环球英语 — 190：Bladerunner

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, now matter where in the world they live.
Background voice
“On your marks!”
Voice 1
The man starting the race points his gun up towards the sky. Eight young men bend down. They carefully place their feet into the starting blocks. Their bodies are tense. “Get set - go!” The starter fires his gun. Immediately, the eight men push themselves out of the blocks and begin to run as fast as they can. A large crowd of people have gathered to watch the runners. They cheer and shout as the men power past them. And they see something unusual. The man is second place looks different from the other runners. He has no feet. Instead, he has long rounded pieces of metal. These metal pieces are attached³ to his knees. He crosses the finishing line just behind the winner. But the young man does not mind that he has lost the race. He believes that he has won something much more important. He has won people’s respect for him as a runner.
Voice 2
This young man’s name is Oscar Pistorius. Oscar is from South Africa. He was born with some bones missing⁴ from his legs. This meant that his legs could not develop in the right way. It also meant that Oscar would not be able to walk. He would have to spend his life sitting in a wheelchair⁵. Oscar’s doctors said that they needed to remove the lower⁶ part of Oscar’s legs. This would help the other leg bones grow. After some time, Oscar’s parents agreed. Oscar was only one year old when the doctors operated on him.
Voice 1
However, removing the part of Oscar’s legs below the knee was a positive thing. It permitted⁷ the tops of his legs to develop normally⁸. The time soon came for baby Oscar to learn how to walk. Doctors fitted him with two false legs. Soon, Oscar was able to move around as well as any other child with two complete legs. He would never know what having two whole, healthy legs felt like. But he did not feel limited in any way. In fact, the opposite was true! Oscar tried as many different sports as he could - the more active, the better!
Voice 2
Oscar’s desire was to play rugby. He dreamed of playing for one of the top South African teams. But when Oscar was fourteen [14] years old, that dream ended. Oscar badly injured⁹ his right knee in a rugby accident. His knee needed a lot of time to recover. So his doctors advised him to stop playing this dangerous sport. Instead, they suggested that he try a gentler sport, like running. Soon, Oscar found that he was a natural runner. After only two months, he ran in a one hundred [100] metres race. This race was especially for disabled runners like Oscar. The world record for this distance was twelve point two [12.2] seconds. Oscar ran the race in eleven point one [11.1] seconds. Everyone who saw him knew that he was someone special.
Voice 1
But how could Oscar run so fast on false legs? Well, engineers from Iceland were responsible¹⁰ for making Oscar’s running legs. They used carbon¹¹ fibre¹². Carbon fibre is strong and light in weight. They shaped the carbon fibre into long, rounded pieces, called blades¹⁴. The base of each blade¹³ has short metal spikes¹⁵ on it - just like normal running shoes. Oscar fits the top end of the blades onto his knees. And they help him to run like the wind!
Voice 2
Oscar usually competes in the T forty-four [44] class of disabled athletes. This is for those runners with both legs removed. Oscar holds the world record for the one hundred [100], two hundred [200] and four hundred [400] metres. In March 2007, Oscar ran in the South African National Championships. But this time, he competed against runners with whole, healthy legs. He came second. A lot of people were surprised - but not Oscar. He said,
Voice 3
“I do not see myself as disabled. I think it is the person that wants to win the hardest that gets it.”
Voice 2
And Oscar wants to win very much. He is training hard for the Paralympics. This event is like the Olympic Games. But people competing have some kind of physical or mental difficulty¹⁶. The games will take place in China, in 2008. But Oscar is also aiming to compete in the Olympic Games, three weeks earlier!
Voice 1
But not everyone is happy about the idea of Oscar running in the Olympics. Some people believe that his special blades give him an unfair advantage. They say that the blades make him taller than he would be with normal legs. Other people say that the blades are too long. They give him extra energy in his movement. The world running authority¹⁷ is the IAAF. And it is considering a new rule. It would ban runners from using any technical devices¹⁸, like Oscar’s blades. The IAAF argues that such technology changes the nature of sporting events too much. It would no longer be one person running as fast as they could against another person. But Oscar firmly disagrees with the IAAF.
Voice 3
“There has never been a disabled athlete running in the Olympics. There is a fear of change.”
Voice 2
Tanni Grey-Thompson, a famous wheel-chair athlete, agrees with Oscar. She says:
Voice 4
“When Oscar was running less quickly, everyone was happy. But as soon as he started getting fast times, that was it. People will say that Oscar can choose how big and long his blades will be. So maybe that gives him an unfair advantage. But I think it is probably more of a disadvantage to be running with two lower limbs¹⁹ missing.”
Voice 2
And Oscar believes that he owes²⁰ his success to himself, not to the blades.
Voice 3
“I train harder than any of the other men do. I eat better. I sleep better. I rest better. And overall²¹, I am more hard-working.”
Voice 1
So, will we see Oscar run at the Olympics? Time will tell. But there is no question about his amazing running ability. And Oscar is a great example to other people with the same condition as him. He says:
Voice 3
“You know, it is no disability at the end of the day. It can work to your advantage. You must not think of it as a disability. Just continue through life as normal.”
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 attached   

