the-man-in-the-water课文原文带段落

TheManintheWater1.Asdisastersgo,thisonewasterrible,butnotunique,certainlynotamongtheworstoftherosterofU.S.aircrashes.Therewastheunusualelementofthebridge,ofcourse,andthefactthattheplanehititatamomentofhightraffic.Then,too,therewasthelocationoftheevent.Washington,thecityofformandrules,turnedchaoticbyablastofrealwinterandasingleslapofmetalonmetal.ThejetsfromWashingtonNationalAirportthatnormallyflyaroundthepresidentialmonumentslikehungrygullsare,forthemoment,representedbytheonethatfell.Andtherewastheaestheticclashaswell—blue-and-greenAirFlorida,thenameaflyinggarden,sunkdownamonggraychunksoficeinablackriver.Allthatwasworthnoticing,tobesure.Still,therewasnothingveryspecialinanyofit,exceptdeath,which,whilealwaysspecial,doesnotnecessarilybringmillionstotearsortoattention.Why,then,theshockhere?2.Perhapsbecausethenationsawinthisdisastersomethingmorethanamechanicalfailure.Perhapsbecausepeoplesawinitnofailureatall,butrathersomethingsuccessfulaboutthemselves.Here,afterall,weretwoformsofnatureincollision:theelementsandhumancharacter.LastWednesday.theelements,indifferentasever,broughtdownFlight90.Andonthatsameafternoon,humannature—gropingandstruggling—rosetotheoccasion.3.Ofthefouracknowledgedheroesoftheevent,threeareabletoaccountfortheirbehavior.DonaldUsherandEugeneWindsor,aparkpolicehelicopterteam,riskedtheirliveseverytimetheydippedtheskidsintothewatertopickupsurvivors.Ontelevision,sidebyside,theydescribedtheircourageasallinthelineofduty.LennySkutnik,a28-year-oldemployeeoftheCongressionalBudgetOffice,said:“It’ssomethingIneverthoughtIwoulddo”—referringtohisjumpingintothewatertodraganinjuredwomantoshore.Skutnikaddedthat“somebodyhadtogointhewater,”deliveringeveryhero’slinethatisnolessadmirableforbeingrepeated.Infact,nobodyhadtogointothewater.Thatsomebodyactuallydidsoispartofthereasonthisparticulartragedysticksinthemind.4.Butthepersonmostresponsiblefortheemotionalimpactofthedisasteristheoneknownatfirstsimplyas“themaninthewater.”Balding,probablyinhis50s,ahugemustache.Hewasseenclingingwithfiveothersurvivorstothetailsectionoftheairplane.ThismanwasdescribedbyUsherandWindsorasappearingalertandincontrol.Everytimetheyloweredalifelineandflotationringtohim,hepasseditontoanotherofthepassengers.“Inamasscasualty,you’llfindpeoplelikehim.”saidWindsor.“ButI’veneverseenonewiththatcommitment.”Whenthehelicoptercamebackforhim,themanhadgoneunder.Hisselflessnesswasonereasonthestoryheldnationalattention;hisanonymityanother.Thefactthathewentunidentifiedgavehimwithauniversalcharacter.ForawhilehewasEveryman,andthusproof(asifoneneededit)thatnomanisordinary.5.Still,hecouldneverhaveimaginedsuchacapacityinhimself.Onlyminutesbeforehischaracterwastested,hewassittingintheordinaryplaneamongtheordinarypassengers,dutifullylisteningtothestewardesstellinghimtofastenhisseatbeltandsayingsomethingaboutthe“nosmokingsign.”Soourmanrelaxedwiththeothers,someofwhomwouldowetheirlivestohim.Perhapshestartedtoread,ortodoze,ortoregretsomeharshremarkmadeintheofficethatmorning.Thensuddenlyheknewthatthetripwouldnotbeordinary.Likeeveryotherpersononthatflight,hewasdesperatetolive,whichmakeshisfinalactsostunning.6.Foratsomemomentinthewaterhemusthaverealizedthathewouldnotliveifhecontinuedtohandovertheropeandringtoothers.Hehadtoknowit,nomatterhowgradualtheeffectofthecold.Hefelthehadnochoice.Whenthehelicoptertookoffwithwhatwastobethelastsurvivor,hewatchedeverythingintheworldmoveawayfromhim,andheletithappen.7.Yettherewassomethingelseaboutourmanthatkeptourthoughtsonhim,andwhichkeepsourthoughtsonhimstill.Hewasthere,intheessential,classiccircumstance.Maninnature.Themaninthewater.Foritspart,naturecarednothingaboutthefivepassengers.Ourman,ontheotherhand,caredtotally.Soage-oldbattlebeganagaininthePotomac.Foraslongasthatmancouldlast,theywentateachother,natureandman;theonemakingnodistinctionsofgoodandevil,actingonnoprinciples,offeringnolifelines;theotheractingwhollyondistinctions,principlesand,perhaps,onfaith.8.Sinceitwashewholostthefight,weoughttocomeagaintotheconclusionthatpeoplearepowerlessintheworld.Inreality,webelievetheopposite,andittakestheactofthemaninthewatertoremindusofourtruefeelingsinthismatter.Itisnottosaythateveryonewouldhaveactedashedid,orasUsher,WindsorandSkutnik.Yetwhatevermovedthesementochallengedeathonbehalfoftheirfellowsisnotpeculiartothem.Everyonefeelsthepossibilityinhimself.Thatistheenduringwonderofthestory.Thatiswhywewouldnotletgoofit.Ifthemaninthewatergavealifelinetothepeoplegaspingforsurvival,hewaslikewisegivingalifelinetothosewhowatchedhim.9.Theoddthingisthatwedonotevenreallybelievethatthemaninthewaterlosthisfight.“EverythinginNaturecontainsallthepowersofNature.”saidEmerson.Exactly.ThemanInthewaterhadhisownnaturalpowers.Hecouldnotmakeicestorms,orfreezethewateruntilitfrozetheblood.Buthecouldhandlifeovertoastranger,andthatisapowerofnaturetoo.Themaninthewatersethimselfagainstanimmovable,impersonalenemy;hefoughtitwithkindnessandheheldittoastandoff.Hewasthebestwecando.