2006年VOA标准英语-Brain-Damaged Victim Regains Speech After Almos

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
05 July 2006
 
watch report Brain Regeneration

Terry Wallis  
  
He has been called a 'medical miracle.'  A 42-year-old man from the southern state of Arkansas has regained¹ some ability to speak and move after 19 years of being in what doctors call a state of 'minimal² consciousness'. 

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Terry Wallis was 16 years old in 1984 when his car veered³ across the road and dropped 15 meters [50 feet] into a riverbed.  He defied the odds⁴ by coming out alive. But he had significant brain damage and was unable to speak or move. He lived in a nursing home for years.  

 
Angilee Wallis, Terry's mother 
  
Terry Wallis began speaking again in 2003. His mother, Angilee Wallis, says she was amazed when he spoke⁵. "He just said 'Mom.'  His eyes opened wide, you know, and then said it again.  That was just marvelous."

Neurologist Nicholas Schiff says there has been improvement since then. "He was able to grunt⁶, but only inconsistently.  Now he can talk to you.  He can joke.  He can tell you how to fix a Chevy engine."

Dr. Nicholas Schiff  
  
Medical experts say the odds of Terry Wallis' recovery were one in 300 million. Brain images show that most of his normal nerve connections were destroyed in the accident.  But Terry Wallis' brain has grown new connections in a less damaged area.  There has recently been new growth in the part of the brain that controls movement.

Doctors hope they have learned things from this case that will help others. 

 
Dr. Michael Williams 
  
Dr. Michael Williams of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine says patients must be at least minimally⁷ conscious.  Those in a permanent vegetative condition are not likely to see change. "We would hope that we could develop ways to help the brain recover along those lines.  All we know now is that it can happen."

The Wallis family says Terry has continued to get better. And while no one knows how much more improvement he will show, he has already beaten incredible odds.

1 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

2 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

3 veered   

v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• The bus veered onto the wrong side of the road. 公共汽车突然驶入了逆行道。
• The truck veered off the road and crashed into a tree. 卡车突然驶离公路撞上了一棵树。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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？

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 grunt   

v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝

参考例句：

• He lifted the heavy suitcase with a grunt.他咕噜着把沉重的提箱拎了起来。
• I ask him what he think,but he just grunt.我问他在想什麽，他只哼了一声。

7 minimally   

最低限度地，最低程度地

参考例句：

• Food spoilage problems occur with minimally processed, concentrated frozen citrus products. 食品的变质也发生在轻微加工的、浓缩冷冻的柑橘制品中。
• So, minimally, they are responsible for such actions and omissions. 所以，至少来说，他们要对这样的行为和忽略负责。