附加的

参考例句：

• The lease entitles the holder to use the buildings and any land attached thereto.本租约持有人有权使用此建筑物以及所附属的土地。

4 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

5 wheelchair   

n.(病人等用的)轮椅

参考例句：

• He used a wheelchair for the rest of his life.他的后半生依靠轮椅生活。
• He collapsed the wheelchair and put it on the boat.他将轮椅折叠起来放在船上。

6 lower   

adj.较低的；地位较低的，低等的；低年级的；下游的；vt.放下，降下，放低；减低

参考例句：

• Society is divided into upper,middle and lower classes.社会分为上层、中层和下层阶级。
• This price is his minimum;he refuses to lower it any further.这个价格是他开的最低价，他拒绝再作任何降价。

7 permitted   

允许( permit的过去式和过去分词 )； 许可； 许用

参考例句：

• Radios are not permitted in the library. 图书馆内不许使用收音机。
• Entrance is permitted only on production of a ticket. 出示门票才可进入。

8 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

9 injured   

adj.受伤的

参考例句：

• Our best defender is injured and won't be able to play today.我们最佳的防守员受伤了，今天不能参加比赛。
• The injured men have been dug out of the snow.受伤人员从雪中被挖了出来。

10 responsible   

adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止

参考例句：

• He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。

11 carbon   

n.碳元素

参考例句：

• Diamonds are pure carbon.钻石是纯净的碳。
• Carbon is an element,while carbon dioxide is a compound.碳是一种(化学)元素，而二氧化碳则是一种化合物。

12 fibre   

n.纤维；纤维制品

参考例句：

• Most vegetables contain fibre.大多数蔬菜都含有纤维。
• Nylon is a man-made fibre.尼龙是一种人造纤维。

13 blade   

n.刀刃，刀片；叶片

参考例句：

• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。
• He is a good blade.他剑术高明。

14 blades   

n.刀口( blade的名词复数 )；（机器上旋转的）叶片；桨叶；（船桨的）桨叶

参考例句：

• the blades of a propeller 螺旋桨叶
• Stay well away from the helicopter when its blades start to rotate. 直升机的螺旋桨开始转动时，尽量离远点儿。

15 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 difficulty   

n.困难，费劲；难事，难题；麻烦，困境

参考例句：

• If there is any difficulty,please let us know promptly.倘有困难，请迅速通知我们。
• A little difficulty like this is nothing to us.这点困难算不了什么。

17 authority   

n.当局，官方；权力，权威，威信；当权者

参考例句：

• He is recognized internationally as an authority in this field.国际上承认他是这方面的一个权威。
• Professor White is looked upon as an authority on mathematics.怀特教授被看成数学权威。

18 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

19 limbs   

肢( limb的名词复数 )； 大树枝； 肢体

参考例句：

• For a while, she lost the use of her limbs. 好一会儿她四肢都动弹不得。
• The prisoner's limbs flailed violently because of the pain. 那囚犯因为疼痛，四肢剧烈地抖动着。

20 owes   

v.亏欠，负债，感恩；感激( owe的第三人称单数 )；应把…归功于；欠…债；（对位高权重者）忠诚

参考例句：

• He owes a lot of money to Mr. Smith. 他欠史密斯先生许多钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 overall   

n.工作服，工装裤；全面的，全体的

参考例句：

• The shop assistant was wearing a white overall.那店员穿着白色的工作服。
• How much will it cost overall?一共多少钱？