Lesson 6 The Man in the WaterPlane Crash into PotomacOn this day in 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 727 plunges into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 78 people. The crash, caused by bad weather, took place only two miles from the White House.The Air Florida flight took off from Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, with 74 passengers and 5 crew members on board. The plane had flown into Washington from Miami in the early afternoon and was supposed to return to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, after a short stop. However, snow in Washington temporarily closed the airport. When it reopened, the plane was de-iced with chemical anti-freeze, but the plane still had difficulty moving away from the gate due to the ice. When it eventually made i t to the airport’s only usable runway, it was forced to wait 45 minutes for clearance to take off.Not wanting to further delay the flight, the pilot, Larry Wheaton, did not return for more de-icing, and worse, failed to turn on the plane’s own de-icing system. In fact, the pilot and co-pilot discussed the situation, and the co-pilot said "It’s a losing battle trying to de-ice these things. It gives you a false sense of security, that’s all it does." During the delay, however, ice was accumulating on the wings, and by the time the plane reached the end of the runway, it was able to achieve only a few hundred feet of altitude.Thirty seconds later, the plane crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River, less than a mile away from the runway. Seven vehicles traveling on the bridge were struck by the 727 and the plane fell into the freezing water. It was later determined that 73 of the people on board the plane died from the impact, leaving only six survivors in the river. In addition, four motorists died in the crash.Terrible traffic in Washington that day made it difficult for rescue workers to reach the scene. Witnesses didn’t know what to do to assist the survivors who were stuck in the freezing river. Finally, a police helicopter arrived and began assisting the survivors in a very risky operation.Two people in particular emerged as heroes during the rescue: Arland Williams and Lenny Skutnik. Known as the "sixth passenger," Williams survived the crash, and passed lifelines on to others rather than take one for himself. He ended up being the only plane passenger to die from drowning. When one of the survivors to whom Williams had passed a lifeline was unable to hold on to it, Skutnik, who was watching the unfolding tragedy, jumped into the water and swam to rescue her. Both Skutnik and Williams (along with bystander Roger Olian) received the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal. The bridge was later renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.I In troduction to the TextThis is a short essay about an air crash that took place in the capital of the United States in the year 1982. a plane that tool off from the Washington National Airport did not clear the bridge over the Potomac River because of the thick on the wings. It hit the gridge and fell right into the river, bringing all the passangers to their instant death except five from the tail sction who found themselves grasing and struggling in the icy water. These five people however survived, and they were able to survive because of four heroes. The author wrote this essay in praise of these heroes, three of whom had risked their lives to rescue the survivors and were able to live to tell the story, but the man that really held the whole nation’s attention was the fourth man who had kept pushinghis lifeline救生索and flotation rings救生圈to others until he went under.Heroism of course has always been admired. But this man’s heroism was unusual. People usually expect revolutionaries to die martyrs; they also expect true believers to be willing to die for their faith; they might also expect some people to be ready to lay down their lives in performing their duty; they also believe that many people would show courage in their attempt to win power, influence, money or to save their loved ones. But this man in the water did not fit in any of these descriptions. He did not have to give his rings to others; he did not even know these people; and he died anonymous, unidentified. He was extraordinary precisely because he was ordinary. He shoued what everyone of us could do. The display of his heroism was a song to the beautiful human character. In our world today, we do not have to be reminded that there are a lot of displayss of human weakness. But it is this kind of true story that reminds us that we have no reason to be pessimistic or cynical.The fact that this hero happened to be an American should not bother us. When people talk about the American character, they sometimes go to an extreme. But blind hatred is just as wrong as blind worship. The United States has their share of human trash垃圾of course, but they also have numerous decent, honest, brave people like the one in the water who have made their country what it is today. And it is this side of their national character we should learn from.II Detailed Discussion of the Text1.As disaster go, this one was terrible, but not unique, certainly not among the worst U.S.air crashes on record.Air crashes usually involve a heavy loss of lives. Comapred with other air crashes, this one was not the worst. This air crash was remembered for a different reason.as disasters go: compared with the average disaster of this type.More examples of the use of “as something goes”:As writers go, Oscar Wilde was not the most talented. But he was among the most popullar.As businessmen go, he is considered pretty honest.2.There was the unusual element of the bridge , of course, and the fact that the plane hit it at amoment of high traffic.One thing that was unusual about this disaster was that the plane hit the bridge.