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MartinPistorius_2015X-_心灵重回生活——_一段无人了解的经历_
Imagine being unable to say, "I am hungry," "I am in pain," 想象一下不能说出“我饿了”,“我好疼”
'"thank you," or "I love you." “谢谢”以及“我爱你”的情形
Being trapped inside your body, a body that doesn't respond to commands. 被束缚在自己的身体里 一个不能作出响应的身体
trapped:adj.受困的;受限制的;v.使落入险境;使陷入困境;(trap的过去分词和过去式) respond:vi.回答;作出反应;承担责任;n.应答;唱和;
Surrounded by people, yet utterly alone. 尽管被人群包围 但却沉浸在无尽的孤独中
utterly:adv.完全地;绝对地;全然地;彻底地,十足地;
Wishing you could reach out, to connect, to comfort, to participate . 极力想要接触身边的人群 去联系、去安抚、去参与
participate:v.参加;参与;
For 13 long years, that was my reality. 这就是我十三年来的处境
Most of us never think twice about talking, about communicating. 几乎没有人仔细的关注过自己的言谈和交流
think twice:再三考虑;重新考虑;
I've thought a lot about it. 我却思考了非常非常多
I've had a lot of time to think. 我有很多时间去想这些事
For the first 12 years of my life, 在我生命中的前十二年中
I was a normal, happy, healthy little boy. 我曾是一个平常的、活泼的、健康的男孩
Then everything changed. 但是后来一切都发生了翻天覆地的变化
I contracted a brain infection . 我不幸罹患脑部感染
contracted:adj.契约的; v.使收缩; infection:n.感染;传染;(身体某部位的)感染;传染病;
The doctors weren't sure what it was, but they treated me the best they could. 我的医生不确定我感染了何物 但是他们尽全力医治我
treated:v.以…态度对待;把…看作;(treat的过去分词和过去式)
However, I progressively got worse. 但是我的病情急剧恶化
progressively:adv.渐进地;日益增多地;
Eventually , I lost my ability to control my movements, make eye contact , and finally , my ability to speak. 后来,我失去了控制自己行动的能力 失去了用眼神沟通的能力 最终,失去了说话的能力
Eventually:adv.最后,终于; contact:n.接触,联系;v.使接触,联系; finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地;
While in hospital, 当我还在医院的时候
I desperately wanted to go home. 我近乎绝望地想要回到家中
desperately:adv.拼命地;绝望地;不顾一切地;极度地;
I said to my mother, "When home?" 我对我的母亲说
Those were the last words I ever spoke with my own voice. 这是我自己说出的最后几个字
I would eventually fail every test for mental awareness . 后来,我没有通过任何一个心理意识测验
mental:adj.精神的;脑力的;疯的;n.精神病患者; awareness:n.意识,认识;明白,知道;
My parents were told I was as good as not there. 无论他们如何认为,我感知到了这一切
A vegetable, having the intelligence of a three-month-old baby. 在他们眼里我成了一个和三个月婴儿智力无异的植物人
intelligence:n.智力;智慧;才智;(尤指关于敌国的)情报;
They were told to take me home and try to keep me comfortable until I died. 医生建议他们把我带回家 直到我死去
My parents, in fact my entire family's lives, became consumed by taking care of me the best they knew how. 我父母的,甚至是整个家庭的生活 都被尽可能好的照顾我而淹没
consumed:adj.沉迷…的; v.消耗,耗费; (consume的过去分词和过去式)
Their friends drifted away. 他们的朋友离他们远去
drifted:v.漂流;漂移;缓缓移动;缓慢行走;(drift的过去分词和过去式)
One year turned to two,two turned to three. 一年又一年
It seemed like the person I once was began to disappear . 看起来原来的我逐渐消失
disappear:v.消失;失踪;不复存在;
The Lego blocks and electronic circuits I'd loved as a boy were put away. 我爱玩的乐高积木和电路板被收了起来
Lego:n.乐高积木(商标名); electronic:adj.电子的;电子器件的;电子设备的; circuits:n.环行路线;电路;线路;巡回赛;v.巡回;周游;(circuit的第三人称单数和复数)
