12-12 克里斯托夫·里夫：一位真正的超人

Christopher Reeve: A True Superman

 

Christopher Reeve, the cinematic¹ Superman who became a real-life inspiration for people with spinal¹² injuries through his painstaking² struggle to overcome total paralysis³ while continuing to speak out for stem cell³ research, died on October 10 at his home in New York. He was 52.

 

A horseback riding accident in 1995 left the actor paralyzed from the neck down. After briefly⁴ pondering suicide, Reeve became a powerful proponent⁵ of causes ranging from insurance coverage⁶ for catastrophic⁴ injuries to unleashing⁷ the possibilities some scientists believe lie in using embryonic⁸⁵ stem cells for research. As a young unknown actor, Reeve propelled⁶ himself to the status of instant myth in 1978 by starring in Superman: The Movie, a hugely popular film, then going on to do three successful sequels. Many critics said he brought humor and sensitivity to his portrayal⁹ of the Man of Steel.

 

He was tall, with a strikingly handsome, square-jawed face and a strong athletic¹¹ build. Even before Superman, he looked like Superman. Enhancing the image, he performed his own stunts¹²; off-screen he piloted his own plane. There were numerous other roles, including substantial leading parts on Broadway.

 

But it wasn't Reeve's 6'4", 225 lb. physique⁷ that made him so convincing as Superman and Clark Kent. He brought a true duality⁸ to the role, making you believe not only that he could bend steel with his bare hands, but that Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen didn't recognize that Clark and Superman were one and the same. Hunching¹³ his shoulders, raising his voice, getting caught in revolving¹⁴ doors and using colloquialisms⁹ such as “golly” and “swell,” Reeve played Clark Kent as a slightly pitiable everyman,a very square peg¹⁶ who just couldn't seem to fit into the world's round holes¹⁰.

 

When the horn rims¹⁷ and blue suit came off to reveal the Superman uniform underneath¹⁸, everything fell into place. But unlike the actors portraying¹⁹ superheroes before him, Reeve played Superman with something that had previously²⁰ been lacking: humility²¹. Reeve was smart enough to know that the iconic¹¹ costume of Superman would do most of the acting²² for him, so he played it low-key. This was not a god, standing²³ with puffed²⁴ chest, arms akimbo¹² and brow furrowed²⁵, lording over the inferior humans he could conquer if he desired. This was simply -- as Superman answers Lois Lane when, after being rescued by him for the first time, she asks, “Who are you?” -- a friend.

 

Christopher Reeve proved that wearing colored spandex doesn't have to be at odds²⁶ with giving a nuanced performance as an actor. His sensitive portrayal of the last son of Krypton earned acclaim²⁷ even from critics who didn't like the film. Pauline Kael panned Superman in The New Yorker but praised its star, writing, “Reeve plays innocent but not dumb, and the combination of his Pop jaw¹⁰ line and physique with his unassuming manner makes him immediately likable.”

 

But it was Reeve's personal courage in dealing²⁸ with his paralysis that transcended²⁹ both his causes and profession, making him a real-life superhero in the minds of many. By tirelessly exercising and using electrical shocks to stir his numb³⁰ nervous system, he was beginning to recapture -- twitch³¹ by tiny twitch -- the use of his body.

 

In September 2000 he moved an index finger and the news startled scientists who had not expected to see such progress so long after so severe an accident. Reeve expected nothing less and continued to improve. “You have to take action and stand up for yourself -- even if you're sitting in a wheelchair,” he said in an interview with Psychology³² Today in 2003. The technique was working so well that Reeve in February 2003 decided³³ to have surgery to free him from the respirator¹³ that had enabled his paralyzed lungs to breathe. Electrodes were implanted in his diaphragm¹⁴ so that breathing could be regulated electronically.

 

But infections ultimately trumped³⁴ technology, intensive exercise and even iron determination. The slim luck that had nurtured³⁵ Reeve ran out. Even as he worked at recovery, he had produced a string of accomplishments³⁶ since his accident that included writing two books and directing and acting in movies. At the same time, he lobbied extensively for public health issues.

