Life with a disability in America
文章来源: 文章作者: 发布时间:2009-07-03 01:55 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

VOICE ONE:

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Faith Lapidus. Today we begin a series of reports about living with a disability in America.

VOICE ONE:

Our series will explore a number of subjects. These include laws that are meant to give people with disabilities the same chances that able-bodied people have to succeed.

We will talk about employment1 and about technologies designed to assist2 people living with disabilities.

VOICE TWO:

But first we look at special education programs for children with disabilities.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Years ago, children with mental or physical disabilities were usually kept at home or in a hospital. Mental hospitals especially were often dirty, horrible places. Early reforms demanded better care for the people who had to live in them.

By the second half of the twentieth century, however, these laws were not enough. There was a movement to demand not just better care but human rights for people with disabilities. All they wanted, people said, was fair treatment and an equal chance to succeed.

VOICE TWO:

These efforts continue. On December 13, the United Nations General Assembly3 approved a treaty4, the Convention5 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is the first treaty designed to protect the rights of the world's estimated6 650 million disabled.

It includes rights to education, health care, work and other protections. For example, it says people with disabilities have the right to free expression. It says they have a right to privacy7 and justice, to live independently and to take part in sports and daily social life.

The treaty calls on nations to pass laws and other measures to improve disability rights. It also urges them to end any legislation8 or customs that discriminate9 against persons with disabilities.

The treaty will be open for signing beginning March thirtieth. It will come into force after twenty countries have approved it.

VOICE ONE:

For a long time, many schools in the United States refused to admit children who were blind, deaf or mentally delayed. In nineteen seventy, only twenty percent of American children with disabilities attended public school.

It was 1975 before the nation had a law to require a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities.

The words "free and appropriate public education" have become very important in American education. Appropriate means that the education is designed to meet the needs of an individual student.

VOICE TWO:

The law is now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or I.D.E.A. New versions10 are approved by Congress12 every few years.

The newest version11 of the law requires schools to increase the number of students with disabilities who receive a diploma. This shows that a student has successfully completed high school. Schools must also increase the number of students with disabilities who take and pass the same examinations13 all other students take.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Today more than six million children in the United States receive special education services from public schools. These services are available from birth to age 21.

Schools also provide testing services to help parents decide if their children need special education.

Susan is a young woman who lives in the state of Maryland. She was not talking very much by the time she was two years old. Tests showed that her hearing was fine, but her ability to speak was delayed. So she attended a special private school when she was three and four years old. Her family did not have to pay for it.

At the school, Susan learned14 to communicate with her hands, using sign language the way deaf people do. But remember, she could hear just fine. Little by little, she learned to use her voice and not her hands to communicate.

VOICE TWO:

When Susan was five years old, she started going to the same public school as her brother and the other children in her community. Susan spent part of each day with a teacher who was trained to work with children with delayed speech. And she spent another part of the day with children who were developing normally15.

Educators call this "inclusion" -- having disabled and non-disabled children study and play together.

Many educators and parents believe inclusion is important. At Susan's school, music teacher Teri Burdette directed a group of hearing children and deaf children. All the children sang with their voices and with their hands.

(MUSIC)

TERI BURDETTE: "When I am hearing this body of sound that is quite normal hearing sound, and then I'll recognize this high floating voice either above all the rest or below all the rest, and I recognize that voice to be some of our deaf voices and that gives me goose bumps16."

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Susan, the young woman in Maryland, had more tests as she got older. These tests found that some of her mental abilities were also delayed. She could not think very clearly.

Sometimes she was taught only with students who had delays like hers. Other times, she was with groups of children of different ability levels. In these groups, the teachers sometimes asked Susan to do work that was different from what other students had to do.

For example, while some children wrote a paper about a book they had read, Susan would complete an art project. This way she could show that she, too, understood some parts of the book.

Susan received special education services from the time she was two years old until she was 19.

Now she goes to a small college in her community. All of the students in her classes share something in common -- they all have disabilities like hers. They are learning17 simple mathematics. They are also learning better reading skills, and how to find a job.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Schoolchildren who need special services have what is called an individual education plan, or I.E.P. It describes what the child needs to learn during the school year.

For example, with children who have severe disabilities, the goal could be to help them learn to feed themselves or hold a pencil. For other children, the plan could require that the student receive extra help in reading or math.

Creating an individual education plan for each child who needs one takes time and effort. Parents and educators do not always agree about the services that a child needs. Parents can go to school officials to try to settle a disagreement. They also have a right to go to court. Some special education cases have gone all the way to the United States Supreme18 Court.

VOICE ONE:

It costs a lot for schools to provide special education services. The teachers usually work with a much smaller number of students than teachers normally do. Schools must also provide services like transportation for students in wheelchairs.

American public schools currently19 spend an average of almost 8,000 dollars a year to educate one student. But the cost for a special education student can be thousands of dollars more -- especially if it includes placement in a private school.

VOICE TWO:

Over the years, the federal20 government has promised to pay 40 percent of the costs of special education. But the National Education Association21, a teachers union, says that by 2004, the government was paying less than twenty percent.

As a result, state governments and local schools must find billions of dollars to pay for the services that the federal government requires. This can create disagreements in communities. Schools may find they have to cut regular education services so they can have enough money to pay for special education.