I had been moved out of my bedroom into another more practical one. 我被从我的卧室搬了出来到了另外一个更方便的房间
practical:adj.实际的;真实的;客观存在的;n.实习课;实践课;
I had become a ghost , a faded memory of a boy people once knew and loved. 我变成了一个幽灵 变成了一个人们模糊记忆中曾被人们熟知和喜爱的小男孩
ghost:n.鬼,幽灵;v.作祟于;替…捉刀;为人代笔; faded:adj.已褪色的;已凋谢的;
Meanwhile , my mind began knitting itself back together. 但是同一时间我的意识开始逐渐缓慢复原
Meanwhile:adv.同时,其间;n.其间,其时; knitting:n.针织;编织物;[外科]骨愈合;v.编织;皱眉(knit的ing形式);
Gradually , my awareness started to return. 慢慢的,我的意识开始恢复了
Gradually:adv.渐渐地;逐步地;
But no one realized that I had come back to life. 但是没有人意识到我已经恢复了意识
I was aware of everything, just like any normal person. 我可以意识到一切 就像一个完全正常的人一样
I could see and understand everything, but I couldn't find a way to let anybody know. 我可以看见也可以理解一切 但我不知道如何让别人知道
My personality was entombed within a seemingly silent body, a vibrant mind hidden in plain sight within a chrysalis . 我的意识像是被埋葬在一个看起来寂静的身体里 活跃的内心被蛹束缚起来
personality:n.性格;个性;人格;魅力;气质;名人;特色; entombed:vt.埋葬(entomb的过去式); seemingly:adv.看来似乎;表面上看来; vibrant:adj.振动的;充满生气的;响亮的;战栗的; chrysalis:n.[昆]蝶蛹;虫茧;准备期;
The stark reality hit me that I was going to spend the rest of my life locked inside myself, totally alone. 残酷的现实狠狠的冲击了我 我很可能在有生之年只能封锁在自己的身体里了 完完全全孤身一人
I was trapped with only my thoughts for company. 我被困住了,只有我的思考作伴
I would never be rescued . 我永远不会被解救
rescued:v.营救;援救;抢救;(rescue的过去分词和过去式)
No one would ever show me tenderness . 不会有人对我温柔以待
tenderness:n.亲切;柔软;柔和;敏感;棘手;
I would never talk to a friend. 不会有朋友与我热心交谈
No one would ever love me. 不会有人把我视作珍宝
I had no dreams, no hope, nothing to look forward to . 我没有梦想,没有希望没有任何事情供我去期待
look forward to:盼望,期待;
Well, nothing pleasant. 没有任何可以留恋的
I lived in fear, and, to put it bluntly , was waiting for death to finally release me, expecting to die all alone in a care home. 我活在恐惧中 而且坦白地说 我甚至期待死亡的最终解脱 孤独地在我心爱的家中等死
bluntly:adv.坦率地,直率地;迟钝地; release:v.释放;发射;让与;允许发表;n.释放;发布;让与;
I don't know if it's truly possible to express in words what it's like not to be able to communicate. 我不知道用语言表达这种无法用语言表达的感觉 是否现实
express:v.表达; adj.特快的; n.特快列车; v.使用快速服务;
Your personality appears to vanish into a heavy fog and all of your emotions and desires are constricted , stifled and muted within you. 就像你的意识看起来将要迷失在浓浓雾中 你所有的感情和欲望在身体里被约束、扼杀、沉寂
vanish:v.消失;突然不见;成为零;n.弱化音; emotions:n.强烈的感情;激情;情感;(emotion的复数) constricted:adj.收缩的;狭隘的;受限制的;v.使…收缩;抑制(constrict的过去分词); stifled:堵; muted:adj.减轻的; v.消音; (mute的过去分词和过去式)
For me, the worst was the feeling of utter powerlessness . 对我而言,最可怕的是极度无力的感觉
powerlessness:n.无力;无能为力;无力量;
I simply existed. 我在事实上是存在的
It's a very dark place to find yourself because in a sense , you have vanished . 但是你只能在非常昏暗的地方才能找到自己 因为在某种程度上,你已经消失不见
in a sense:在某种意义上; vanished:v.消失了;突然消失;消亡;绝迹;(vanish的过去分词和过去式)
Other people controlled every aspect of my life. 别人控制了我生命的每一个方面
aspect:n.方面;层面;外观;方位;
They decided what I ate and when. 他们决定我吃什么、什么时候吃
Whether I was laid on my side or strapped into my wheelchair . 我是被铺放在一侧还是被绑在我的轮椅上
