# 第三册 Lesson 20 Pioneer pilots 飞行员的先驱

## 一、课文原文

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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| pioneer | /'paiə'niə/ | n. | 先驱 | pioneer in... ……领域的先驱 |
| lord | /lɔ:d/ | n. | 勋爵 | 对英国贵族的尊称 |
| Calais | /'kælei/ | n. | 加来 | 法国港市，与英国多佛隔海相望 |
| overland | /'əuvə'lænd/ | adj. | 陆上的 | over+land，与oversea相对 |
| offer | /'ɔfə/ | v. | 提供，悬赏 | offer sb. sth. = offer sth. to sb. |
| attempt | /ə'tempt/ | n./v. | 尝试 | make an attempt to do 尝试做 |
| float | /fləut/ | v. | 漂浮 | float on the water 漂在水面上 |
| greet | /gri:t/ | v. | 迎接，问候 | greet sb. with... 以……迎接某人 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. before引导时间状语从句
- **Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.**
- 翻译技巧：before可译为"……之后才……"
- 即"一年多时间之后，才有人进行第一次尝试"

### 2. pick up的多义用法

| 语境 | 含义 | 例句 |
|------|------|------|
| 从海里救人 | 救起/搭救 | Latham was picked up by a ship |
| 捡起 | 拿起 | Pick up the pen |
| 接人 | 去接 | Pick me up at the station |
| 学习 | 偶然学会 | Pick up a language |

### 3. as if引导虚拟语气（表语从句）
- **It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel.**
- as if引导的从句作系动词look的表语从句
- would be表示与未来事实不相符的虚拟语气

### 4. 过去完成时的运用
- **Bleriot had been making planes since 1905**——从1905年起一直在制造飞机
- **he had completed a successful overland flight**——已经完成了一次成功的陆上飞行
- 过去完成时表示在过去某个时间之前已经完成的动作

### 5. 介词+关系代词引导的定语从句
- **during which he covered twenty-six miles**
- which指代overland flight
- during which = during the flight

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. the first man who would fly across the English Channel
- the first + 名词 + 定语从句：第一个做某事的人
- 类似：the first person to greet him（不定式作后置定语）

### 2. He had travelled only seven miles...when his engine failed
- **had done...when...** 刚做了……就……
- when表示"这时突然"，起转折作用

### 3. got within half a mile of Dover
- **get within + 距离 + of + 地点**：到达离某地……距离以内
- 表示差一点就成功了

### 4. It looked as if there would be an exciting race
- as if = as though 好像，似乎
- 从句用would be，虚拟语气表对将来的推测

## 五、课文翻译

1908年，诺斯克利夫勋爵拿出1,000英镑，作为对第一个飞越英吉利海峡的人的奖励。然而一年多过去了才有人出来尝试。1909年7月19日凌晨，休伯特·莱瑟姆驾驶"安特瓦奈特4号"飞机从法国海岸起飞，但他只在海峡上空飞行了7英里，引擎就发生了故障，他只好降落在海面上。"安特瓦奈特"号飞机在海上漂浮，后来有船经过，莱瑟姆方才获救。

两天之后，路易斯·布莱里奥驾驶一架名为"11号"的飞机来到加来附近。布莱里奥从1905年起便开始研制飞机，"11号"飞机是他制作的最新型号。一周以前，他曾成功地进行了一次26英里的陆上飞行。但是莱瑟姆不肯轻易罢休。同一天，他驾驶一架新的"安特瓦奈特"号飞机来到了加来附近。看来会有一场激烈的飞越英吉利海峡的竞争。两架飞机都打算在7月25日起飞，但莱瑟姆那天起床晚了。布莱里奥凌晨4点15分作了一次短距离试飞，半小时后便正式出发了。他这次伟大的飞行持续了37分钟。当他在多佛着陆后，第一个迎接他的是当地一名警察。莱瑟姆一周以后也作了一次尝试，飞到了离多佛不到半英里的地方。这次他又遭厄运，因引擎故障第二次降落在海面上。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
- **叙事线索**：以时间顺序展开，两条线索交替——Latham和Bleriot的竞争
- **对比手法**：Latham两次失败 vs. Bleriot一次成功
- **戏剧性细节**：第一个迎接Bleriot的是当地警察（而非欢呼的人群）
- **反复强调**：engine failed重复出现，突出早期飞行的危险性

### 文化背景
- **英吉利海峡**：大西洋延伸部分，最窄处约21英里，连接英国与法国
- **Dover与Calais**：分别位于海峡两岸，隔海相望
- **Louis Bleriot**：法国飞行先驱，1909年7月25日首次成功飞越英吉利海峡
- 早期飞机极其简陋，引擎故障是最大的危险

## 七、课后练习要点

1. 词汇：掌握pioneer, overland, attempt, float, pick up等重点词
2. 语法：before引导时间状语从句的翻译；as if虚拟语气；过去完成时
3. 句型：the first man to do/who does；get within...of...；had done...when...
4. 理解：第一架飞越英吉利海峡的飞机名叫"No. XI"，由Bleriot驾驶

## 八、本课小结

- 核心词汇：pioneer, overland, attempt, float, pick up
- 核心语法：before时间状语从句、as if虚拟语气、过去完成时
- 核心句型：the first to do结构、had done...when...、get within...of...
- 写作特色：双线叙事、对比手法、戏剧性细节