VOA标准英语2012--Psychologist Tells Inspiring Story of His Giant Uncle
时间：2019-01-14 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2012年(十一月)
Psychologist Tells Inspiring Story of His Giant Uncle
In more than 50 silent movies in the 1920s, Jake Erlich amazed audiences by towering over every actor in a scene.
On stage, he was known as Jack 1 Earle, The Texas Giant. To his show business friends, he was a gentle and considerate man. Among his friends were some of the smallest people.
This son of Jewish immigrants had a tumor 2 on his pituitary gland 3 that caused his unusual growth. Growing up... and up, in El Paso, Texas, Earle often was the object of derision.
"Having to dodge 4 rocks that were thrown at me when I was a kid would become all too common," said Erlich, reading Earle's comments from his book.
Andrew Erlich is Jack Earle's nephew. His book, The Long Shadows, tells how Jack, or Jake, overcame his challenges, including depression.
"Most of us have something that we are embarrassed about. It is like an invisible clubfoot. But for Jake, it was present. Everybody saw it," said Erlich.
As a clinical psychologist, Andrew Erlich helps patients who see themselves as freaks. First, he tells them about his uncle.
"Here is a man that overcomes the stereotypes 5, and he does it not by avoiding who he is, but by embracing who he is and expressing it in the visual arts and in his performances," he said.
Erlich's book tells about how Jake toured with the circus and then, after suffering temporary blindness, took up sculpture and painting.
"He found freedom through creativity. I am very interested in the creative process in the people that I see, and I use Jake as an example, and I show them his paintings," said Erlich.
Jake's paintings depict 6 circus events, scenic 7 vistas 8 and the lives of common people he met traveling the country.
"Jake really wanted to do something that was not photographic. You see a scene and your emotions come through as you see it, and you paint it from different perspectives," said Erlich.
Today, advances in medicine can prevent the gigantism that afflicted 9 Jake Erlich. He died at the age of 46 in 1952. But Andrew Erlich said openness to diversity is progress compared to Jake's era.
"People were very frightened of human differences, and they would build walls to protect themselves from those differences and those walls that separate us are very dangerous," he said.
Erlich hopes that his uncle's story will help readers accept themselves and fulfill 10 their dreams.
- I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
- He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
- He was died of a malignant tumor.他死于恶性肿瘤。
- The surgeons irradiated the tumor.外科医生用X射线照射那个肿瘤。
- This is a snake's poison gland.这就是蛇的毒腺。
- Her mother has an underactive adrenal gland.她的母亲肾上腺机能不全。
- A dodge behind a tree kept her from being run over.她向树后一闪，才没被车从身上辗过。
- The dodge was coopered by the police.诡计被警察粉碎了。
- Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
- It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
- Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。
- The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
- The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。
- This new job could open up whole new vistas for her. 这项新工作可能给她开辟全新的前景。
- The picture is small but It'shows broad vistas. 画幅虽然不大，所表现的天地却十分广阔。
- About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
- A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。