strapped:adj.缺钱的; v.用带子系; (strap的过去分词和过去式) wheelchair:n.轮椅;
I often spent my days positioned in front of the TV watching Barney reruns . 我经常被放置在电视机前 看Barney在电视上放了一遍又一遍
reruns:v.重演;重播;重放;重映;重做,再次进行;(rerun的第三人称单数)
I think because Barney is so happy and jolly , and I absolutely wasn't, it made it so much worse. 我想可能是因为Barney是那么的欢快活泼 而我却与它完全相反 这让事情变得更加糟糕
jolly:adj.愉快的;高兴的;adv.很;非常;v.甘愿或渴望做某事;怂恿;n.旅游;游玩 absolutely:adv.绝对地;完全地;
I was completely powerless to change anything in my life or people's perceptions of me. 我无法改变生命中的任何事情 对改变别人对我的认知也无能为力
perceptions:n.认知;观念(perception的复数);理解;
I was a silent, invisible observer of how people behaved when they thought no one was watching. 我是一个无声的,隐形的,观察人们行为的观察者 人们以为没有人看到发生了什么
invisible:adj.看不见的;n.看不见的人或物; observer:n.观察员;观察者;观察家;观测者; behaved:v.表现;表现得体;有礼貌;(behave的过去分词和过去式)
Unfortunately , I wasn't only an observer. 不幸的是,我不仅仅是一个观察者
Unfortunately:adv.不幸地;
With no way to communicate, I became the perfect victim : a defenseless object, seemingly devoid of feelings that people used to play out their darkest desires. 由于没有沟通的能力,我变成了完美的受害者 一个没有防御的,看起来完全没有感知的物体 变成了人们发泄黑暗欲望的完美工具
victim:n.受害人;牺牲品;牺牲者; defenseless:adj.无防备的; devoid:adj.缺乏的;全无的;
For more than 10 years, people who were charged with my care abused me physically, verbally and sexually . 超过十年来,一些本应该来照顾我的人 在肢体上、言语上、性行为上虐待我
abused:v.滥用(以致危害健康); (abuse的过去分词和过去式) verbally:adv.口头地,非书面地;用言辞地; sexually:adv.性,性欲
Despite what they thought, I did feel. 无论他们如何认为,我感知到了这一切
Despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱;
The first time it happened, 第一次发生这种事情时
I was shocked and filled with disbelief . 我被震惊所淹没
disbelief:n.怀疑,不信;
How could they do this to me? 他们怎么能这么对我
I was confused . 我非常疑惑
confused:adj.困惑的; v.使糊涂; (confuse的过去分词和过去式)
What had I done to deserve this? 我做了什么,竟遭受到如此对待
deserve:vi.应受,应得;
Part of me wanted to cry and another part wanted to fight. 我的一部分极力的想要哭泣另外的一部分极力的想要反抗
Hurt, sadness and anger flooded through me. 伤痛、悲怆以及激愤在我心中一涌而出
I felt worthless . 我觉得自已分文不值
worthless:adj.无价值的;不值钱的;卑微的;
There was no one to comfort me. 没有人能够安慰我
But neither of my parents knew this was happening. 但我的父母不知道这些事情的发生
I lived in terror, knowing it would happen again and again . 我生活在恐惧之中深知这一切将会一直重复下去
again and again:adv.再三地,反复地;
I just never knew when. 只是不知道何时会遭受下一次而已
All I knew was that I would never be the same. 我只知道我永远不再是曾经的自己了
I remember once listening to Whitney Houston singing, " No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity ." 我想起曾听到惠特尼·休斯顿唱道 “不论他们从我这里拿走了什么他们永远带不走我的尊严”
Houston:n.休斯顿(美国得克萨斯州港市); No matter what:不管什么…; dignity:n.尊严;高贵;
And I thought to myself, "You want to bet ?" 我自己想到,“你想打个赌么”
bet:n.打赌;赌注;预计;估计;v.下赌注(于);用…打赌;敢说;八成儿;
Perhaps my parents could have found out and could have helped. 也许我的父母本能够发现并给我帮助
