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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
[00:00.00]Iwaited a day before calling
[00:02.73]Dr. Sam to inform him of
[00:04.26]my decision. I had to be sure!
[00:06.44]“Miriam, I think I know
[00:08.97]why you want to go through
[00:10.27]with this pregnancy1, but
[00:11.48]are you aware of the risks?”
[00:12.80]“I know my baby will be
[00:14.65]different. I know she may be
[00:16.30]mentally and physically2 retarded3.
[00:17.93]She may have developmental difficulties
[00:19.80]and problems with social acceptance.
[00:22.09]I do recognize that I am
[00:24.48]going to have to amend4
[00:25.69]almost every facet5 of my life.
[00:27.55]I am prepared to do that.
[00:29.18]This is my final gift
[00:30.93]from Paul and I am determined6
[00:33.01]to go through with this!”
[00:34.33]“I thought you would feel
[00:35.75]that way. You have my utmost
[00:37.39]admiration and support. I will
[00:39.58]follow your pregnancy carefully
[00:41.44]but I want you to see
[00:42.65]a specialist in birth defects.
[00:43.96]I will refer you to Dr. Brown
[00:45.70]and would like you to make
[00:47.13]an appointment with her
[00:48.22]as soon as possible,” he said.
[00:49.53]I knew then that I had
[00:51.29]made the right choice.
[00:52.79]My pregnancy was not without
[00:55.20]its hardships, from morning sickness
[00:57.38]to swollen7 ankles, but I had
[00:59.25]no doubts about the decision
[01:00.77]I had made. My parents, when
[01:02.63]I told them what was going
[01:04.72]on with me, expressed their concerns
[01:06.25]but also their confidence
[01:07.56]in my decision and assured me
[01:09.42]they would be there when
[01:10.51]I delivered my baby.
[01:11.60]Paula was born on a bright,
[01:14.45]cloudless, warm Tuesday morning
[01:16.86]in May. I was prepared to
[01:18.61]see a red, wrinkled, squalling infant.
[01:21.01]Instead, I saw very little.
[01:22.98]Because of the risks involved,
[01:25.28]Paula was delivered by Caesarian section.
[01:28.46]The doctors and nurses rushed her
[01:30.31]into an incubatorto assess her
[01:32.50]before I caught a glimpse of her.
[01:34.25]I could see my parents
[01:35.79]on the other side of
[01:37.20]the operating room window, questions
[01:38.63]in their eyes. What was going on?
[01:40.59]The nurses kept me comfortable
[01:43.66]and tried to alleviate8 my fears
[01:44.97]but half an hour passed before
[01:47.28]our questions were answered.
[01:48.80]My daughter had a severe heart defect.
[01:51.75]It could be corrected through surgery
[01:54.49]but not until she gained
[01:56.03]a little weight and strength.
[01:57.99]I understood in that moment that
[01:59.85]my life had changed forever.
[02:01.93]I demanded to see her immediately,
[02:03.90]and as soon as I did,
[02:05.66]I fell in love. This most
[02:07.51]precious of all gifts was
[02:08.82]going to survive the obstacles
[02:10.14]ahead of her with my help.
[02:12.22]I knew in an instant that
[02:14.40]all my strength,love, and
[02:16.15]monetary resources were at
[02:17.69]her command. Nothing she wanted,
[02:19.99]needed, or even dreamed
[02:21.51]of, would ever be denied.
[02:23.27]The heart surgery to correct
[02:25.68]a flawed valve was a resounding9 success.
[02:28.19]Fortunately, the common defects
[02:30.60]occurring in a majority
[02:31.80]of Down's syndrome10 children
[02:33.00]were absent in Paula. She has
[02:35.30]no intestinal11 malformations, hearing impairment,
[02:38.37]or severe visual problems.
[02:40.55]We are truly blessed.
[02:42.63]My parents adore this exceptional grandchild.
[02:46.02]Their expertise12 in teaching, nurturing13,
[02:48.65]and parenting has been so welcome.
[02:51.05]I always knew they were there
[02:53.03]for me; now they are there for us.
[02:54.78]I am aware of the sympathetic
[02:57.73]looks from strangers who don't know
[02:59.37]or understand the disorder14
[03:00.68]afflicting my child. Their pity,
[03:03.09]for what they ascertain15 as
[03:04.73]my plight16, is misplaced but understandable.
[03:07.69]I am sure that I, too,
[03:09.54]felt sorry for parents of what
[03:11.62]I thought of as imperfect children.
[03:13.81]Paula is a delightful17 child.
[03:16.22]Her physical defects are apparent;
[03:18.29]there is no doubt she is
[03:19.61]different from other children.
[03:21.03]However, she goes to school
[03:23.00]with other children her age;
[03:24.53]she takes longer to learn things
[03:26.07] and has to work harder,
[03:27.16]but she is achieving all
[03:28.69]the milestones18 of growing children.
[03:30.77]Raising her is a challenge,
[03:33.28]as is the raising of any child.
[03:35.14]It isn't easy and it won't get easier.
[03:38.10]As she grows and develops,
[03:40.40]there will be questions to answer,
[03:42.25]hurdles to cross, and goals
[03:43.89]to reach. Paula is different.
[03:46.08]She is aware that she is.
[03:47.84]It doesn't dismay her. She greets
[03:50.68]each day with a smile on her
[03:51.99]lips and a sparkle in her eye.
[03:53.42]Do I ever have doubts about
[03:56.37]my decision? No! My only regret
[03:59.10] is that Paul isn't here to
[04:00.64]share my joy in our wonderful daughter.
收听单词发音 |
1
pregnancy
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| n.怀孕，怀孕期 | |
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2
physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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3
retarded
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| a.智力迟钝的，智力发育迟缓的 | |
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4
amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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facet
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| n.(问题等的)一个方面；(多面体的)面 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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alleviate
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| v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等) | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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syndrome
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| n.综合病症；并存特性 | |
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11
intestinal
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| adj.肠的；肠壁；肠道细菌 | |
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12
expertise
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| n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长 | |
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13
nurturing
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| 养育( nurture的现在分词 )； 培育； 滋长； 助长 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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15
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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milestones
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| n.重要事件( milestone的名词复数 )；重要阶段；转折点；里程碑 | |
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