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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
8 z5 p. ~5 X1 n) @ J348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.' }0 N) A" B4 O8 b/ _. I# @+ f
两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
: C! V; ~$ W" n2 _6 d349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
0 I* i0 l5 {7 S6 T" u. x 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
# R1 Q8 S( l% G, c: }350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
2 \6 }# `- S5 Y9 B& G 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
. _) c; s! F- D( D351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.( P: p- p3 k4 L
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。/ u6 b S- M4 L. e3 r/ A
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
, R U4 H7 q+ T, 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。; B% n5 r4 E% r P/ u2 \5 K
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
' H* Y; w$ V7 w* l- Z 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。
9 A/ d" O% F2 b7 B0 k) N$ B$ i354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
2 C9 S( T( |$ y* j i* n 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。; t ~6 G1 W0 L, ] g3 H+ j
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
8 i1 X; P U, i0 r, `" r/ D3 l7 S 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。" B! \. m$ u: i f: N, I
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.7 {& p1 h6 H0 [& M1 {
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。
( d' E9 ~# c F- U# i! [357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.+ b% O4 E+ D1 |; E( Z
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。' d# n2 t8 ~! L9 Z9 Z c) u! L
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.4 O, B% a# [, N, F) p
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
* b$ S& I. V) c; Z6 C9 y. I359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
3 \2 H5 X7 |8 X i% J$ w 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。7 ?* p$ [+ P- q
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.; h6 t5 M% k7 l! L# u3 I
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
3 w: ?* h9 C. H! x, r361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.! h, M( p8 ` s( c) d" }) L) v
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
: \; _4 G2 e' Y( Z( A7 g362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
+ w) ~1 X: N: a8 [$ t F/ B4 p 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。+ v9 _. U! W0 Y4 I* Y" p) v
363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.) C: b4 h+ s2 ~9 V- D0 c7 w2 ^& T
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。6 O* d" }( j) [/ k$ R
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.8 x) K( T$ ]$ g- l
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。/ L- E7 e/ z# Q: n% m# t
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
3 g/ T) N* D; I- l. i/ q1 y- ` 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。3 u, r, ]+ u2 J
366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance./ u% p: O# s1 H1 f
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
3 p9 w# S+ C- @4 ~! A367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.$ w5 m# x A" h
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。# A/ G, Z1 k& r% j* c0 V
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.! g( O( y4 P6 u* C0 ]
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。% @3 j- m, Y D2 N' o
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.! f- u+ F4 e% ]* K: p: s
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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