تمرین مکالمه

A Man with Love and Music, But Little Else

When musician Clive Wearing was struck down by a brain infection in 1985, it stole his memories.

When was musician Clive Wearing struck down by a brain infection?

Musician Clive Wearing was struck down by a brain infection in 1985. What did the infection do to his memories? The infection stole his memories.

It also prevented him from making new ones.

Did it also prevent him from making new memories? Yes, it also prevented him from making new memories.

Fresh events and experiences are lost in the blink of an eye.

Are fresh events and experiences lost in the closing of an eye? No, fresh events and experiences aren’t lost in the closing of an eye. Fresh events and experiences are lost in the blink of an eye.

Herpes encephalitis had infected his brain and destroyed his memory.

What had infected his brain? Herpes encephalitis had infected his brain.

What did it do to his memory? It destroyed his memory.

He sees and hears everything in a crystal clear fashion.

Does he see and hear everything in a cloudy fashion? No, he doesn’t see and hear everything in a cloudy fashion. He sees and hears everything in a crystal clear fashion.

Yet holding onto the precious moments is like catching smoke in a bottle impossible.

What is holding onto the precious moments like? Holding onto the precious moments is like catching smoke in a bottle. Is holding onto the precious moments possible or impossible? Holding onto the precious moments is impossible.

It is the most devastating case of amnesia ever recorded.

Is it the most exciting case of amnesia ever recorded? No, it isn’t the most exciting case of amnesia ever recorded. It’s the most devastating case of amnesia ever recorded.

His memories last for a mere 7 to 30 seconds before disappearing.

How long do his memories last before disappearing? His memories last for a mere 7 to 30 seconds before disappearing.

He perpetually feels as though he is awakening from a coma and asks over and over why he hasn’t seen a doctor yet.

What does he perpetually feel he is awakening from? He perpetually feels like he is awakening from a coma. What does he ask over and over? He asks over and over why he hasn’t seen a doctor yet.

He repeatedly crosses out previous entries in his diary because he has no memory of writing them.

What does he repeatedly cross out in his diary? He repeatedly crosses out previous entries in his diary. Does he have a memory of writing them? No, he doesn’t have a memory of writing them.

His wife Deborah describes his condition as a “never-ending agony.” How does his wife Deborah describe his condition? His wife Deborah describes his condition as “never-ending agony”.

“It was as if every waking moment was the first. Clive was under the constant impression that he had just emerged from unconsciousness.” Was it as if every waking moment was the first? Yes, it was as if every waking moment was the first. Was Clive under the constant impression that he had just emerged from unconsciousness? Yes, Clive was under the constant impression that he had just emerged from unconsciousness.

“He had no evidence in his own mind of ever being awake before.”

Did he have evidence in his own mind of ever being awake before? No, he had no evidence in his own mind of ever being awake before.

In 1993 Clive was moved to a small country house for the brain-injured.

Where was Clive moved to in 1993? Clive was moved to a small country house for the brain-injured in 1993.

Over the next 15 years his memory would remain broken but he became more sociable and communicative.

Over the next 15 years would his memory remain broken? Yes, over the next 15 years his memory would remain broken. Did he become more sociable and communicative? Yes, he became more sociable and communicative.

Clive remains a stranger to himself, but he is able to find comfort in two anchors, his wife and his music.

Does Clive remain a stranger to himself? Yes, Clive remains a stranger to himself. What is he able to find comfort in? He is able to find comfort in his wife and his music.

On some fundamental level he continues to recognize Deborah. His love for her has survived the illness.

Does he continue to recognize Deborah? Yes, he continues to recognize Deborah. What has survived the illness? His love for her has survived the illness.

Deborah explained, “Clive was terrified all the time. But I was his life, I was his lifeline.”

How did Clive feel all the time? Clive felt terrified all the time. Was Deborah his life and lifeline? Yes, Deborah was his life and lifeline.

“Every time he saw me, he would run to me, fall on me, sobbing, clinging.” What would he do every time he saw her? Every time he saw her, he would run to her, and fall on her sobbing and clinging.

The amnesia could not snuff out his emotional memory or his love for music.

Could the amnesia snuff out his emotional memory or love for music? No, the amnesia could not snuff out his emotional memory or love for music.

Clive can still play complex musical pieces on the piano, sing and conduct a choir.

What can Clive still play on the piano? Clive can still play complex musical pieces on the piano. Can he still sing and conduct a choir? Yes, he can still sing and conduct a choir.

Like driving a car, playing music uses a type of memory called procedural memory that was not affected by his amnesia.

What type of memory does playing music use? Playing music uses a type of memory called procedural memory. Is procedural memory affected by amnesia? No, procedural memory is not affected by amnesia.

Clive needs no conscious knowledge of what comes next or what has gone before to play music.

Does Clive need conscious knowledge of what comes next to play music?

No, Clive doesn’t need conscious knowledge of what comes next to play music. Does he need knowledge of what has gone before? No, he doesn’t need knowledge of what has gone before.

The momentum of the music allows Clive to follow the melody instinctively without conscious thought.

What allows Clive to follow the melody? The momentum of the music allows Clive to follow the melody. Can Clive follow the melody instinctively without conscious thought? Yes, Clive can follow the melody instinctively without conscious thought.

And through the momentum of the melody, his present moment is filled with joy.

Is his present moment filled with sadness? No, his present moment isn’t filled with sadness. His present moment is filled with joy. Is it filled with joy through the momentum of the melody? Yes, it is filled with joy through the momentum of the melody.

By losing himself in the music and through the eternal love for his wife, Clive becomes whole again.

Does Clive become whole again by losing himself in the music? Yes, Clive becomes whole again by losing himself in the music. Is his love for his wife eternal? Yes, his love for his wife is eternal.