高考英语话题阅读素材：Unit76SupermanStarChristopherReeve.docVIP

Unit 76　　Superman Star Christopher Reeve　　Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who turned personal tragedy into a public campaign and from his wheelchair became the nations most recognizable spokesman for spinal cord research, died on Oct. 10, 2004, after suffering cardiac arrest and falling into a coma the previous day. In the last week Reeve had developed a serious systemic infection, a common problem for people living with paralysis who develop bedsores and depend on tubes for their care. Hes put up with a lot, said his mother, Im glad hes free of all those tubes.　　Reeve was born Sept. 25, 1952, in New York City. His athletic frame and love for adventure made him a natural choice for the international icon Superman in the 1987 film. He made Superman believable by playing him as a hero with brains and a heart. He insisted on performing his own stunts. He said, What makes Superman a hero is not his power, but that he has wisdom and maturity to use the power wisely. Later he co-starred with Jane Seymour in Somewhere in Time, which inspired a wide cult following among college students, though not popular at the time it was released. Seymour thought so highly of Reeve that she named one of her kids after him. Reeve went on to appear in a total of 17 feature films, a dozen TV-movies and 150 plays. His striking good looks and imposing physique were reminiscent of Hollywoods classic leading men like John Wayne who, after meeting Reeve at the 1979 Academy Awards, turned to Cary Grant and said, This is our new man. Hes taking over.　　On Memorial Day weekend, 1995, Reeve was competing when his horse, Eastern Express decided to put on brakes just before the third jump. The momentum carried him over the top of his horse. As his hands got entangled in the bridles, he couldnt get an arm free to break the fall. All his 6-feet-4-inches and 215 pounds landed headfirst. Within seconds, he was paralyzed from the neck down and fighting for air like a drowning person. Enduring months