Two days later, Louis Bleriot arrived near Calais with a plane called 'No. XI'.

Louis ^{法文里的s不发音“路易”}

• Illinois ^{n.伊利诺斯州（美国州名）}
• Calais ^{n.加来（法国城市）}
• Charles ^{法国名“查理”、英国名“查理斯”}
• Chamonix ^{n.夏蒙尼（地名，法国小镇，是阿尔卑斯山脉的典型山城）}

After designing and building various types of experimental aircraft, he concentrated on developing the monoplane.
On July 25, 1909, he flew from Calais, France, to Dover, England, in one of his monoplanes, becoming the first aviator to cross the English Channel in a heavier-than-air machine.
During World War I Blériot's factory produced about 10,000 airplanes for the armed forces of France and the other Allied powers.

Bleriot had been making planes since 1905 and this was his latest model.

model ^{n.（车辆、机器的）型号}

• the latest model
• the most popular model
• My car is the 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.

not give up = stick it out ^坚持下去

Rachel: Oh God, I hate my job, I hate it, I hate my job, I hate it. Monica: I know honey, I'm sorry. Rachel: Oh, I wanna quit,but then I think I should stick it out.

• Latham, however, stuck it out. ^替换

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.

It seems / looks as if / as though ... ^{看似，好像.…}

• It seems that all is not well at home.^{看来家中并非事事如意。}
• It seems like an act of monumental folly. ^{这似乎是一种非常愚蠢的行为。}
• It looks as if it had picture-books in it.^{看起来，好像里面有图画书。}
• It looks as if we were being pursued! ^{好像是在追我们！}
• It looks as though the weather is going to turn nasty again. ^{好像又要变天了。}
• It looks as though a compromise agreement has now been reached. ^{看起来好像现在已经达成了一个妥协协议。}

造句：It seemed / looked as if / as though there would be a heated argument between them. ^{看似他们之间将有一次激烈的争吵。}

promise to do ^{主语是人“承诺做某事”；主语是事物“有可能会怎样...”}

It promised to be an exciting race across the Channel. ^替换

• It promises to be warm today. ^{今天可能很暖和}
• Groundbreaking research by two French geophysicists promises to shed some light on the mystery.

Both planes were going to take off on July 25^th, 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.

set out / off ^动身出发

• Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a lookout.

start out / off ^开始出发

• At midnight we'll start out again, for at dawn tomorrow we must be at the Field of Wonders. ^{午夜我们再出发，这样明天黎明我们肯定到达那块神奇的土地了。}

When he landed near Dover, the first person to greet him was a local policeman.

The next man to approach me was selling expensive pens and watches. ^{句型结构类似}

Latham made another attempt a week later and got within half a mile of Dover, but he was unlucky again.

within ... of... ^{离...不到...(距离、时间)}

• I live within a mile of the city center.
• The company is within a week of bankruptcy.

His engine failed and he landed on the sea for the second time.

for the second time ^{第二次发生...}

• at the second time ^{在第二次的时候}
• for the first time ^{某事首次发生}
• at the first time ^{在第一次的时候}
• In 1929, three years after his flight over the North Pole, the American explorer, R.E, Byrd, successfully flew over the South Pole for the first time.
• For the first time in his life, he became the proud owner of a bed which had springs and a mattress.

"Is something still wrong, Robbie?" "I'll be OK." "Going away to college for the first time always makes one a little nervous." "I guess so. I'll be OK. I just need time to think."