■bet (bet, bet; betted, betted) v. 打赌
bet on sth. 以...打赌
bet sb. that 跟某人打赌
bet one's bottom dollar on somebody 对……孤注一掷
as much as 多达
He bet his bottom dollar on his last attempt.
bet on the wrong horse 对…… 做出了错误的判断
I bet 我肯定，我断言
■academy n. 专业学校
■extravagant adj. 浪费的，奢侈
extravagant hobit
thrifty frugal economical
■poverty n. 贫困
in poverty 在贫困当中
indigence 贫困 (正式)
destitution 赤贫
penury 诘据
in popularity
fought with bare fists: 赤手空拳的打斗
一、【Text】课文
Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for Prize
money. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a
prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza who was born in 1764. The use of gloves was not
introduced until 1860 when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules. Though he was technically a prizefighter,
Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game. In his day, Mendoza enjoyed
tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old. This attracted the attention of Richard
Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to
learn. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it
was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight. A match was held at Stilton where both men fought for an hour. The
public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and
he lost for a second time. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of
England. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils. He earned
enormous sums of money and was paid as much as &100 for a single appearance. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he
was always in debt. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten. He was sent to prison
for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
nude adj. 光秃秃的； n. 裸体（雕象，油画）
a nude hillside 光秃秃的山坡
■prizefighter n. 职业拳击手（尤指古时赤手拳击手）
■crude adj. 粗野的
be crude to sb 对……粗鲁，无理 , rude语气比 crude 要弱
He is crude to the girl.
■marquis n. 侯爵
■technically adv. 严格根据法律意义地
■science n. 科学
■popularity n. 名望
in popularity 受欢迎，受喜爱
Instant foods are getting in popularity. 即食食品越来越受欢迎。
popular songs are in popularity.
popular with 受人喜爱
popularity 名望，受人欢迎的状态
fame 出名的名声 famous adj.
reputation 声誉
■adore v. 崇拜，爱戴
More and more people adore the famous adtress.
■alike adv. 一样地
He was adored by rich, and poor alike.
The teacher is adored by boy, girl and alike.
■fame n. 名声
■eminent adj. 著名的，杰出的
eminent scientist
distinguished
■bitterly adv. 厉害地
It is blowing bitterly.
bitter:苦的、辛酸的、刺骨的
bitter pills may have wholesome effects 良药
The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow actor had at last learnt his lines. The noble stared at the blank sheet of
paper for a few seconds. Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me.' And he promptly handed the
sheet of paper to the gaoler. Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, the gaoler replied: 'The light is
indeed dim, sire. I must get my glasses.' With this, he hurried off the stage. Much to the aristocrat's amusement, the gaoler
returned a few moments later with a pair of glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner.
●run v. （戏剧、电影等）
●lines n. （剧本中的）台词
●part n. 剧中的角色，台词
●falter v. 支吾，结巴说
●cast (cast, cast ) v. 选派……扮演角色
●role n. 角色
●aristocrat n. 贵族
●imprison v. 关押
●Bastille . 巴士底狱
●gaoler n. 监狱长，看守连演，连映
●colleague n. 同事
●curtain n. （舞台中的）幕布
●reveal v. 使显露
●cell n. 单人监房，监号
●blank adj. 空白的
●squint v. 眯着（眼）看，瞄
●dim adj. 昏暗
●sire n. （古用法）陛下
●proceed v. 继续进行
■run v. （戏剧、电影等）
The film is so successful that it runs for several weeks.
三、【课文精析】
Key sentence:
One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza who was born in 1764.
one of the most famous people
introduce: bring in
Potatos were introduced into Europe from South America.
drew up: 制定，起草
Sb. did much to do sth.
in his full time in his good day
rise to fame = become famous
attract sb.’s sttention == attract the attention of sb.
turn against sb 与……反目成仇
severely
Key sentence:
It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion.
in debt: 欠债
Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end. In many ways, this is unfortunate for the poor actors who are
required to go on repeating the same lines night after night. One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have
cause to falter. Yet this is not always the case.
A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had been imprisoned in the Bastille for
twenty years. In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand to the prisoner. Even
though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, he always insisted that it should be written out in full.
One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, after so many performances, he had managed to learn
the contents of the letter by heart. The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone behind
bars in his dark cell. Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his hands. He entered the cell and presented the
letter to the aristocrat. But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual. It was simply a blank sheet of paper.
二、【New words and expressions】生词和短语
●boxing n. 拳击
●boxer n. 拳击手
●bare adj. 赤裸的
●prizefighter n. 职业拳击手（尤指古时赤手拳击手）
●crude adj. 粗野的
●marquis n. 侯爵
●technically adv. 严格根据法律意义地
●science n. 科学
●popularity n. 名望
●adore v. 崇拜，爱戴
●alike adv. 一样地
●fame n. 名声
●eminent adj. 著名的，杰出的
●bitterly adv. 厉害地
●bet (bet, bet; betted, betted) v. 打赌
●academy n. 专业学校
●extravagant adj. 浪费的，奢侈
●poverty n. 贫困
■boxing n. 拳击
■boxer n. 拳击手
■bare adj. 赤裸的
bare uncovered
bare (部分的)赤裸
bare fist 赤手空拳
bare foot 光着脚的
bare handed 光着手的
bare legged 光着腿的
naked 全裸
He’s walking in bare feet.
He is naked.