But the years of constant caretaking, having to wake up every two hours to turn me, combined with them essentially grieving the loss of their son, had taken a toll on my mother and father. 但是经年累月的康复照看 不得不每两个小时就醒来让我翻身 加上失去一个儿子的沉痛伤悲 让我的父母觉得难以招架
essentially:adv.本质上;本来; grieving:v.悲伤,悲痛,伤心;使悲伤;使伤心;(grieve的现在分词) toll:n.伤亡人数; v.(缓慢而有规律地)敲(钟); (尤指)鸣(丧钟);
Following yet another heated argument between my parents, in a moment of despair and desperation, my mother turned to me and told me that I should die. 随着父母之间的一次激烈的争吵 在那么一个绝望的氛围之下 我的母亲看向了我对我说“你应该去死”
in a moment:立刻; despair:v.绝望;失去希望;丧失信心;n.绝望;
I was shocked, but as I thought about what she had said, 我非常震惊,但是当我思考她所说的话
I was filled with enormous compassion and love for my mother, yet I could do nothing about it. 我感觉到了对我的母亲的巨大同情和爱 但我对此无能为力
enormous:adj.庞大的,巨大的;凶暴的,极恶的; compassion:n.同情;怜悯;
There were many moments when I gave up, sinking into a dark abyss . 很多次我决定放弃 不如就此沉入黑暗的深渊
abyss:n.深渊;深邃,无底洞,地狱;
I remember one particularly low moment. 我仍能记起一次极端低潮的时候
particularly:adv.特别地,独特地;详细地,具体地;明确地,细致地;
My dad left me alone in the car while he quickly went to buy something from the store. 我的父亲把我一个人留在车中 他一个人很快的去商店里买些东西
A random stranger walked past, looked at me and he smiled. 一个陌生人走过 看了我一眼,给了我一个微笑
random:adj.[数]随机的;任意的;胡乱的;n.随意;adv.胡乱地;
I may never know why, but that simple act, the fleeting moment of human connection, transformed how I was feeling, making me want to keep going. 我并不知道他为何笑,但那个简单的动作 那个转瞬间人类间的交流 改变了我的想法 让我非常想要坚持下去
fleeting:adj.转瞬即逝的;短暂的;闪现的; transformed:v.使改变形态;使改变外观(或性质);(transform的过去分词和过去式)
My existence was tortured by monotony , a reality that was often too much to bear. 我的生命被单调折磨 这是一个时常难以承受的现实
tortured:adj.遭受重创的; v.拷问; (torture的过去分词和过去式) monotony:n.单调;千篇一律;
Alone with my thoughts, I constructed intricate fantasies about ants running across the floor. 当我只与思维作伴时我只能靠构建出的错综复杂的幻想度日 想象成群的蚂蚁在地板上穿行
constructed:v.修建;建造;组成;编制,绘制;(construct的过去分词和过去式) intricate:adj.复杂的;错综的,缠结的; fantasies:n.梦想,幻想(fantasy的复数);
I taught myself to tell the time by noticing where the shadows were. 我学会通过观察阴影的位置来辨别时间
As I learned how the shadows moved as the hours of the day passed, 因为我观察出阴影是如何随着时间而移动
I understood how long it would be before I was picked up and taken home. 我逐渐能够判断出离回家还需要多久时间
Seeing my father walk through the door to collect me was the best moment of the day. 每次看到父亲穿过大门进来接我的一刻 都是那一天最美好的时候
My mind became a tool that I could use to either close down to retreat from my reality or enlarge into a gigantic space that I could fill with fantasies. 我的思维变成了可以被我利用的工具 我抑或压抑思维,用它来逃避现实 抑或无限扩大,使它成为一个可以被幻想填充的巨大空间
close down:关闭;停止播音; retreat:v.撤退;退却;后退;退缩;n.撤退;退却;退缩;退避; gigantic:adj.巨大的,庞大的;
I hoped that my reality would change and someone would see that I had come back to life. 我曾是那么渴望我的处境得到改变 希望有人能够看出我已经重回人间
But I had been washed away like a sand castle built too close to the waves, and in my place was the person people expected me to be. 但我已经像一个被海浪冲刷过的 建造得离浪头太近的沙滩城堡 我的位置已经被一个人们认为的我所取代