“Element” here means “factor”.high traffic: heavy traffic; heavy flow of vehicles along the road3.Washington, the city of form and rules, turned chaotic by a blast of real winter and a singleslap of metal on metal.the city of form and rules: See Note in Notes to the Text.turned chaotic: became chaotic; was thrown into a terrible confusiona blast of real winter: a sudden strong really could windThe word”blast” could also refer to a sudden explosion or a sudden very loud noise, e.g.The human-bomb exploded and more than 20 people were killed in the terrible blast.The music came in full blast form the next door, and I had to call the police to stop it.slap: a quick blow with something flat as in “a slap across the face”. Here of course it is used figuratively.4.presidential monumentsSee Note 3 in Notes to the Text.5.And there was the aesthetic clash as well---blue-and-green Air Florida, … sunk down amonggray chunks of ice in a black river.When the air crash occurred, it was not just a clash (a loud sound made by two objects) of metal against the bridge, but also a clash between colors: the blue-green color of the plane and the gray and black color of the ice and river.the aestheitc clash:the combination of different colors which look very bad (“aesthetic”: something connected with the study of beauty)Air Florida: The Florida Airlline. Also: Air France; Air Japan (JAL)chunk: a fairly large amount of, e.g.a chunk of meat; a chunk of rice6.Still, there was nothing very special in any of it, except death, which, while always special,does not necessarily bring millions to tears or to attention.while aways special: although (it is) always special, e.g.Money, while desirable and useful, can corrupt.Their life, while rich and comfortable, somehow lacks meaning.not necessarily: possibly but not certainly, e.g.New things are not necessarily better.Teachers do not necessarily know more than students sometimes.bring millions to tears or to attention:make millions cry or attract millions of people’s attention7.Why, then, the shock here?(1)Why was there such a shock here?Notice the structure of this kind of elliptical sentence, e.g.Five o’clock? Why so early?To go to Afghanistan? Wy me?If so many businesses can’t compete with other countries, why WTO then?8. a mechanical failureWe are talking about the cause of the disaster there: whether it is a mechanical problem or a human error.9.Here, after all, were two forms of nature in collision: the elements and human character.the elements: the bad weatherthe two forms of nature: the bad weather and the human character. Both are forms of natural power.collision:clash; two people or vehicles or ideas hitting each other while moving directly toward each otherNote: Do not mix up with the word “coalition”.st Wednesday, the elements, indifferent as ever, brought down Flight 90. And on that sameafternoon, human nature---groping and struggling ---rose to the occasion.(2)indifferent as ever: unconcerned about the consequences as alwaysbrought down: made the plane fall downNotice the difference between these sentences:A.The plane fell into the river.They brought down an enemy plane by bulletsB.He grew up in a small mountain village.He was brought up by his siter-in-law.C.The fire went out after two weeks.The fire was brought under control in the end.flight: It refers to a plane making a particular journey.rise to the occasion: to deal successfully with a dificult situation or problem, e.g.I’m sure that he will rise to the occasion when he realizes what is at stake.groping and struggling: groping for the flotation rings and struggling in the icy waterBut these two words may also be interpreted figuratively, referring to human nature.11.Of the four acknowledged heroes of the event, three are able to account for their behavior.Only three out of these four heroes lived to tell people what they actually had done nand now they had rescued the five survivors.account for: to give a satisfactory explanation of what has happened.12.Donald Usher … a park police helicopter team, risked their lives every time they dipped intothe water to pick up survivors.park police: police whose job it is to look after a park.every time: whenever13.… they described their courage as all in the line of duty.in the line of duty: as part of one’s duty, e.g.They are paid by the people to provide these services. It’s all in the line of duty.14.“It’s something I never thought I would do.”“I never thought I would have the courage to jump into th eicy water to rescue somebody.”“It” here refers to his heroic deed.15.…delivering every hero’s line that is no less admirable for being repeated.… saying something that has been said before by many people in similar situations, but it is still admirable.deliver a line: to make a remark. Also: to deliver a pseech; to deliver a lecture16.That somebody actually did so is part of the reason this particular tragedy sticks in themind.