 

注释：

1. cinematic [7sini5mAtik] a. 影片的，电影的

2. spinal [5spainEl] a. [解] 脊的，脊柱的

3. stem cell [生] 干细胞

4. catastrophic [7kAtE5strCfik] a. 灾难性的

5. embryonic [7embri5Cnik] a. =embryonal [生] 胚的，胚胎的

6. propel [prEu5pel] vt. 推进，推

7. physique [fi5zi:k] n. （男子的）体格，体形

8. duality [dju:5Aliti] n. 两重性，二元性

9. colloquialism¹⁵ [kE5lEukwiEliz(E)m] n. 口语用词，口语说法

10. a square peg in a round hole [口] 方枘圆凿（指与所在职务全然不称或与环境格格不入的人）

11. iconic [ai5kCnik] a. 偶像的

12. akimbo [E5kimbEu] a. [一般作表语] 双手叉着腰（的）

13. respirator [5respEreitE(r)] n. （人工）呼吸器，呼吸机

14. diaphragm [5daiEfrAm] n. [解] 膈，膈膜

克里斯托夫•里夫：一位真正的超人

 

克里斯托夫•里夫，这位一面为克服全身瘫痪而艰苦斗争，一面不断呼吁支持胚胎干细胞研究，从而成为现实生活中脊椎病患者的精神榜样的昔日银幕超人，于10月10日在纽约的家中去世，享年52岁。

1995年，一次骑马时的事故导致这位演员从颈部以下瘫痪。放弃了一度想自杀的念头之后，里夫成为了从建立灾难性受伤的保险到推动一些科学家利用胚胎干细胞进行研究活动的强而有力的支持者。　　

作为一名默默无闻的青年演员，1978年，里夫主演《超人》，一部极其受欢迎的电影，从而使自己迅速成为一个神话，随后他继续成功主演了三部续集。很多评论家说，他在自己演绎的铁血男儿中注入了幽默和敏感。

　　他个子很高，有着逼人的帅气，方下巴的脸庞，强壮的、如运动员般的体格。即使在扮演超人之前，他看起来就像超人。为了提高个人形象，他自己表演惊险动作；银幕外，他驾驶自己的飞机。他还扮演了许多其他的角色，包括在百老汇出演的大量的主要角色。

　　但并不是里夫6英尺4英寸、225磅的体格使他成为令人心悦诚服的超人和克拉克•肯特。他使角色具有真实的双重身份，使你相信他不但能赤手空拳地掰折钢铁，而且连洛伊斯•莱恩和吉米•奥尔森都无法认出克拉克和超人是同一个人。耸着肩，提高声音，被困于旋转门中，使用诸如“天哪”、“真棒”等口语，里夫把克拉克•肯特塑造成一个有点可怜的普通人，一个似乎不适合在这个世界上生存的人。

　　在摘掉角质架眼镜、脱去蓝色的西服露出里面的超人制服后，一切都变得明朗了。但与其他在他之前扮演超级英雄的演员不同，里夫扮演的超人有着某种以前一直欠缺的东西：谦卑。里夫十分聪明地知道，超人偶像性的服装会为他完成大部分的表演，所以他低调地扮演这个角色。超人不是上帝，挺着胸站着，双手叉腰，眉头紧皱，统治着只要他想便能征服的下等人类。他仅仅是——就像当洛伊斯•莱恩第一次被超人救起，她问道“你是谁？”时，超人回答说——一个朋友。

　　克里斯托夫•里夫证明，作为一名演员，穿着彩色的弹性纤维服装和进行细致入微的表演不一定是矛盾的。他对克里普顿星球最后的儿子细腻的刻画甚至使他从不喜欢这部电影的评论家那儿赢得了赞赏。波林•凯尔在《纽约客》里抨击《超人》，但他赞扬了它的主角；他写道：“里夫表演得纯真而不愚蠢，他流行的下颌曲线、体格和谦逊的态度的结合使他立刻赢得了人们的喜爱。”

　　但里夫在对付瘫痪时的自身勇气超越了他的事业和职业，使他成为许多人心中真实的超级英雄。经过坚持不懈的锻炼和用电击刺激他麻木的神经系统，他开始重新获得——一点一点地抽动——运用身体的能力。

　　2000年9月，他的一根食指可以动了，这个消息令科学家们吃惊不已，他们没有想到在发生如此严重的意外之后这么久还能看到这种进步。里夫期望得更多，他的身体状况继续改善。在2003年接受《今日心理》的采访时他说：“你必须采取行动，自己站起来——即使你坐在轮椅上。”技术疗效非常好，2003年2月，里夫决定借助手术摆脱他瘫痪的肺借以呼吸的呼吸器。通过手术在他的横膈膜植入电极，这样就能用电控制他的呼吸了。

　　但感染最终击败了技术和不懈的锻炼，甚至铁一般的意志。支撑着里夫的微小的幸运用尽了。即使是在他努力康复期间，他也取得了自从意外发生以来的一系列的成就，包括写了两本书，执导和参演了电影。同时，他为公共健康问题进行了广泛的游说活动。

 

 