To some I was Martin, a vacant shell , the vegetable, deserving of harsh words, dismissal and even abuse. 对于一些人来说,我是那个空壳植物人马丁 理应被辱骂、被忽视甚至被虐待
vacant:adj.空虚的;空闲的;茫然的; shell:n.壳;炮弹;壳层;骨架;v.脱壳;剥壳;采集贝壳;用壳体包被;short.shewill; deserving:adj.值得的;应得的;有功的;v.值得;应得到(deserve的现在分词); harsh:adj.严厉的;严酷的;刺耳的;粗糙的;刺目的; dismissal:n.解雇;免职;
To others, I was the tragically brain-damaged boy who had grown to become a man. 对其他人来说,我是那个长大成人的悲剧男孩 曾遭受严重的脑部损伤
tragically:adv.悲剧地;悲惨地; brain-damaged:脑损伤的;
Someone they were kind to and cared for. 理应得到照顾和善良的对待
Good or bad, I was a blank canvas onto which different versions of myself were projected. 不管是好是坏,我想是一面空白的帆布 上面可以投射出不同的我的样子
canvas:n.帆布;(帆布)画布;油画;vt.用帆布覆盖;
It took someone new to see me in a different way. 需要一个新的人从不同的视角看待我
An aromatherapist began coming to the care home about once a week. 这时一个芳香疗法专家开始每周去一次康复中心
aromatherapist:n.芳香疗法专家;
Whether through intuition or her attention to details that others failed to notice, she became convinced that I could understand what was being said. 可能是因为她的直觉 也可能是因为一些被别人忽视的细节 她逐渐确信我能理解人们所说的话
intuition:n.直觉;直觉力;直觉的知识; convinced:adj.坚信; v.使确信; (convince的过去分词和过去式)
She urged my parents to have me tested by experts in augmentative and alternative communication. 她急切的要求我的父母将我送去专家那里做检查 进行辅助替代的交流
augmentative:adj.增义的;n.[语]增强语; alternative:adj.供选择的;选择性的;交替的;n.二中择一;供替代的选择;
And within a year, 不到一年
I was beginning to use a computer program to communicate. 我开始利用电脑程序与人交流
It was exhilarating , but frustrating at times. 这是令人振奋的 但有时令人沮丧
exhilarating:adj.令人兴奋的; v.使高兴; (exhilarate的现在分词) frustrating:adj.令人沮丧的;v.使沮丧;(frustrate的现在分词)
I had so many words in my mind, that I couldn't wait to be able to share them. 我脑海里千头万绪 但不能与人分享
Sometimes, I would say things to myself simply because I could. 有时我与自己对话 只是因为我可以这么做
In myself, I had a ready audience, and I believed that by expressing my thoughts and wishes, others would listen, too. 在我身体里有一个现成的观众 我相信 只要表达思想和愿望 其他人可也以听到
expressing:v.表示;表达;表露;显而易见;(express的现在分词)
But as I began to communicate more, 但随着交流的增多
I realized that it was in fact only just the beginning of creating a new voice for myself. 我意识到这其实只是 创造一个新的表达方式的开始
I was thrust into a world I didn't quite know how to function in. 我被推到了一个我不知道如何运作的世界里
thrust into:强行闯入;投身于…之中;把…插进;
I stopped going to the care home and managed to get my first job making photocopies . 我结束了在护理中心的生活 并找到了第一份复印的工作
photocopies:n.影印本;影印机(photocopy的复数);v.影印(photocopy的第三人称单数);
As simple as this may sound, it was amazing. 虽然听起来很简单 但是着实令人惊叹
My new world was really exciting but often quite overwhelming and frightening . 我的新世界使我兴奋 但经常繁重不堪 让人恐惧
overwhelming:adj.势不可挡的; v.压倒; (overwhelm的现在分词) frightening:adj.可怕的;骇人的;引起恐惧的;v.使惊吓;使惊恐(frighten的现在分词)
I was like a man-child , and as liberating as it often was, 我就像一个男孩 如此自由
man-child:n.男孩; liberating:v.解放;使自由;使摆脱约束(或限制);(liberate的现在分词)
I struggled . 我为自己的新世界不断努力
struggled:v.奋斗;努力;争取;艰难地行进;抗争;(struggle的过去式和过去分词)
