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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Unit 76
"Superman" Star Christopher Reeve
Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who turned personal tragedy into a public campaign and from his wheelchair became the nation's most recognizable spokesman for spinal1 cord research, died on Oct. 10, 2004, after suffering cardiac arrest and falling into a coma2 the previous day. In the last week Reeve had developed a serious systemic infection, a common problem for people living with paralysis3 who develop bedsores and depend on tubes for their care. "He's put up with a lot", said his mother, "I'm glad he's free of all those tubes."
Reeve was born Sept. 25, 1952, in New York City. His athletic4 frame and love for adventure made him a natural choice for the international icon5 Superman in the 1987 film. He made Superman believable by playing him as a hero with brains and a heart. He insisted on performing his own stunts6. He said, "What makes Superman a hero is not his power, but that he has wisdom and maturity7 to use the power wisely." Later he co-starred with Jane Seymour in Somewhere in Time, which inspired a wide cult8 following among college students, though not popular at the time it was released. Seymour thought so highly of Reeve that she named one of her kids after him. Reeve went on to appear in a total of 17 feature films, a dozen TV-movies and 150 plays. His striking good looks and imposing9 physique were reminiscent of Hollywood's classic leading men like John Wayne who, after meeting Reeve at the 1979 Academy Awards, turned to Cary Grant and said, "This is our new man. He's taking over."
On Memorial Day weekend, 1995, Reeve was competing when his horse, "Eastern Express" decided10 to put on brakes just before the third jump. The momentum11 carried him over the top of his horse. As his hands got entangled12 in the bridles13, he couldn't get an arm free to break the fall. All his 6-feet-4-inches and 215 pounds landed headfirst. Within seconds, he was paralyzed from the neck down and fighting for air like a drowning person. Enduring months of therapy to allow him to breathe for longer and longer periods without respirator, he emerged to lobby for better insurance protection against catastrophic injury.
He also returned to acting14 in a 1998 production of Rear Window, a modern update of the Hitchcock thriller15 about a man in a wheelchair who is convinced a neighbor has been murdered. Critics praised his talent and courage, and he was able to communicate effectively enough to tell the story by only acting with his voice and face.
In 2000, Reeve was able to move his index finger. With rigorous therapy, involving repeated electrical stimulation16 of the muscles, he also regained17 sensation in other parts of his body. He vowed18 to walk again. But sadly, he died 4 years later. Dr. Onders, who implanted electrodes in Reeve's diaphragm in a groundbreaking surgery to help him breathe, said the sore that led to his infection was not Reeve's only recent health problem. "Many different problems develop after nine years of not being able to move yourself, having intestinal19 problems... It just slowly builds up over the years."
1 spinal | |
adj.针的,尖刺的,尖刺状突起的;adj.脊骨的,脊髓的 | |
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2 coma | |
n.昏迷,昏迷状态 | |
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3 paralysis | |
n.麻痹(症);瘫痪(症) | |
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4 athletic | |
adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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5 icon | |
n.偶像,崇拜的对象,画像 | |
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6 stunts | |
n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 );(广告中)引人注目的花招;愚蠢行为;危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长],抑制,妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7 maturity | |
n.成熟;完成;(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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8 cult | |
n.异教,邪教;时尚,狂热的崇拜 | |
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9 imposing | |
adj.使人难忘的,壮丽的,堂皇的,雄伟的 | |
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10 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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11 momentum | |
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
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12 entangled | |
adj.卷入的;陷入的;被缠住的;缠在一起的v.使某人(某物/自己)缠绕,纠缠于(某物中),使某人(自己)陷入(困难或复杂的环境中)( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 bridles | |
约束( bridle的名词复数 ); 限动器; 马笼头; 系带 | |
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14 acting | |
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的 | |
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15 thriller | |
n.惊险片,恐怖片 | |
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16 stimulation | |
n.刺激,激励,鼓舞 | |
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17 regained | |
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地 | |
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18 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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19 intestinal | |
adj.肠的;肠壁;肠道细菌 | |
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