---
url: https://gaojian.site/new-concept/book-3/20-pioneer-pilots.md
description: 新概念英语第三册：Pioneer Pilots。精读、词块回忆、双向译练、句法、逻辑与FSRS复习。
---

# 20 · 飞行员的先驱

### 第1段

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 the 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.

中文理解：1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵悬赏1,000英镑，奖励第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人。一年多以后，才终于有人首次尝试。1909年7月19日清晨，休伯特·莱瑟姆驾驶“安托瓦内特四号”飞机，从法国海岸起飞。可刚飞过海峡七英里，发动机就出了故障，他被迫降落在海面上。飞机一直漂浮在水上，直到一艘船救起莱瑟姆。
两天后，路易·布莱里奥带着一架名为“十一号”的飞机来到加来附近。他从1905年就开始制造飞机，这架是最新的型号。一星期前，他刚成功完成一次陆上飞行，飞了26英里。莱瑟姆却不是轻言放弃的人，同一天，他也带着一架新的“安托瓦内特”来到加来附近，眼看一场激动人心的飞越海峡竞赛就要上演。两人都打算在7月25日起飞，可莱瑟姆那天没能早起。布莱里奥凌晨4点15分先做了短暂试飞，半小时后正式出发。这次飞行壮举历时37分钟，他在多佛附近降落时，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。一星期后，莱瑟姆再次尝试，已经飞到距离多佛不到半英里的地方，却又一次遭遇不幸：发动机再度失灵，他只好第二次降落在海上。

* **the first attempt was made**：首次作出尝试；make an attempt to do；被动把尝试或试验作为叙述中心。

* **took off**：起飞；本课指飞机起飞；脱衣等义项须看语境。

* **was forced to**：被迫；说明外部条件迫使行动，不只是一般计划。

* **was picked up**：被接走；被救起；水上语境 pick up 指救起，不能只按捡起物品理解。

* **his latest model**：他的最新机型；latest 表最新，last 表最后或上一，不能随意互换。

* **a successful overland flight**：一次成功的陆上飞行；overland 与 across the sea 对照，说明飞行环境。

* **give up**：放弃；停止；表示放弃或停止某项活动；做某事用 -ing，不用 to do。

* **as if**：仿佛；好像；是否用过去形式要看真实程度和时间，不是一律虚拟。

* **get up early enough**：起得足够早；副词 + enough + to do，enough 放在 early 后面。

* **set off**：动身；出发；set off for + 地点，常说旅程起点；不要把 set up 的建立义混进来。

* **the first person to**：第一个做……的人；the first + 名词 + to do，动作者是该名词。

* **made another attempt**：又作了一次尝试；another 修饰单数 attempt，后接 to do 说明目标。

* **for the second time**：第二次；for the first / second / third time，说明次数而非持续时间。

#### 原文注释 · In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of £1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.

注释：①make an attempt to do sth., 努力去做某事，类似的有leave no stone unturned to do sth.(不留余力做某事)。②forced to land = obliged to come down。③picked up = rescued。

#### 原文注释 · Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called "No.

注释：①completed = finished, undertaken。②covered = completed(侧重于完成), flown。③overland, 陆上的，类似的overnight, overseas, oversleep, overwork 等。test = trial。④set off = started out, began his journey。⑤failed = didn't work, stopped。

#### Summary 摘要

Bleriot and Latham arrived in Calais on July 21st, 1909. Though it looked as if there would be a race on July 25th, Latham didn't take part, because he didn't get up early enough. After making a short test flight, Bleriot crossed the Channel in thirty-seven minutes. A policeman greeted him when he arrived in Dover. Latham got within half a mile of Dover the following week, having to land on the sea a second time because his engine failed. (80 words)

#### Composition 作文 My Flight Across the Channel 我的跨海峡飞行

\[1]It was early morning. I looked around, but there was no sign of Latham, so I decided to go on a test flight first. At 4:15, I took off(起飞) and flew over Calais for fifteen minutes. When I landed there was still no sign of Latham.

\[2]At 4:45 I took off again. This time I was determined to(决定要做) fly across the Channel. When I looked down there was no sign of the ship below, which was supposed to be following me, I suddenly felt alone and was worried whether I was flying in the right direction. All I could see was sea and sky. I could feel the high winds against the plane and the engine got very hot. Fortunately, it began to rain and the rain cooled my engine. Suddenly, I could see land ahead. Dover!

\[3]I flew over Dover, looking for somewhere to land. I saw a field below and brought the plane down. I was still sitting in the cockpit(n.驾驶座舱), hardly able to believe the flight was so successful—just thirty-seven minutes to cross from Calais—when a British policeman arrived. He smiled broadly at me and said, "Good morning!" I smiled back and said, "Bonjour!" (200 words)

## 学完这一课

用 had only… when… 写一次刚开始就被打断的经历。

[Nce · 本册复习台](/new-concept/book-3/review) · [三册选择地图](/new-concept/)

*译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时、何景霖整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第67—69页，2022年2月第3版。*