I also learned that many of those who had known me for a long time found it impossible to abandon the idea of Martin they had in their heads. 我发现 认识我很久的人 发现他们无法忽视我的想法
abandon:n.狂热;放任;v.遗弃;放弃;
While those I had only just met struggled to look past the image of a silent man in a wheelchair. 虽然 我刚认识的人 在努力想象这个沉默的坐在轮椅上的人过去的样子
I realized that some people would only listen to me if what I said was in line with what they expected. 我意识到有些人可以听进去我的意见 如果我说的正中他们下怀
in line with:符合;与…一致;
Otherwise, it was disregarded and they did what they felt was best. 然而 我说的话会被无视 他们自行其是
disregarded:不顾,不理会,无视(disregard的过去式和过去分词);
I discovered that true communication is about more than merely physically conveying a message. 我发现真正的交流 不只是传递信息
merely:adv.仅仅,只不过;只是; conveying:v.表达,传递(思想、感情等);输送;(convey的现在分词)
It is about getting the message heard and respected. 而是让信息被听取和尊重
Still, things were going well. 然而 我的恢复情况很好
My body was slowly getting stronger. 我的身体慢慢强壮起来
I had a job in computing that I loved, and had even got Kojak, the dog I had been dreaming about for years. 我有了一份我喜欢的计算工作 还养了一只我梦寐以求的小狗Kijak
computing:n.计算;计算机技术;信息处理技术;v.计算;求出;(compute的现在分词)
However, I longed to share my life with someone. 但是 我渴望与他人分享我的生活
I remember staring out the window as my dad drove me home from work, thinking I have so much love inside of me and nobody to give it to. 我记得 爸爸接我下班回家时我凝视车窗 思考着我内心充斥快乐 但无人分享
staring:adj.凝视的,目不转睛的;显眼的;v.凝视;盯着看;显眼;(stare的现在分词)
Just as I had resigned myself to being single for the rest of my life, 就像我已经认为自己会孤独一生的时候
resigned:adj.逆来顺受的;顺从的;v.辞职;辞去(某职务);(resign的过去分词和过去式)
I met Joan. 我遇到了Joan
Not only is she the best thing that has ever happened to me, but Joan helped me to challenge my own misconceptions about myself. 她不仅是在我身上发生的最棒的事 她还帮助我纠正了我对自己的错误认知
misconceptions:n.迷思概念;错误的想法;
Joan said it was through my words that she fell in love with me. Joan说通过我的文字 她爱上了我
However, after all I had been through, 但是 在我经历这一切后
I still couldn't shake the belief that nobody could truly see beyond my disability and accept me for who I am. 我仍坚信 没人能够真正看到我缺陷之外的部分 并接受真正的我
disability:n.残疾;无能;无资格;不利条件;
I also really struggled to comprehend that I was a man. 我努力试着理解我是一个男人
comprehend:v.理解;包含;由…组成;
The first time someone referred to me as a man, it stopped me in my tracks . 第一次有人把我叫做一个男人时 我停下脚步
referred:v.提到;引用;认为;指示;涉及;(refer的过去式和过去分词) tracks:n.小道;足迹;车辙;轨道;v.追踪;跟踪;(track的第三人称单数和复数)
I felt like looking around and asking, "Who, me?" 我想回头问 谁？我？
That all changed with Joan. 这些随着遇到Joan而改变
We have an amazing connection and I learned how important it is to communicate openly and honestly. 我们有着令人惊叹的联系 我明白了坦诚交流的重要性
I felt safe, and it gave me the confidence to truly say what I thought. 我感到安全这让我自信地表达我的真实想法
confidence:n.信心;信任;秘密;adj.(美)诈骗的;骗得信任的;
I started to feel whole again, a man worthy of love. 我开始感到生命的完整我是一个值得被爱的人
worthy:adj.值得的; n.杰出人物;
I began to reshape my destiny . 我开始重塑命运
reshape:vt.改造;再成形; destiny:n.命运,定数,天命;
