温馨夜读II PART4 8.Passionate Pursuit of Possibility

 

[00:00.31]8.Passionate¹ Pursuit of Possibility

[00:05.32]Years ago, while unearthing² an ancient Egyptian tomb, an archaeologist came upon seeds buried in a piece of wood. 

[00:14.35]Planted, the seeds realized their potential after more than 3,000 years! 

[00:20.23]Are the conditions in the lives of people so discouraging, so defeating, 

[00:25.74]that human beings — regardless of inherent potentiality — are doomed³ to lives of failure and quiet desperation? 

[00:33.25]Or are there also seeds of possibility in people, an urge for becoming that is so strong that the hard crust of adversity is breached⁴? 

[00:42.28]Consider this story from the Associated Press on May 23, l984:

[00:48.60]As a child, Mary Groda did not learn to read and write. Experts labeled her retarded⁵. 

[00:55.46]As an adolescent, she “earned” an additional label, “incorrigible,” and was sentenced to two years in a reformatory. 

[01:03.63]It was here, ironically, in this closed-in place, that Mary — bending to the challenge to learn — worked at her task for as long as 16 hours a day. 

[01:14.63]Her hard work paid off. She was awarded her (GED) high school diploma.

[01:20.51]But more misfortune was to visit Mary Groda. 

[01:24.54]After leaving the reformatory, she became pregnant without benefit of marriage. 

[01:29.76]Then, two years later a second pregnancy⁶ resulted in a stroke, erasing⁷ her hard-earned powers of reading and writing. 

[01:38.58]With the help and support of her father, Mary battled back, regaining⁸ what she had lost.

[01:44.91]In a bad financial situation, Mary went on welfare. 

[01:48.72]Finally, to make ends meet, she took in seven foster children. 

[01:54.05]It was during this period that she started taking courses at a community college. 

[01:59.28]Upon completion of her course work, she applied⁹ to and was accepted by the Albany Medical School to study medicine.

[02:07.55]In the spring of 1984 in Oregon, Mary Groda gave a speech at commencement. 

[02:13.76]No one can know what private thoughts went through Mary’s mind as she reached out to grasp this eloquent¹⁰ testimony¹¹ to her self-belief and perseverance, 

[02:24.04]her diploma that announced to all the world: 

[02:26.89]Here stands on this small point of Planet Earth a person who dared to dream the impossible dream, 

[02:34.22]a person who confirms for all of us our human divineness. Here stands Mary Groda.

1 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

2 unearthing   

发掘或挖出某物( unearth的现在分词 )； 搜寻到某事物，发现并披露

参考例句：

• And unearthing the past often means literally and studying the evidence. 通常，探寻往事在字面上即意味着——刨根究底。
• The unearthing of "Peking Man" was a remarkable discovery. “北京人”的出土是个非凡的发现。

3 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

4 breached   

攻破( breach的现在分词 )； 破坏，违反

参考例句：

• These commitments have already been breached. 这些承诺已遭背弃。
• Our tanks have breached the enemy defences. 我方坦克车突破了敌人的防线。

5 retarded   

a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• The progression of the disease can be retarded by early surgery. 早期手术可以抑制病情的发展。
• He was so slow that many thought him mentally retarded. 他迟钝得很，许多人以为他智力低下。

6 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

7 erasing   

v.擦掉( erase的现在分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He was like a sponge, erasing the past, soaking up the future. 他象一块海绵，挤出过去，吸进未来。 来自辞典例句
• Suddenly, fear overtook longing, erasing memories. 突然，恐惧淹没了渴望，泯灭了回忆。 来自辞典例句

8 regaining   

复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉，但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
• She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道，又马上重新振作起精神来。

9 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

10 eloquent   

adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的

参考例句：

• He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
• These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。

11 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。