大学英语精读Unit-3-language-work

MyStrokeofLuckShekeepssavingmylife.Betterstill,shekeepsgivingmereasonstolive.KirkDouglas1IthappenedonthewayhomefromameetinginFillmore,40milesnorthofLosAngeles.MyfriendNoelBlanc,ahelicopterpilot,offeredtogivemearidebacktothecity.Wewere50feetintheairwhenwecollidedwithasmallplaneflownbyaflightinstructorandhisyoungstudent.NoelandIsurvived,butthemenintheplanediedinstantly.2Idon’trememberbeingpulledfromthewreckageortheambulancetriptoanearbyhospital.ButIdoremembermywife,Anne,staringdownatmeonmygurney.Afterhearingoftheaccident,Annetookahelicoptertoreachme.SheinsistedonmovingmetoourneighborhoodhospitalinL.A.,Cedars-SinaiMedicalCenter.Anotherhelicopterride.JustwhatIneeded!3ButAnnewasright.InL.A.Icouldgetthebestcareformyspinalinjuryandstartseeingpsychiatristsformyveryreal“survivor’sguilt”1.Annehassuchgoodjudgmentandintuition,sherarelymakesawrongdecision.Afterall,shefirstsavedmylifein1958,whensherefusedtoletmejoinfilmproducerMikeToddonhisfatalflight.Shesavedmeagainaftermystrokein1995,whenIbecamedepressedandsuicidal.24Anne’ssecretisthatshelearnsfromlife,thenmoveson.BorninHanover,Germany,shefledtoBelgiumtoescapefascismasateenager.ShethenmovedtoParis,survivingtheoccupationbyputtingherlinguisticabilitytowork.FluentinFrench,English,ItalianandhernativeGerman,shesupportedherselfbyplacingGermansubtitlesonFrenchfilms.5Wemetin1953whenIwasinParistostarinActofLove.Iwaslookingforanassistant,andAnneBuydensshowedupatmydressingroomforaninterview.Sheworeabluesuitwithawhitecollar,andhadverydelicatewristsandankles.Quitestriking.Iexplainedthepositionandshepolitelysaid,“Idon’tthinkthisjob’srightforme.”Iwasmiffed.HereIwas,anAmericanmoviestar.Iexpectedhertobeeagerforthejob.6Shedidaccepttheposition,butonlyonatemporarybasis.Andsheeventuallyagreedtogooutwithme,whichhadbeenmyfirstthoughtanyhow.Butthattooksomedoingonmyparttoo.Afterourfirstmeeting,IcalledtoinvitehertosupperatTourd’Argent,oneofParis’sbestrestaurants,withfantasticviewsoftheSeine.“No,”shesaid,“I’mtired.IthinkI’lljustmakemyselfsomeeggsandgotobed.”Mythoughtthenwas,tohellwithher.37Butitwasjustthatpoignantstylethatmademefallinlove.Duringthefollowingmonths,whileIwasfilmingUlysses7inItaly,Anneoftenmetupwithme.In1954,whenournextjobsthreatenedtokeepusapartformonthsatatime,IrealizedIdidn’twanttoloseherandaskedhertomarryme.WeslippedawaytoLasVegastotietheknot.48Forty-sevenyearsofmarriageisquiteajourney.Annehaskeptmegoingthroughsomeofthehardesttimes,whichhasn’talwaysbeeneasy,giventhatI’msometimesanactorwrappedupinhisego.Afterthecrash,Icouldn’tsitwithoutextremepain.Whenwewentout,Annewouldputmeintherearofthestationwagon,whereIcouldstretchout.Atdinnerwithfriends,she’dsetaplaceformeasifitwerethemostnaturalthingintheworldtoeatlyingonthecouch.Sheconsoledmeduringmysurvivor’sanguish,butwhatshewouldn’ttolerate—andhere’stheimportantthing—wasmefeelingsorryformyself.9Thenagain,I’veneverseenherfeelsorryforherselfeither.ThirtyyearsagoAnneunderwentdiagnosticsurgeryafterfindingalumpinherbreast.Herdoctorreportedthetumorwasmalignant,anditwasspreading.HeencouragedmetoauthorizehimtoremoveAnne’sbreastthenandthere.Idid.10After,Ifeltguiltyhavingmadethatchoicewhileshelayunconscious.AnneassuredmethatI’ddonetherightthing.Shedealtwiththecancer,fromwhichshehasfullyrecovered,byhelpingothers—talkingtogroupsaboutherexperiences,andestablishingResearchforWomen’sCancerswithsixfellowsurvivors.Overtheyearsthey’veraised$9milliontohelpfinancearesearchfacilityatCedars-Sinai.AnnerecentlyreadanarticleaboutthedeplorablestateofschoolplaygroundsinL.A.,andstartedaprogramtorebuildandbeautifythem.11That’smywife’smethod,findingwaysherlifecanhelpothers.I’vebeenthebeneficiaryofthatpracticemanytimes.5TheafternoonIhadmystroke,AnnewasplayingbridgewithBarbaraSonata,andIwashomegettingamanicure.Whenmyspeechstartedtoslur,themanicurist,aformernurse,immediatelyphonedAnne.Mywifewashomewithintenminutesandhadmeatthehospitalwithinanhour.12Althoughshewasmyrescuer,Anne,whobelievesintoughlove,wasn’tabouttoletmejustliearound.6Duringmyrecovery,shekickedmeoutofbedeachmorningtogetmeworkingwithmyspeechtherapist.ShetaughtmeexercisesthathelpedherwhenshewaslearningtospeakEnglish,likeputtinga/d/beforea/j/tosay“just.”Mytherapistwasimpressed.Oneday,feelingproudofmyprogress,Isaid,“Ithinkasatreat,tomorrowI’dliketohavebreakfastinbed.”13Annelookedatmeandsaid,“You’dlikebreakfastinbed?Ithinkyou’dbettersleepinthekitchen!”ThemostdifficultconsequenceofmystrokewasthedepressionIsuffered.WhileIwasgoingthroughit,Anneenduredmymoodsbutdidn’tallowmetocomplain.14Inthemidstofwritingmylatestbook,MyStrokeofLuck,Ihadanepiphany,inspiredbymywife.Howtohandleastrokeishowtohandlelife.Theworldisfilledwithpeoplewhohavesufferedonemisfortuneoranother.Whatsetsthesurvivorsapartfromtheothersisthewillingnesstomoveon,andtohelpothersmoveontoo.7AnnehasbeendoingthatforaslongasI’veknownher.Paragraphs1-2WordsandExpressions1.offerv.expresswillingness(todosth.)e.g.Idon’tneedanyhelp,butitwasniceofyoutooffer.Thevolunteersofferedtogowherethereneededvillageteachers.n.anexpressionofreadinesstodosth.ortogivesth.;anamo