美国国家公共电台 NPR--New statue in Virginia, replacing one of Robert E. Lee, will honor Henrietta Lacks

New statue in Virginia, replacing one of Robert E. Lee, will honor Henrietta Lacks

Transcript¹

Lacks was a Roanoke woman being treated for cervical cancer in 1951 when doctors took samples of her cancer cells without her consent. Her lines of cells helped with cancer research and vaccines².

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

In recent years, the state of Virginia has removed a number of Confederate monuments, among them a statue of General Robert E. Lee in Roanoke, Va., which was taken down in 2020. In its place, a new statue honors Henrietta Lacks. Lacks was a Roanoke woman who was being treated for cervical cancer in 1951. Doctors took samples of her cancer cells without her consent. And she died later that year at age 31. Her lines of cells have helped with cancer research and the development of many vaccines.

BRYCE COBBS: Her cells regenerate³ every 24 hours, which was never before seen.

INSKEEP: Bryce Cobbs is the artist commissioned to design the Lacks statue.

COBBS: It was a very, very long process. I don't know how many pieces of paper I threw away (laughter) trying to capture what I really wanted to capture in my head.

INSKEEP: Mr. Cobbs teamed up with Roanoke's Hidden Histories, an organization working to raise awareness⁴ of local Black history. Capturing Lacks took some input⁵ from her relatives.

COBBS: The family was super helpful. They offered the sculptor⁶, Larry Bechtel, assistance which capturing her likeness⁷ by using other family members' resemblances in order to combine a lot of the elements to capture her likeness in that way.

INSKEEP: Now, even though her cells are still used in laboratories today, neither she nor her descendants were ever compensated⁸ for the theft of her genetic⁹ material. Cobbs hopes his work will allow the Lacks family to reclaim¹⁰ the story of their ancestor and shed new light on the woman she was.

COBBS: Seeing a Black woman in this prominent stance, permanently¹¹ immortalized in this sculpture, which has inspired a lot of people in the community, honestly. So I really wanted to have a distinguished¹², powerful pose. And I wanted her looking up. I always remember, like, looking up as being something like a feeling of proudness and of having that confidence in yourself and the strength in who you are.

INSKEEP: We'll see the results before long because sculptor Larry Bechtel will work off Cobb's design. The statue is set to be unveiled next fall.

(SOUNDBITE OF ROBERT GLASPER'S "OF DREAMS TO COME")

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 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

3 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

6 sculptor   

n.雕刻家，雕刻家

参考例句：

• A sculptor forms her material.雕塑家把材料塑造成雕塑品。
• The sculptor rounded the clay into a sphere.那位雕塑家把黏土做成了一个球状。

7 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

8 compensated   

补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）

参考例句：

• The marvelous acting compensated for the play's weak script. 本剧的精彩表演弥补了剧本的不足。
• I compensated his loss with money. 我赔偿他经济损失。

9 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

10 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

11 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

12 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。