Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: What was the name of the first plane to fly across the English Channel?
Vocabulary:
pioneer n. 先驱
Calais n. 加来（法国港市）
lord n. 对（英国）贵族的尊称；勋爵
overland adj. 陆上的
Passage:
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.
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。
Notes:
1 the English Channel, 英吉利海峡。
大西洋延伸的部分，长约 350 英里（约 560 公里），将英法两国的领土分开。
2 Over a year passed before the first attempt was made.
一年多时间之后，才有人进行第一次尝试。
3 pick up 此处作“（从海里）救起”解。
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.
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。
Notes:
4 did not give up easily, 不轻易作罢。give up 当“放弃”讲。
5 It looked as if there would be an exciting race across the Channel. 看起来似乎有一
场精彩的飞越英吉利海峡的比赛。as if 引导的从句作起系动词作用的 look 的表
语，其中谓语动词 would be 表示与未来的事实不相符的虚拟结构。
6 got within half a mile of Dover, 到了离多佛不到半英里的地方。
7 Dover, 多佛港，是英吉利海峡的一个港口，对面是法国港口加来。多佛与加来
相距 21 英里（34 公里），是英吉利海峡最窄的部分。
20.2【阅读理解】Pioneer pilots
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
Comprehension:
1 How much did Lord Northcliffe offer as a prize in 1908? (£1,000.)
2 What was the prize for? (The first man who would fly across the English Channel.)
3 How long did it take for anyone to attempt this? (Over a year.)
4 Who made this attempt on July 19th,1909? (Hubert Latham.)
5 What was Hubert Latham's plane called? (Antoinette Four. or Antoinette the
Fourth.)
6 Why was he forced to land on the sea? (Because his engine failed.)
7 How many miles across the Channel had he travelled? (Seven.)
8 How was Latham rescued? (By a ship.)
9 Who arrived near Calais two days later? (Louis Bleriot.)
10 Since when had Bleriot been making planes? (Since 1905.)
11 What had Bleriot done a week before? (He had completed a successful overland
flight of 26 miles.)
12 Who else arrived in Calais on the same day? (Latham.)
l3 What was he flying? (A new ‘Antoinette'.)
14 Why wasn't there an exciting race on July 25th? (Latham failed to get up early
enough.)
15 What time did Bleriot make a short test flight? (At 4.15 a.m.)
16 When did he start the flight across the Channel? (Half an hour later.)
17 How long did the crossing take? (Thirty-seven minutes.)
18 Where did Bleriot land? (Near Dover.)
19 Who was the first person to greet him? (A local policeman.)
20 Did Latham succeed in crossing the Channel a week later? (No, he didn't.)
20.3【拓展写作】Pioneer pilots
Step 3: Composition
Imagine yourself in Bleriot's position. In not more than 200 words, write a first-person
account of the flight across the Channel. Use the ideas given below. Do not write
more than three paragraphs.
Title: My flight across the Channel.
Introduction: Early morning no sign of Latham— test flight — all well.
Development: Started off — could no longer see ship following below — suddenly
alone— worried about direction-sea and sky-high winds— engine very hot— it began
to rain — rain cooled engine— land ahead.
Conclusion: Flew in a circle — looked for a place to land — on field— two minutes
later: policeman: bonjour!
Key to composition
My flight across the Channel
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 and flew over Calais for fifteen
minutes. When I landed there was still no sign of Latham.
At 4.45 I took off again. This time I was determined to 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!
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, 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!'
课外练习：
Comprehension 理解
1 In Hubert Latham's first attempt to fly the English Channel .
(a)Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of £1,000
(b)his engine failed with only seven miles to go before reaching Dover
(c)his plane developed engine trouble only seven miles after take-off
(d)both Latham and his plane were rescued by a passing ship
2 When Bleriot made his successful crossing .
(a)he was flying a plane he had made in 1905
(b)he had already flown overland the distance across the English Channel
(c)he set out for Dover half an hour before Latham did
(d)he was arrested as soon as he landed in England
3 Latham failed at his second attempt because .
(a)he did not get up early enough
(b)he had to make another forced landing
(c)he only got within half a mile of Dover
(d)his plane had not been repaired properly
4 The first man across the English Channel would receive Lord
Northcliffe's prize.
(a)who was going to fly
(b)flying
(c)to fly
(d)having flown
5 The first attempt over a year later.
(a)was not made till
(b)was made in
(c)was made after
(d)was made until
6 He, too, near Calais with a new 'Antoinette'.
(a)just arrived
(b)was just arriving
(c)had just arrived
(d)arrived just
7 It to be an exciting race across the Channel.
(a)would promise
(b)would have promised
(c)was promising
(d)promised
8 Latham made another attempt a week later. He got within half a mile of
Dover.
(a)This time
(b)That time
(c)When
(d)Then
9 He had travelled seven miles when.
(a)farther than
(b)no longer than
(c)no further than
(d)a space of
10 The 'Antoinette' until Latham was picked up...
(a)held water
(b)was watertight
(c)stayed at sea
(d)rode the waves
11 After making a short test flight, Bleriot set off at quarter five.
(a)to
(b)of
(c)before
(d)past
12 His flight lasted thirty-seven minutes.
(a)immense
(b)long
(c)grand
(d)remarkable
答案：1c 2b 3b 4c 5a 6c 7d 8a 9c 10d 11a 12d