I spoke up a little more at work. 工作中我说更多的话
I asserted my need for independence to the people around me. 我想周围的人表达独立的愿望
asserted:adj.宣称的;声称的;v.宣称;声称(assert的过去分词); independence:n.独立;独立性;自恃心;独立不羁的精神;
Being given a means of communication changed everything. 有了交流的方式 一切都改变了
I used the power of words and will to challenge the preconceptions of those around me and those I had of myself. 我用语言的力量挑战了 来自于身边人的和来自于自己的偏见
preconceptions:n.偏见(preconception的复数);先入之见;先前概念;
Communication is what makes us human, enabling us to connect on the deepest level with those around us -- telling our own stories, expressing wants, needs and desires, or hearing those of others by really listening. 交流是人类的特质 使我们能够在最深层次 与身边的人沟通 分享我们的故事 表达愿望 需要和渴求 或者倾听他人的思想
enabling:adj.授权的;v.使能够;授权给(enable的现在分词);
All this is how the world knows who we are. 所有这些都让这个世界知道我们是谁
So who are we without it? 如果没有交流 我们会变成什么样子
True communication increases understanding and creates a more caring and compassionate world. 真正的交流增进理解 并且创造出富有同情心的世界
compassionate:adj.慈悲的;富于同情心的;vt.同情;怜悯;
Once, I was perceived to be an inanimate object, a mindless phantom of a boy in a wheelchair. 曾经我被预言为毫无生命的物体 一个坐在轮椅上毫无思想的幽灵
perceived:v.注意到;意识到;将…视为;认为;(perceive的过去式和过去分词) inanimate:adj.无生命的;无生气的; mindless:adj.愚蠢的;不小心的;不需要动脑筋的;不顾虑的; phantom:n.幽灵;幻影;虚位;adj.幽灵的;幻觉的;有名无实的;
Today, I am so much more. 现在 我有了多个角色
A husband, a son, a friend, a brother, a business owner, a first-class honors graduate, a keen amateur photographer. 丈夫 儿子 朋友 兄弟 老板 一等荣誉毕业生 热情的业余摄影师
first-class:adj.优秀的;第一流的;adv.优秀地;最好地;第一流地; keen:adj.敏锐的,敏捷的;渴望的;强烈的;热心的;锐利的;n.痛哭,挽歌; amateur:n.爱好者;业余爱好者;外行;adj.业余的;外行的;
It is my ability to communicate that has given me all this. 是交流的能力给予我这些
We are told that actions speak louder than words . 有人告诉我们 行动比语言更有力
actions speak louder than words:事实胜于雄辩;
But I wonder, do they? 但我想问 是这样吗
Our words, however we communicate them, are just as powerful. 语言 无论我们怎么用它们交流 都是有力的
Whether we speak the words with our own voices, type them with our eyes, or communicate them non-verbally to someone who speaks them for us, words are among our most powerful tools. 无论我们怎样使用语言 用声音 用眼神 或通过其他非口头的方式与他人交流 语言都是最有力的工具之一
I have come to you through a terrible darkness, pulled from it by caring souls and by language itself. 我经过可怕的黑暗来到你们面前 被悲悯的灵魂 和语言本身解救出来
The act of you listening to me today brings me farther into the light. 你们的倾听让我进一步走进光明
We are shining here together. 我们正一起发光
If there is one most difficult obstacle to my way of communicating, it is that sometimes I want to shout and other times simply to whisper a word of love or gratitude . 如果我在交流中有一个最大的障碍 那就是有时我想大喊 有时只想低声说出爱和感激
obstacle:n.障碍;障碍物;阻碍;绊脚石; whisper:v.耳语;低语;私语;小声说;n.耳语(声);低语(声);私语(声);轻柔的声音; gratitude:n.感谢(的心情);感激;
It all sounds the same. 但如果你能够
But if you will, please imagine these next two words as warmly as you can: 请极尽热忱地想象这两个词 谢谢
warmly:adv.热情地;温暖地;亲切地;
Thank you. （鼓掌）
(Applause)