Randy Pausch是美国卡内基梅隆大学的计算机科学、人机交互及设计教授。2006年9月,他被诊断患有胰腺癌。2007年9月18日,他在卡内基梅隆大学做了一场风靡全美的“最后的演讲”,根据这次演讲,他出版的“The Last Lecture”一书则成为亚马逊网站上最为畅销的书籍之一。Randy教授所传达的讯息之所以如此震撼人心,是因为他以诚恳、幽默的态度去分享他独特的经验。他谈的不是死亡,而是人生中的重要议题,包括克服障碍、实现儿时梦想、帮助别人实现梦想、把握每一个时刻……

Hints:
tweed
childhood-dream garb
Walt Disney Imagineers
sabbatical
Randy
I wasn't in a suit. I wore no tie. I wasn't going to get up there in some professorial tweed jacket with leather elbow patches. Instead, I had chosen to give my lecture wearing the most appropriate childhood-dream garb I could find in my closet. Granted, at first glance I looked like the guy who'd take your order at a fast-food drive-through. But actually, the logo on my short-sleeved polo shirt was an emblem of honor because it's the one worn by Walt Disney Imagineers – the artists, writers and engineers who create theme-park fantasies. In 1995, I spent a six-month sabbatical as an Imagineer. It was a highlight of my life, the fulfillment of a childhood dream. That's why I was also wearing the oval "Randy" name badge given to me when I worked at Disney. I was paying tribute to that life experience and to Walt Disney himself, who famously had said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." I thanked the audience for coming, cracked a few jokes, and then I said: "In case there's anybody who wandered in doesn't know the back story, my dad always taught me that when there's an elephant in the room, introduce it. If you look at my CT scans, there are approximately ten tumors in my liver, and the doctors told me I have three to six months of good health left. That was a month ago, so you can do the math."