ e2 x# g
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.4 z! d8 W5 b- L& e
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。! H1 _! ^# ^1 z
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.
% O" D! [: U3 _/ P 他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
+ i9 k# A# m- h7 {% |3 R2 q359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
4 o+ X" Y! r, v6 \% V; w5 H 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/ T& J: {# A: F* \360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
1 @- E# r: l/ N2 T 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。/ \& H, [* ^7 g4 l
361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.; d/ s7 e/ a% G9 ]9 e
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
9 a: y" D6 J* s* u K362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated." U9 }% A8 K9 s+ @
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。9 j3 V7 J8 d4 w* K
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.- E3 \: f4 f! x2 |: E1 Z' ]
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。
% e* R( J8 C7 R7 c7 M364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England. K1 V7 g: [# m; n' b
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。
# E; B: z& k! r% k4 L- @365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.7 I# ?. Z, `+ p7 u6 Q
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。, v0 c" L# T& _' F* P. H; p, g
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance./ o7 p4 o. ~4 z
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。' s9 L& o0 c& B6 J( S. u( R
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
' D; b7 s3 s. q1 ~6 r/ z6 x 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
1 `) t9 K7 g; P5 i368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.7 G; f+ W+ V, y2 S6 t# t' e
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。. Z1 w( X) S0 O/ y2 q/ G
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
8 S% j! K* c, h7 r+ U6 l 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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