go about;pick up;probe into;in particular;close in on;be worthy of;be aware of;now and then;be applied to;give one hint to
At 5,Zhang Haidi found she had a spinal tumor and,due to three operations to remove it,she was left paralysed (瘫痪) from her chest down.However,with a strong will,she has extended the meaning of her life in many possible ways,and achieved much more than one might think is possible.
Not being able to go to school,Zhang taught herself to read and write.At 15,Zhang moved to a small village with her parents in 1970.There was no hospital and the villagers had to walk more than 10 km to see a doctor.She decided to make a change.She read medical books and practiced acupuncture (针灸) on herself.Soon she acquired enough medical knowledge to help villagers with basic treatments.During her years there,she treated more than 10,000 people for free.
Zhang also taught herself several foreign languages,including English,Japanese,German and Esperanto.To learn a new English word,she had to repeat it as many as 200 times.To expand her vocabulary,she wrote words on desks,mirrors and even lamps so she could recite them anytime anywhere.She later translated several works of Western literature into Chinese.She also wrote a double-language book called Beautiful English to tell about her experience learning English.
She has encouraged so many young people and was awarded the title of "Excellent Member of the Communist Youth League of China" in 1983.In 2018,she was elected president of the China Disabled Persons' Federation.She has been using her position and influence to call for more rights for people with disabilities.Before and during the Beijing 2022 Paralympics,Zhang worked as executive president of the organizing committee to promote a barrier-free environment.For example,tactile (触觉的) systems for the blind,lowered service counters for wheelchair users and greater access to buildings."These practices can set a good example for China in the future," Zhang said.
Music is said to be a universal language.But for Chase Burton,a deaf filmmaker,music has always been a different experience.
"When I was a kid,I'd lie on the floor above our garage so that I could feel the vibrations (震动) from my brother's band rocking out below my body.That was one of the first times I began building a relationship with music," said Burton.
In 2016,his ability to experience music changed completely,thanks to the California-based technology company Not Impossible Labs.It designed a vibrating suit that enables deaf people to "feel" music through their skin.The suit can translate audio into a range of vibrating pulses (脉冲) that are felt at 24 contact points.Burton has been wearing the suit for four years."The sound drubs different parts of my body," said Burton."Maybe it will strike me in my ankles first.And then I'll start to feel the vibrations in my back and wrists."
The creators want to extend the musical experience beyond the deaf community.In 2018,they gave out 150 vibrating suits at a rock concert where half the audience members were deaf and half could hear.Since then,the creators have been working to improve the technology and want the suit to become a consumer product accessible to all,which will be used in live sports broadcasts,or video games.
As a writer and director,Burton has been working to make the movie world more inclusive.For his latest movie he hired all-deaf staff and actors.Burton hopes that the vibrating suits will be available to his film audiences in the future.He believes that the suits can improve emotions while people are watching a movie for normal people as well as the deaf."I see the tech as a real opportunity to help people understand that music or movies don't always need to be enjoyed through the ears," said Burton.
Inspired by the work of William Beebe,Dr.Sylvia Earle(1935) began her work as an oceanographer at the age of 3 when she(knock) off her feet by a wave.She was fascinated by the ocean and its creatures.Although she struggled(balance)her studies and family,Earle earned her PhD from Duke University,becoming well known in the marine science community.Early in her career,and while she was four(month) pregnant,Earle traveled 30.5m/100 ft below the surface in a submersible(潜水器).Her experience(live)in an underwater marine habitat earned her celebrity status in the scientific community.
With the experience,Earle developed an interest deep sea exploration,and in 1979 she broke record for deep diving at 381 m/1,250 ft below the surface in a special suit called the Jim Suit designed to withstand(抵挡)the(press).Earle decided to test the suit as part of her research on a book(publish) by National Geographic,and the diving techniques only scratched the surface of the ocean.Following this adventure,Earle started two companies produce deep sea exploration vehicles.The continued advancement in the technology of these vehicles has helped open up areas in the deep sea(previous) unexplored.
