2006年NPR美国国家公共电台十二月-Dad's Admiration

Time now for StoryCorps.

This oral history project is traveling the country, collecting interviews between friends and families. Today we hear from a daughter and her father.

--My name is David Warm, I'm 51 years old.
--My name is Mary Warm, and I'm here with my father.

Mary Warm is 15 years old and is in the seventh grade. She thought a StoryCorps conversation would help other kids who also have Down Syndrome¹. So when the project stopped in Kansas City near their home, Mary and her father David came into talk.

--Mary, who was the, who's the most important person in your life?

--My sister, I really look up to her. And she's a great person, no matter her room is messy.

Do you remember when you were young, and on Friday nights you, and your sister and I would dance in the living-room. We'd take out the coffee table, we'd turn up the music and we'd get on our backs and be like bugs².
--Yeah.
--Is there something about me that you've always wanted to know but you never asked me?
--Yes, Dad. How did you feel when I was born and how did mom feel?

--Well, that's a complicated question. Ah, we did know we are going to have a little girl, so that's the first thing we thought. We were really pleased to have another little girl, and then when we learned that you had Down Syndrome. I think we both decided³ that we had to figure it all out and so we went to classes and we read books, and we talked to other people. But about 2 months later, I think we’ve just kinda relaxed and realized we just needed to raise you of love, and teach you like we did to your big sister and everything will turn out all right. En, I think it has .

--Ah, you tell me I'm special all the time, what makes me special?
--Well, there is a lot of things that are special about you. En, you know your mom and I, we both really admire you because you are so positive, because you work really hard for everything that you get, and you go out your way to make sure that everybody is doing OK, not everybody is like that. In fact, I told somebody just the other day that I want to be more like my daughter Mary when I grow up. Do you have other questions?

--No, I don't. But do you?
--Back to me, ha~ What one thing about me upsets you, I'm not sure I wanted to ask . HAHA~~
--Er, if you like tell me exactly what to do.
--So you don't like it when I raise my voice. (Yeah)Are there some things you want to ask me about you?
--Yes, what is your goal for me?
--What is your mom and my goal for you?
--Yes.
--Well, I hope most of all that you keep your sunny personality no matter what you do, and I hope you find somebody you love and, and have a family, er, in whatever way you have a family. And we are really looking forward to getting to know you as an adult because you've been such a great kid.
--Thanks.

Mary Warm with her father David at StoryCorps. This conversation and all StoryCorps interviews are housed at the American Folklife Center at the library of Congress. Find out how to record your story at npr.org.
Major funding for StoryCorps comes from the Corporation for public broadcasting.
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Down Syndrome
A congenital disorder⁴, caused by the presence of an extra 21st chromosome⁵, in which the affected⁶ person has mild to moderate mental retardation⁷, short stature⁸, and a flattened⁹ facial profile.Also called trisomy 21
唐氏综合征，蒙古症：由于多出一个染色体引起的一种先天疾病，患者有轻至中度智障，身体矮小，脸扁平也作 trisomy 21


 

1 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

2 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

5 chromosome   

n.染色体

参考例句：

• Chromosome material with exhibits of such behaviour is called heterochromatin.表现这种现象的染色体物质叫做异染色质。
• A segment of the chromosome may become lost,resulting in a deletion.染色体的一个片段可能会丢失，结果产生染色体的缺失。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 retardation   

n.智力迟钝，精神发育迟缓

参考例句：

• Asbestos reinforcement confers excellent flame retardation properties on a composite. 石棉增强材料使复合材料具有优异的防火性能。
• The theory confirms the increase in the retardation effect with decrease in particle size. 理论证实，随着颗粒尺寸的减小，这一减速效应将增大。

8 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

9 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。