美国国家公共电台 NPR--残奥会星期五在北京开幕

The Paralympic Games begin Friday in Beijing

Transcript¹

Among the American athletes competing this year is a former Navy Seal who lost his legs in Afghanistan because of a roadside bomb explosion.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

The Paralympics begin in Beijing tomorrow. Among the American athletes competing this year is a former Navy SEAL who lost his legs in Afghanistan because of a roadside bomb explosion. Greg Echlin with member station KCUR in Kansas City share the story.

GREG ECHLIN, BYLINE²: Dan Cnossen is a solidly built 41-year-old who's prepared to compete in the Paralympics for the third time. Four years ago, he won six medals, including a gold. Before leaving for China for this year's games, he trained alone in West Yellowstone, Mont.

(SOUNDBITE OF HEAVY BREATHING)

ECHLIN: Cnossen's specialty³ is the sitting biathlon, which combines shooting with cross-country skiing. He'll also race cross-country skiing a stretch of 18 kilometers - or, roughly, 11 miles.

DAN CNOSSEN: I have to learn how to push myself, to dig into my own inner reaches and try to put forth⁴ every ounce of energy that I have. And it's painful sometimes, and some days it's there, and some days it's not.

ECHLIN: Cnossen says being a Paralympian has helped him make the transition from military life.

CNOSSEN: Following a training plan is great. Being part of a team is great. Representing the U.S. overseas is great. But ultimately, for me - and this, I admit, is very self-focused, but it's just about being part of the action.

All right, just going to keep staying warm.

(SOUNDBITE OF SKIING)

ECHLIN: For the biathlon, Cnossen drops from his seated position on skis, then plops the core of his body onto a platform that looks like a large mat. Then he aims his air rifle at a target the size of a blueberry 10 meters away - or about 33 feet.

(SOUNDBITE OF AIR RIFLE FIRE)

ECHLIN: Cnossen lost his legs as a Navy SEAL platoon leader in 2009 and knows by the size of the target he's shooting at how much a millimeter to the right or left meant life or death back then. He considers himself lucky to be alive. A Kansas native, Cnossen grew up loving the outdoors. Before he went to the Naval⁵ Academy, he was a soccer and track athlete in high school.

CNOSSEN: One of the things after my injury that was important for me was doing something new so that I didn't have a barometer⁶ of my past former self to compare.

ECHLIN: There's a group called Move United that eases former military personnel into adaptive sports. Retired⁷ executive director Kirk Bauer says dealing⁸ with mental barriers is the first step. Bauer knows, since he lost a leg in Vietnam as the result of a grenade explosion. After coming home, he took up downhill skiing.

KIRK BAUER: You're talking about the potential obstacles we see in people's heads. It's 80% mental and 20% physical. But you have to do the physical.

ECHLIN: And Cnossen did. Beyond sports, he earned master's degrees from Harvard in public administration and theological studies. He's built an impressive resume but with uncertainty⁹ ahead.

CNOSSEN: Yes, yes. I am wondering what my life is going to be like when I'm not on the Paralympic team.

ECHLIN: Cnossen has dabbled¹⁰ in public speaking and might pursue more. His friend Adam LaReau, also a former Navy SEAL, owns a company that conducts seminars for first responders.

ADAM LAREAU: When he gets in front of them and talks about goal-setting, mental performance, resilience, bouncing back from challenges and focus and attention control, Dan is disciplined and dedicated¹¹.

ECHLIN: The lesson that Cnossen has learned over the last 13 years is one he'd like to share.

LAREAU: Difficult situations happen to everybody. That's just a part of life. One of my messages is that you often can't control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond.

ECHLIN: For NPR News, I'm Greg Echlin.

(SOUNDBITE OF GIANTS' NEST'S "CLOUDS AND RAINBOWS")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

6 barometer   

n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标

参考例句：

• The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
• The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

10 dabbled   

v.涉猎( dabble的过去式和过去分词 )；涉足；浅尝；少量投资

参考例句：

• He dabbled in business. 他搞过一点生意。 来自辞典例句
• His vesture was dabbled in blood. 他穿的衣服上溅满了鲜血。 来自辞典例句

11 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。