Pioneer pilots
原文
Lesson 20
Pioneer pilots
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 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.
译文
第20课
先锋飞行员
第一架飞越英吉利海峡的飞机叫什么名字？
1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵（Lord Northcliffe）宣布设立一项奖金，金额为1,000英镑，奖励第一个成功飞越英吉利海峡的人。
一年多过去了，才有人进行第一次尝试。
1909年7月19日，清晨时分……
休伯特·拉瑟姆驾驶他的飞机“安托瓦内特IV号”从法国海岸起飞了。
他刚刚飞越英吉利海峡七英里，引擎就发生了故障，他不得不迫降在海面上。
“安托瓦内特”号漂浮在水面上，直到拉瑟姆被一艘船救起。
两天后，路易·布莱里奥驾驶着一架名为“No.XI”的飞机抵达了加莱附近。
布莱里奥自1905年起就开始制造飞机，而这架飞机是他最新的设计作品。
一周前，他完成了一次成功的陆上飞行，飞行距离达到了26英里。
然而，拉瑟姆并没有轻易放弃。
他也在同一天，驾驶一架新的“安托瓦内特”号飞机，抵达了加莱附近。
看起来将会有一场跨越英吉利海峡的精彩比赛。
这两架飞机都原定于7月25日起飞，但拉瑟姆没能及时起床。
在凌晨4点15分进行了一次短暂的试飞后，布莱里奥于半小时后出发了。
他的这次精彩飞行持续了三十七分钟。
当他降落在多佛附近时，第一个迎接他的是一名当地警察。
一周后，拉瑟姆再次尝试，最终距离多佛仅剩下半英里。
但他又一次运气不佳了。
他的引擎发生了故障，他第二次降落在海面上。