新概念美音版第三冊 Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots飛行員的先驅

Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots飛行員的先驅
         
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.

聽錄音，然後回答以下問題。

What was the name of the first plane to fly across the English Channel?

    In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of $1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel. Over a year passed before the first attempt was made. On July 19th, 1909, in the early morning, Hubert Latham took off from the French coast in his plane the 'Antoinette IV.' He had travelled only seven miles across the Channel when his engine failed and he was forced to land on sea. The 'Antoinette' floated on the water until Latham was picked up by a ship.
 
    Two days alter, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his lattes model. A week before, he had completed a successful overland flight during which he covered twenty-six miles. Latham, however, did not give up easily. He, too, arrived near Calais on the same day with a new  'Antoinette'. It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. Both planes were going to take off on July 25th, but Latham failed to get up early enough, After making a short test flight at 4,15 a.m., Bleriot set off half an hour later. His great flight lasted thirty-seven minutes. When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman. Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again. His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.

New words and expressions 生詞和短語

     pioneer
n.   先驅

     lord
n.   對（英國）貴族的尊稱；勳爵

     Calais
n.   加來（法國港市）

     overland
adj. 陸上的

參考譯文

    1908年，諾斯克利夫勳爵拿出1,000英鎊，作為對第一個飛越英吉利海峽的人的獎勵。然而一年多過去了才有人出來嚐試。1909年7月19日淩晨，休伯特.萊瑟姆駕駛“安特瓦特4號”飛機從法國海岸起飛，但他隻在海峽上空飛行7英裏，引擎就發生了故障，他隻好降落在海麵上。“安特瓦特”號飛機在海上漂浮，後來有船經過，萊瑟姆方才獲救。
    兩天之後，路易斯.布萊裏奧駕駛一名為“11號”的飛機來到加來附近。布萊裏奧從1905年起便開始研製飛機，“11號”飛機是他製作的最新型號。一周以前，他曾成功地進行了一次26英裏的陸上飛行。但是萊瑟姆不肯輕易罷休。同一天，他駕駛一架新的“安特瓦特”號飛機來到了加來附近。看來會有一場激烈的飛越英吉利海峽的競爭。兩天飛機都打算在7月25日起飛，但萊瑟姆那天起床晚了。布萊裏奧淩晨4點15分作了一次短距離試飛，半小時後便正式出發了。他這次偉大的飛行持續37分鍾。當他在多佛著陸後，第一個迎接他的是當地一名警察。萊瑟姆一周以後也作了一次嚐試，飛到離多佛不到半英裏的地方。這次他又遭厄運，因引擎故障第二次降落在海麵上。