(3)English, we usually turn them into appositive clauses byadding the word “fact”. For example: The fact that somebody actually did so is part of the reason this particular tragedy sticks in the mind.stick in the mind: to be remembered17.… responsible for the emotional impact of the disaster(4)being the reason for the emotional impact of the disasteremotional impact of the disaster: how this disaster has moved peoplebe responsible for: to be the cause for, e.g.That policy was largely responsible for the mass hunger.The favorable weather conditions were partly responsible for our good harvest last year.18.This man was escribed … as appearing alert and in control.This man was described as a person who appeared alert andin control.alert and in control:able to think quickly and clearly; calm and with perfect presence of mind, e.g.although she is almost ninety, she still has an alert mind.19.Every time they lowered a lifeline and flotation ring to him, he passed it on to another of thepassengers.lifeline: a rope used to rescue people at seaflotation ring: some kind of life-belt or life-preserver20.“In a mass casualty, you’ll find people like him. But I’ve never seen one with thatcommitment.”We can always find hieroc people like him in a mass casualty because although not everyone is a hero, there’s bound to be a fair representation of heroes in a big crowd.mass casualty: large numbers of people hurt or killed in an accident or battle“Mass” here is an adjective as in mass murder, mass audiences, mass protest, etc.commitent: Here: a strong sense of reponsibility or loyaltyNotice how the word “commit” and its derivatives are used:WTO commits China to give national treatment to all foreign business people.China is commited to lower its tariffs.We have a strong commitment to follow WTO rules.21.When the helicopter came back for him theman had gone under.go under: to sink; to be drwoned, e.g.In a fierce competition, these oiirly managed enterprises will go under.In case of an economic recession, these old and weak people will be the first to go under.The captain hoped that help would come before the ship went under.22.His selflessness was one reason the story held national attention; his anonymity another.The fact that the man in the water who had displayed such heroism did not leave his name and no one was ever able to find it out was another reason why the whole nation felt so touched by this story. It showed that the man was a very ordinary citizen. It also proved that he did what he did not for fame or anythign.anonymity: the state of being unknown by nameanonymous: (adj.)He preferred to remain anonymous.The author of this book is anonymous.Note how the anonymity is formed. An-means without, and nym comes form anoma in late Laitn which means name.CF: antonym, synonym, homonym, pseudonym23.The fact that he went unidentified gave him a universal character.gave him a universal character: gave him a universal quality; made him a representative man, like everyone of us could be; made people feel that it could have been anyone24.For a while he was Everyman, and thus proof (as if one needed it) that no man is ordianry.Notice that the word “Everyman” is captialized. It echoes the title of a medieval play about a typical human being. It conveys the idea that this anonymous man really represents the best of numan nature. What he did was not the act of a supernatural being, but the act of an ordianry person. Yet, the author says here that “no man is ordinary”, because every person is an individual moral eitity and is capable of rising to the occasion and making history.25.Still, he could never have imagined such a capacity in himself.(5)However, it was impossible for him to know that he would be capable of such heroism.What the man did was the natural response to the cirtical situation.Notice the use of the word “in” here. It is used to say what one should consider in an other.More examples:We all see a promising scholar in her.I don’t know what she saw in that man. He seemed to be very common. But she lovedhim.26.Only minutes before his character was tested, he was sitting …,listening to the stewardesstelling him to fasten his seat belt and saying something about …The author is imaging what must have been the situation. He used the past continuous to make the narration more real and vivid.stewardess:“-ess” is a noun sufix referring to t female, e.g.waitress, actress, mistress, hostess, lioness, countess27.So our man relaxed with the others, some of whom would owe their lives to him.our man: our hero, the man we are talking about hereof whom: Notice that here only “whom” can be used, not “that” or “who”.owe: We can say “I owe him five dollars” or “I owe five dollars to him”. Similarly:We can say “He brought me a dictionary” or “He bought a dictionary for me”, “It costs us a lot of money” or “It costs a lot of money to us”.28.…or to regret some harsh remark made in the office that morning.