Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots飛行員的先驅
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
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 later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'. Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest 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.
參考譯文
1908年，諾斯克利夫勛爵拿出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嘗試。1909年7月19日凌晨，休 伯特.萊瑟姆駕駛“安特瓦特4號”飛機從法國海岸起飛，但他只在海峽上空飛行7英里，引擎就發生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。“安特瓦特”號飛機在海上漂 浮，后來有船經過，萊瑟姆方才獲救。
兩天之后，路易斯.布萊里奧駕駛一名為“11號”的飛機來到加來附近。布萊里奧從1905年起便開始研制飛機，“11號”飛機是他制作的最新型號。一周以 前，他曾成功地進行了一次26英里的陸上飛行。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。布萊里奧凌晨4點15分作了一次短距離試飛，半小時后便正式出發了。他這次 偉大的飛行持續37分鐘。當他在多佛著陸后，第一個迎接他的是當地一名警察。萊瑟姆一周以后也作了一次嘗試，飛到離多佛不到半英里的地方。這次他又遭厄 運，因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。
New words and expressions 生詞和短語
pioneer
n. 先驅
lord
n. 對（英國）貴族的尊稱；勛爵
Calais
n. 加來（法國港市）
overland
adj. 陸上的
Notes on the text課文注釋
1 the English Channel，英吉利海峽。
大西洋延伸的部分，長約350英里(約560公里)，將英法兩國的領土分開。
2 Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
一年多時間之后，才有人進行第一次嘗試。
3 pick up此處作“(從海里)救起”解。
4 did not give up easily，不輕易作罷。
give up當“放棄”講。
5 It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.看起來似乎有一場精采的飛越英吉利海峽的比賽。as if引導的從句作起系動詞作用的look的表語，其中謂語動詞would be表示與未來的事實不相符
的虛擬結構。
6 got within half a mile of Dover, 到了離多佛不到半英里的地方。
7 Dover多佛港，是英吉利海峽的一個港口，對面是法國港口加來。多佛與加來相距21英里(34公里)，是英吉利海峽最窄的部分。
Lesson 20 課后練習和答案Exercises and Answer
