The Cabinet Room
2:04 P．M． EST
My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning, Mission Control in Houston4 lost contact with5 our Space Shuttle Columbia. A short time later, debris6 was seen falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors7.
On board8 was a crew of seven: Colonel9 Rick Husband; Lt. Colonel Michael Anderson; Commander10 Laurel Clark; Captain David Brown; Commander William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon, a Colonel in the Israeli11 Air Force. These men and women assumed12 great risk in the service to all humanity13.
In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine14, it is easy to overlook15 the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating16 the fierce17 outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts18 knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring19 and idealism20, we will miss them all the more21.
All Americans today are thinking, as well, of the families of these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief22. You're not alone. Our entire nation grieves23 with you. And those you loved will always have the respect and gratitude24 of this country.
The cause25 in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration26 of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.
In the skies today we saw destruction27 and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah28, “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts29 one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty30 strength, not one of them is missing.”
The same Creator31 who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn32 today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.
May God bless33 the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.
你看过美国科幻大片《变脸》吗？电影中医生们不仅能移植面部皮肤、肌肉和神经，还能移植面骨。结果呢，患者就跟捐脸的人几乎一模一样。现在，这种事在现实生活中可能很快就会有了。
今年，爱尔兰医生彼得·巴特勒在尝试世界首例面部移植手术前，就曾呼吁英国公众展开讨论。
巴特勒及其支持者说，该手术可能改变烧伤病人和面癌患者等人的失意生活。巴特勒认为，毁容后的痕迹目前15米开外就能看出，而面部移植后只有1米以内才看得出来。
一种新的移植术似乎支持巴特勒的计划。有了这种技术，用来防止身体排斥异体组织的强效药就能减量服用。如果真有这种可能，该技术就能用于面部移植，巴特勒说。
病人对此表示欢迎。
“没有毁过容的人会很难理解。为了容颜再生，你会不惜一切代价的。”患有一种罕见面癌达25年之久的病人克里斯廷·匹夫说。
然而，也有人强烈反对。有人说这是一种不正常的想法，与医生的职业道德格格不入。还有人怀疑巴特勒这一想法的医学根据，即便出现那种新的移植术。
英国一家医学伦理学杂志编辑理查德·尼科尔森说，“我认为提出这种希望很不合理。我怀疑病人不理解这一点，要让控制面部表情的神经、肌肉再动起来是非常困难的。”
另外，巴特勒要想说服英国公众接受这一计划，任务还很艰巨。在他本人所做的调查当中，大部分调查对象（其中许多是医生）说他们愿意接受新脸，但考虑捐脸者却寥寥无几。
尽管巴特勒已告诉妻子，如果他突然死亡就把他的脸捐出去，但他承认不知道如何鼓励人们捐脸。不过这位40岁的医生很乐观，认为公众舆论会改变。
“如果我不提起这场争论，我们就无法探索出一条解决问题的途径。”
1． address n． 讲话，致辞
2． Space Shuttle Columbia 哥伦比亚号航天飞机
3． tragedy n． 悲剧
4． Mission Control in Houston 休斯敦地面控制中心
5． lose contact with 与……失去联系
6． debris n． 残骸
7． survivor n． 幸存者
8． on board 在（飞机、火车、船）上
9． Colonel 上校。同下文Lt．Colonel
10． Commander n． 指挥官
11． Isareli （国）以色列
12． assume v． 承担
13． humanity n． 人类
14． routine n． 常规，惯例
15． overlook v． 忽略，忽视
16． navigate v． 航行于
17． fierce adj． 猛烈的；残忍的
18． astronaut n． 宇航员
19． daring adj． 大胆的，勇敢的
20． idealism n． 理想主义
21． all the more 更加；越发
22． grief n． 悲痛，悲伤
23． grieve v． （使）悲痛，（使）伤心
24． gratitude n． 感激，感恩
25． cause n． 事业
26． inspiration n． 鼓舞，激励
27． destruction n． 毁灭
28． prophet n． 预言家 Isaiah n． 《圣经》人物，大预言家艾赛亚
29． starry adj． 布满星星的；明亮的 starry hosts 日月星辰
30． mighty adj． 强有力的
31． creator n． 造物主，上帝
32． mourn v． 哀悼
33． bless [bles] v． 保佑