英语听力精选进阶版 13818

New app for children who can't speak

Summary

5 July 2012

New technology promises to give thousands of children who cannot speak a voice. An app called Proloquo2Go allows 6-year-old Ruby¹ Dunn to tap on symbols on a tablet computer - and then have a sentence read out in a child's voice. The software, which features the voices of two British children, is among a number of innovations now helping² children with special needs.

Reporter:

Rory Cellan-Jones

Report

Voice of tablet computer:

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary."

Six-year-old Ruby Dunn has autism and can't speak. But now a software application on an mp3 player and on a tablet computer is giving her a voice.

Voice of tablet computer:

"What grows in the garden?" 

"The flowers. The flowers grow in the garden."

Pauline Hoygreen works with her to make sure she is integrated in to school life. In one-on-one sessions they communicate through the app:

Pauline Hoygreen, teacher:

"It's giving her her own voice and it's giving her a child's voice for her to be able to communicate to a teacher, her one-to-ones, the children in the class and the children around the rest of the school."

Ruby was born 14 weeks premature³ and very tiny, so life has been a bit of a struggle.

Voice of tablet computer:

"Can I have lasagne, broccoli⁴, carrots?"

At lunchtime the app allows her to order her meal.

Voice of tablet computer:

"I want the wheels on the bus please."

And in the classroom, Ruby uses it and other technology to play a full part in lessons.

It's worth saying there are now plenty of apps, some of them free, available on all sorts of devices which are designed to help children with disabilities. The one we've been looking at is pretty expensive – it costs around ￡130 – but Ruby's family say it's made a huge difference to her life.

Ruby's father:

"There's a lot of frustration⁵ involved with autism and quite often Ruby's trying to pull you to show you something, you're not quite sure what it is she's looking at or what she's looking for or what she's asking for. But now she's got this tool, this brilliant tool, that's able to give her this voice, it's taken a lot of frustration out. We find it's calmed her down a lot."

With school over it's time to head home with the technology which has given Ruby and thousands like her a better connection to their world.

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

4 broccoli   

n.绿菜花，花椰菜

参考例句：

• She grew all the broccoli plants from seed.这些花椰菜都是她用种子培育出来的。
• They think broccoli is only green and cauliflower is only white.他们认为西兰花只有绿色的，而菜花都是白色的。

5 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。