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Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots 飞行员的先驱
In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of ￡1000 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 'Antonette'. It looks 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.
Background
* the English Channel 英吉利海峡：the area of sea which separate England from France
* the Channel Tunnel 英法海底隧道：the three long passages under the English Channel between England and France
* Dover多佛：a municipal borough of southeast England on the Strait of Dover opposite Calais, France
* Calais 加来：a city of northern France on the Strait of Dover opposite Dover, England
* lord 对（英国）贵族的尊称，勋爵:（Chiefly British）the general masculine title of nobility and other rank |
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发表于 2016-7-11 23:00:27