英语智慧背囊 08-坚强的意志

[00:00.00]Determination 坚强的意志
[00:05.95]In 1883,
[00:08.89]a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea
[00:13.62]to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with Manhattan Island.
[00:18.95]However bridge building experts throughout the world thought
[00:23.56]that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea.
[00:28.80]Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge.
[00:33.85]He first managed to convince his son Washington,
[00:38.00]an up and coming engineer,
[00:40.17]that the bridge in fact could be built.
[00:43.47]Then together they developed concepts of how it could be accomplished
[00:48.84]and how the obstacles could be overcome.
[00:51.45]With great excitement and inspiration,
[00:55.26]they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.
[00:59.75]The project started well,
[01:01.73]but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident
[01:07.09]on the site took the life of John Roebling.
[01:10.14]Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage,
[01:14.75]which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
[01:20.53]In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged
[01:25.58]and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge
[01:29.18]and his mind was still as sharp as ever.
[01:32.24]All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it.
[01:39.14]By moving this,
[01:40.98]he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
[01:45.05]Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do.
[01:51.16]It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
[01:56.21]For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions
[02:01.00]with his finger on his wife’s arm,
[02:03.42]until the bridge was finally completed.
[02:06.27]Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory
[02:11.83]as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit
[02:16.77]and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances.
[02:20.93]It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work,
[02:25.30]and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world.
[02:30.21]Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life,
[02:34.26]our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face.
[02:39.95]The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised
[02:45.85]with determination and persistence,
[02:48.36]no matter what the odds are.
[02:50.34]Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.