新概念英语3--（一天学一篇）--- 20

ltlong52010

课文20   飞行员的先驱
: e! Z7 I& u+ M. M* w330. In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
& y0 g% j: `- ~+ z% [+ g        1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。
7 u; j* L/ |% [: h331. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
        然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。
4 ^$ L0 L& i) S4 |332. 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，
7 A& A. w: E' j333. He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on the sea.
! D( B: E+ J' f" }7 y/ V        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。
* k1 ^1 d4 t0 x, m3 Y/ \6 Z334. The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
# T% g4 q: A4 S7 F0 K# g2 y        “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。
0 v' W& X  t! m0 T% W2 \335. Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.
$ |1 P7 B# |1 s8 G        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。
3 J2 N. C) _6 q* @336. 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。
& q. q4 W+ ^- G1 e9 x- C8 C/ W337. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles.
5 M) I/ q  l, M" Z& S        一周以前，他曾成功地进行了一次26英里的陆上飞行。
7 s! p- \: [8 f. {$ S% f338. Latham, however, did not give up easily.
9 q2 H) Q" w' N4 e        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。
8 q- d$ T6 r/ O4 T7 |3 ^340. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.
        看来会有一场激烈的飞越英吉利海峡的竞争。
" L8 z! T! S8 e! K. G% O  ]341. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th,
        两天飞机都打算在7月25日起飞，
2 ?# w6 y9 s6 \6 P4 o342. but Latham failed to get up early enough,
        但莱瑟姆那天起床晚了。
+ t( E" y$ w  n3 K$ w343. After making a short test flight at 4:15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later.
5 J8 N9 N3 }& x5 E$ ^        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。
6 W2 C3 _& B) V6 ~  N& M' y344. His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
        他这次伟大的飞行持续37分钟。
7 p, D& `; {$ T. b2 u# M345. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.
        当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。
346. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.
! L3 P2 [6 A6 I        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.
        因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。

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