PBS高端访谈:非营利组织帮助老年人寻求刺激

JUDY WOODRUFF: And, finally, our NewsHour Shares, something that caught our eye, and we thought it might be of interest to you, too. It is true that old age can often lead to isolation¹ or scaled-back lives. But one man wants to show senior citizens, when it comes to having goals, the sky's the limit. The NewsHour's Julia Griffin explains.

JULIA GRIFFIN: On a bright, sunny day recently, the professionals at Skydive Tecumseh in Jackson, Michigan readied their next pair of jumpers.

BEVERLY MYLEK, My Jump Participant: Not 20 seconds, 60 seconds.

BRENDA SUTTON, My Jump Participant: What? No.

BEVERLY MYLEK: Freefall.

JULIA GRIFFIN: At 78 years old, Brenda Sutton and Beverly Mylek were gearing² up to take one giant leap out of a plane.

BRENDA SUTTON: I got the cute one.

JULIA GRIFFIN: It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity provided by My Jump, a nonprofit that provides seniors the opportunity to cross goals, no matter how outlandish, off their bucket lists. Television producer Webb Weiman founded the organization in 2011.

WEBB WEIMAN, Founder³, My Jump: The idea of Jump came to me after my mother died and my father refused to leave his bedroom. I wanted to prove to him that there is life beyond the rocking chair and inspire others living in isolation that it's never too late to achieve your dreams.

JULIA GRIFFIN: After his father found love again, Weiman wanted to embolden⁴ other seniors to stay active later in life.

WEBB WEIMAN: Everyone should have something on their bucket list, and there are no bad bucket list items.

JULIA GRIFFIN: Skydiving tops the list of requests, but fulfilled dreams have run the gamut⁵. My Jump has helped seniors drive 18-wheelers, ride in the Goodyear blimp, and get behind the wheel of race cars.

MAN: That was awesome⁶. (LAUGHTER)

JULIA GRIFFIN: But there are less pulse-racing requests too, like vow⁷ renewals⁸, first-time train rides, and veterans trips to war memorials. Any senior can apply to have a My Jump wish fulfilled. The organization selects experiences based on the applicant's health, cost feasibility and the story behind their request. Sutton had wanted to skydive earlier in life, but never found the opportunity. And for Mylek, the jump was a rare chance to do something for herself after running a family-owned restaurant for 36 years and now caring for her husband who can no longer work.

BEVERLY MYLEK: I was excited because I have never won anything in my life, so I didn't expect to win anything. And so I just like excitement, but maybe a little too exciting. (LAUGHTER)

JULIA GRIFFIN: Bucket list butterflies or not, the moment of truth ultimately⁹ arrived at 14,000 feet.

WEBB WEIMAN: What makes me most proud about this organization are the moments, the moment a participant steps out of a plane, a train, an 18-wheeler. It's seeing the passion in their eye. It's feeling the gratitude¹⁰ in their heart. This is truly one of the greatest chapters of my life.

JULIA GRIFFIN: And for Sutton and Mylek, safe landings marked one of the greatest days of their lives.

BEVERLY MYLEK: Yay!

JULIA GRIFFIN: For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Julia Griffin.

JUDY WOODRUFF: I'm not trying it, but I hope a lot of others will.

1 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

2 gearing   

n.传动装置

参考例句：

• The Department is gearing up for increased intake of students. 这个系正在为扩大招生做好准备。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• However perhaps the biggest change is to gearing. 当然最大的改动也许是生产效率模式(gearing)。 来自互联网

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

5 gamut   

n.全音阶，(一领域的)全部知识

参考例句：

• The exhibition runs the whole gamut of artistic styles.这次展览包括了所有艺术风格的作品。
• This poem runs the gamut of emotions from despair to joy.这首诗展现了从绝望到喜悦的感情历程。

6 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

7 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

8 renewals   

重建( renewal的名词复数 )； 更新； 重生； 合同的续订

参考例句：

• Number of circulations excluding renewals. 7th out of 10 libraries. 借阅数目（不包括续借）。在10间图书馆中排行第七。
• Certification Renewals shall be due on July 1 of the renewal year. 资格认证更新在更新年的7月1日生效。

9 ultimately   

adv.最后地，最终地，首要地，基本地

参考例句：

• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience.那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。
• Vitamin C deficiency can ultimately lead to scurvy.缺乏维生素C最终能道致坏血病。

10 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。