… or to feel sorry for the unkind things he might have said to his employee in the office that morning before he took the plane.The author imagined the man to be some kind of business executive.29.Like every other person on the flight, he was desperate to live, which makes his final act sostunning.His last act was stunning because like everyone else, he also valued his life and was desperate to live.stunning: shockingon that fllight: on board that plane“Which” here stands for what has been stated before.30.For at some moment in the water he must have realized that he would not live if he continuedto hand over the rope and ring to others. He had to know it, no matter how slow with effect of the cold.(6)Obviously it requires much more courage to face sure death knowing that you have a choice (keep one of the rings for yourself) than to face the possibility of death by, for example, a stray bullet in battle. The man in the story did not act on impulse. He did not pass on his rings to others with a total unawareness of the consequences. At some point he must have known that he was freeaing to death and would go under any moment. But he still gave the chance for survival to the next person.no matter how slow the effect: however slow the effect of the cold might be31.Yet there was something else about our man that kept our thoughts on him, (7)that kept our thoughts on him: that held our attention to him; that made us think of him all the time32.He was there, in the essential, classic circumstance.What happened that day was a typical situation in which nature and man fought each other.And when nature begins to show its power, you always find man fighting back. He is alwaysthere. We can always expect to find such a hero.essential: basic, typical, the most importantclassic: very traditional or lang establlished33.So the age-old battle began again in the Potomac. For as long as that man could last, theywent at each other, nature and man…the age-old battle between nature and man: the author is using a very traditional idea here, the idea that huma civilized is a record of man’s gradual conquest of nature.go at: to attack; to start to fight, e.g.Those companies went at eachi other like hungry wolves.34.…the one making no distinctions of good and evil, acting on no principles offering nollifelines, the other acting wholly on distinctions, principles and perhaps, on faith.Nature is indifferent. It does not have any idea what is good or what is bad for human beings, and it does not care. It has no moral principles. Human beings, on the other hand, are different.They have moral standards. They have feelings. They care and they love. Therefore they are able to choose between right and wrong.35.In reality, we believe the opposite, and it takes the act of theman in the water to remind us ofour true feelings in this matter.(8)Actually, the death of the man did not mean that human beings had lost the battle. In moral sense, man had won, because man’s courage to defy death was also a trementdous power.Therefore what happened to this man in the water should fill us with pride rather than sadness.36.It is not to say that everyone would have acted as he did (8)It is not to say: It does not mean37.Yet whatever moved these mento challenge death on behalf of their fellows is not peculiar tothem. Everyone feels the possibility in himself.Yet whatever enabled or made these men or gave these men the power to challenge death is not unique. Indeed, every one of us has the potentiality to be a hero.38.That is the enduring wonder of the story. That is why we would not let go of it.That is the lasting wonder of the story. That is what keeps our thoughts on this story. (That is why we keep thinking about this story. Thatis why this story will always livein our memory.) go of it39.If the man in the water gave a lifeline to the people gasping for survival, he was likewisegiving a lifeline to those who watched him.In this article, the author is giving the man’s action a symbolic meaning. When the man was giving a lifeline to the people gasping for survival, we might say that he was also giving the chance to live to everyone of us. He was showing by his own example the neaning of life, the dignity of human existence, the power of nobe human character.likewise: in the same way40.“Everything in Nature containshe powers of nature,” said Emerson.(9)For Emerson, see Note 11 in Notes to the Text.By “the powers of nature”, Emerson did not just mean such powers as coming from coal, oil, water,wind, etc. (He could haveincluded nuclear power if he had been able to see that far into the future.) He probably also meant the power unique to human beings: the power to love, the power to change, and the power to create.41.The man in the water set himself against an immovable, impersonal enemy; he fought it withkindness; and he held it to a standoff. He was the best we can do.set sb. against sb.: to make sb. start to fight or quarrel with another person, esp. a person with whom they had friendly relations before. e.g.There were outside forces who were trying to set one tribe against another. That was why there were endless civil wars in the country.I’m not going to set myself against my own classmates.An immovable, impersonal enemy: It refers to nature, which is indifferent and cannot be persuaded to change its attitude towards us humans. “Immovable” here means “impossible to be changed or persuaded”.standoff: a situation in which neither side in a fight or battle can gain an advantage.He was the best we can do: The man in the water represented human nature at its best.III Translation of Text A“水中人”就灾难而言，这一次很可怕，但不是前所未有，当然更算不上美国空难史中最惨烈的一场。