1 spinal   

adj.针的，尖刺的，尖刺状突起的；adj.脊骨的，脊髓的

参考例句：

• After three days in Japan,the spinal column becomes extraordinarily flexible.在日本三天，就已经使脊椎骨变得富有弹性了。
• Your spinal column is made up of 24 movable vertebrae.你的脊柱由24个活动的脊椎骨构成。

2 painstaking   

adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的

参考例句：

• She is not very clever but she is painstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。
• Through years of our painstaking efforts,we have at last achieved what we have today.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。

3 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

5 proponent   

n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的

参考例句：

• Stapp became a strong early proponent of automobile seat belts.斯塔普是力主在汽车上采用座椅安全带的早期倡导者。
• Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.哈尔西被认为是进步教育价值观的主要支持者。

6 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

7 unleashing   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Company logos: making people's life better by unleashing Cummins power. 公司理念：以康明斯动力建设更美好的生活！ 来自互联网
• Sooner or later the dam will burst, unleashing catastrophic destruction. 否则堤坝将崩溃，酿成灾难。 来自互联网

8 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。

9 portrayal   

n.饰演；描画

参考例句：

• His novel is a vivid portrayal of life in a mining community.他的小说生动地描绘了矿区的生活。
• The portrayal of the characters in the novel is lifelike.该书中的人物写得有血有肉。

10 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

11 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

12 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 )

参考例句：

• He did all his own stunts. 所有特技都是他自己演的。
• The plane did a few stunts before landing. 飞机着陆前做了一些特技。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 hunching   

隆起（hunch的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• She leaned forward, hunching over the desk. 她身体前倾，伏在写字台上。

14 revolving   

adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想

参考例句：

• The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。
• The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

15 colloquialism   

n.俗话，白话，口语

参考例句：

• The writer aerateed his writing with a persuasive colloquialism.作者用一种有说服力的口语体使他的文章显得生动。
• Her speech is informal and filled with colloquialism.她的演讲是非正式的，很口语化。

16 peg   

n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定

参考例句：

• Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
• He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。

17 rims   

n.（圆形物体的）边( rim的名词复数 )；缘；轮辋；轮圈

参考例句：

• As she spoke, the rims of her eyes reddened a little. 说时，眼圈微红。 来自汉英文学 - 围城
• Her eyes were a little hollow, and reddish about the rims. 她的眼睛微微凹陷，眼眶有些发红。 来自辞典例句

18 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

19 portraying   

v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The artist has succeeded in portraying my father to the life. 那位画家把我的父亲画得惟妙惟肖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ding Ling was good at portraying figures through careful and refined description of human psychology. 《莎菲女士的日记》是丁玲的成名作，曾引起强烈的社会反响。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

20 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

21 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

22 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

23 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

24 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 furrowed   

v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Overhead hung a summer sky furrowed with the rash of rockets. 头顶上的夏日夜空纵横着急疾而过的焰火。 来自辞典例句
• The car furrowed the loose sand as it crossed the desert. 车子横过沙漠，在松软的沙土上犁出了一道车辙。 来自辞典例句

26 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

27 acclaim   

v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞

参考例句：

• He was welcomed with great acclaim.他受到十分热烈的欢迎。
• His achievements earned him the acclaim of the scientific community.他的成就赢得了科学界的赞誉。

28 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。

29 transcended   

超出或超越（经验、信念、描写能力等）的范围( transcend的过去式和过去分词 )； 优于或胜过…

参考例句：

• He wanted assurance that he had transcended what was inherently ambiguous. 他要证明，他已经超越了本来就是混淆不清的事情。
• It transcended site to speak to universal human concerns. 它超越了场所的局限，表达了人类共同的心声。

30 numb   

adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木

参考例句：

• His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
• Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵，催着疲惫的马继续往前走。

31 twitch   

v.急拉，抽动，痉挛，抽搐；n.扯，阵痛，痉挛

参考例句：

• The smell made my dog's nose twitch.那股气味使我的狗的鼻子抽动着。
• I felt a twitch at my sleeve.我觉得有人扯了一下我的袖子。

32 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

33 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

34 trumped   

v.（牌戏）出王牌赢（一牌或一墩）( trump的过去分词 )；吹号公告，吹号庆祝；吹喇叭；捏造

参考例句：

• That woman trumped up various baseless charges against him. 那个女人捏造种种毫无根据的罪名指控他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Several of his colleagues trumped up a complaint to get him removed from the job. 他的几位同事诬告他，使他丟掉了工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

35 nurtured   

养育( nurture的过去式和过去分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长

参考例句：

• She is looking fondly at the plants he had nurtured. 她深情地看着他培育的植物。
• Any latter-day Einstein would still be spotted and nurtured. 任何一个未来的爱因斯坦都会被发现并受到培养。

36 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》