Talk 2 与死神擦肩
Wors Tips
pancreas n.胰，胰腺 incurable adj.无法治愈的
buttonup 扣紧；顺利完成 intestine n.肠
sedate v.使昏昏入睡；给……服镇静剂 agent n.药剂
Listen to the following recording and answer questions 1-3.
1）A.looking at himself in the mirror every morning
B.reminding himself that death is around the corner
C.being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
D.remembering the naked nature of mankind
2）A.Because they felt rather sympathetic towards his illness.
B.Because they had to put a needle into the pancreas tumor.
C.Because the cancer could be cured with surgery.
D.Because this type of pancreatic cancer was very rare.
3）A.Nothing can be done to fight against destiny.
B.Everyone craves for an immortal spirit.
C.Heaven is the final destination of life.
D.Seizing the day is an advisable attitude.
听力原文
When I was 17，I read a quote that went something like，“if you live each day as if it was your last，someday you’ll most certainly be right.”It made an impression on me，and since then，for the past 33 years，I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself，“if today were the last day of my life，would I want to do what I am about to do today？”And whenever the answer has been“No”for too many days in a row，I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.Because almost everything—all external expectations，all pride，all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death，leaving only what is truly important.Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.You are already naked.There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer.I had a scan at 7：30 in the morning，and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas.I didn’t even know what a pancreas was.The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable，and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months.My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order，which is doctor’s code for preparing to die.It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months.It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family.It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day.Later that evening I had a biopsy，where they stuck an endoscope down my throat，through my stomach and into my intestines，put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor.I was sedated，but my wife，who was there，told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope，the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery.I had the surgery and thankfully I’m fine now.
This was the closest I’ve been to facing death，and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades.Having lived through it，I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept.No one wants to die.Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there.And yet death is the destination we all share.No one has ever escaped it.And that is as it should be，because death is very likely the single best invention of life.It is life’s change agent.It clears out the old to make way for the new.Right now the new is you，but someday not too long from now，you will gradually become the old and be cleared away.Sorry to be so dramatic，but it is quite true.
Questions：
1.What is the most effective tool to help the speaker make big choices in life？
2.Why did the doctors start crying when examining the cells under a microscope？
3.What is conveyed through the speaker’s story about facing death？
参考译文
我17岁那年读到过一句话，大意是这样：“假如你把每一天都当成你在人世的最后一天来过，总有一天你会发现自己是对的。”这话给我留下了印象。自那时起，33年来的每个早晨，我都对着镜子自问：“假如今天是我这辈子最后的一天，我还会做我今天要做的这些事吗？”每当连续很多天答案都是“不会”的时候，我就知道有什么东西需要改变了。
记住自己将不久于人世，这是我在做出人生重大选择时的一个最重要的参考工具。因为几乎所有的一切，一切外界对你的期待、一切荣耀、一切对丢脸和失败的恐惧，它们在面对死亡的时候都黯然失色，剩下的只有真正重要的东西。在我看来，记住你终将死去是帮助你避开“我可能会失去……”思维陷阱的最佳方法。你已经是赤裸裸的了。没有理由不追随自己的心灵去生活。
大约一年前，我被查出患有癌症。早上7点半，我做了一次扫描，结果很清楚地显示出我的胰腺里有一个肿瘤。当时我连胰腺是什么都不知道。大夫们告诉我，差不多可以肯定这是一种无法治愈的癌，我估计还能再活三到六个月。我的医生建议我回家去，把事情都做个了结。这是医生的行话，它意味着料理后事，意味着在接下去的几个月里把你10年内要对孩子们说的话提前说完，意味着为了让你的家人日后好过，把每一件事都做好安排，意味着对这个世界说再见。
一整天我的脑子里只有这个判决。当天晚上，我做了一次组织切片检查：他们把一个内窥镜伸进我的喉咙，穿过我的胃一直进到肠子里，用一枚探针伸进胰脏取得了一些组织细胞。我被麻醉了，但是当时在场的妻子告诉我，医生们把这些细胞放到显微镜下观察之后都惊叫起来，因为他们发现这是一种非常罕见的、通过手术可以治愈的胰腺癌。后来我做了手术，现在已经痊愈了。
迄今为止，这是我距离死亡最近的一次，希望这也是未来几十年里我离死亡最近的一次。经历了这件事，死亡对我而言已经不再只是一个有用但仅限纯粹想象的概念，因此我可以更加确信地跟你们谈起我对死亡的看法：没有人想要死。就算那些想进天堂的人也不想为此去死。但是死亡是我们共同的终点。从未有人逃离过死亡。而这是合理的，因为死亡乃是生命最好的发明。它是生命的代谢催化剂，去除老朽、迎接新鲜。现在新鲜的是你们，但是用不了太久，某天你们会发现自己已经渐渐变得老朽，将被取代。抱歉说得这么夸张，但这是事实。
参考答案
1.B 2.C 3.D