VOICE ONE:

But these programs have enabled22 many more young people with disabilities to attend college, find jobs and live life more independently.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Jobs will be the subject next month in the second part of our series on living with a disability in America.

VOICE ONE:

Our program was written by Karen Leggett and produced by Caty Weaver23. I'm Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Faith Lapidus. Transcripts24 and MP3 files of our programs are at www.unsv.com. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.



点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 employment HpGxe     
n.雇用;使用;工作,职业
参考例句:
  • A large office requires the employment of many people.一个大办事处需要雇用好多人员。
  • The state of employment in this city is improving.这个城市就业状况正在改善。
2 assist mOxyr     
vt.协助,帮助,促进;vi.帮忙,参加
参考例句:
  • He asked us to assist him in carrying through their plan.他要我们帮助他实施他们的计划。
  • We'll assist at your wedding.我们将出席你们的婚礼。
3 assembly MORyw     
n.集会(不可数);会议(可数),装配(不可数)
参考例句:
  • He took his seat in an unobserved corner of the assembly room.他在会议室一个不为人注意的犄角坐下来。
  • It was very quiet in the assembly hall.会场里静悄悄的。
4 treaty nmlwj     
n.条约;协议,协定
参考例句:
  • Hungary has indicated its readiness to sign the treaty.匈牙利已表示愿意签订该条约。
  • I believe this treaty will pave the way to peace in Europe. 我相信这个条约将为欧洲的和平铺平道路。
5 convention KYFza     
n.惯例,习俗,常规,会议,大会
参考例句:
  • How many delegates have checked in at the convention?大会已有多少代表报到?
  • He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
6 estimated CtGzc2     
adj.根据估计的
参考例句:
  • She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
  • The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。
7 privacy 5Q3xC     
n.私人权利,个人自由,隐私权
参考例句:
  • In such matters,privacy is impossible.在这类事情中,保密是不可能的。
  • She wept in the privacy of her own room.她在自己房内暗暗落泪。
8 legislation q9uzG     
n.立法,法律的制定;法规,法律
参考例句:
  • They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
  • The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。
9 discriminate NuhxX     
v.区别,辨别,区分;有区别地对待
参考例句:
  • You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
  • They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。
10 versions b17be6650251f2e6c7d4e90209beb4e0     
n.译本( version的名词复数 );版本;(个人对事件的)描述;(原物的)变体
参考例句:
  • There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本,一长一短。
  • When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后,找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 version FiJwT     
n.版本;型号;叙述,说法
参考例句:
  • His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
  • What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样?
12 Congress eY1y1     
n.(代表)大会;(C-:美国等国的)国会,议会
参考例句:
  • There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
  • After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后,他打算告老还乡。
13 examinations 6dacd1de2d1e667cb06ff23b41a318c6     
n.检查( examination的名词复数 );考试;考查;试题
参考例句:
  • He had been forced to incriminate himself in cross-examinations. 他在盘问中被迫受到牵连。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Examinations are hanging over her head—that's why she can't sleep at nights. 她大脑里想的都是考试,所以晚上无法入睡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 learned m1oxn     
adj.有学问的,博学的;learn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
  • In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里,他被视为有学问的人。
15 normally ln8zVb     
adv.正常地,通常地
参考例句:
  • I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
  • My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。
16 bumps 5e09a3f1f431029a81ad5bc8ff575818     
碰撞( bump的名词复数 ); 肿块; 轻微撞车事故; 隆起物
参考例句:
  • I had goose bumps when we watched the fireworks. 我们看烟火的时候,我起鸡皮疙瘩。
  • E was kind of zig-zagging across the pavement, and I bumps into 'im accidental-like. 他有点歪歪斜斜地在人行道上走,我一不小心撞到了他的怀里。 来自英汉文学
17 learning wpSzFe     
n.学问,学识,学习;动词learn的现在分词
参考例句:
  • When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时,常会从车上掉下来。
  • Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。
18 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
19 currently SvMzI2     
adv.通常地,普遍地,当前
参考例句:
  • Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
  • Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。
20 federal RkSxm     
adj.联盟的;联邦的;(美国)联邦政府的
参考例句:
  • Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
  • The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。
21 association 6O1yp     
n.联盟,协会,社团;交往,联合;联想
参考例句:
  • Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
  • I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。
22 enabled a10311459433adf322f2590a4987c423     
adj.激活的v.使能够,提供做…的权利[措施]( enable的过去式和过去分词 );使可能
参考例句:
  • His photographic memory enabled him to tuck away yards of facts. 他过目不忘的记忆力使他能记下大量事实。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Long practice enabled that American to speak fluent Chinese. 长期的练习使得那个美国人能讲一口流利的汉语。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 weaver LgWwd     
n.织布工;编织者
参考例句:
  • She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快,而且布的质量很好。
  • The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。
24 transcripts 525c0b10bb61e5ddfdd47d7faa92db26     
n.抄本( transcript的名词复数 );转写本;文字本;副本
参考例句:
  • Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样,都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
  • You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书,你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句
TAG标签:
发表评论
请自觉遵守互联网相关的政策法规,严禁发布色情、暴力、反动的言论。
评价:
表情:
验证码:点击我更换图片