VOA常速英语2015--Uber应用给聋人提供收入机会（在线收听）

Uber应用给聋人提供收入机会

NAIROBI, KENYA— The taxi-like online company Uber has begun a first-of-its-kind African pilot project where deaf drivers in Nairobi use its app.

Driver Benard Mulama intently goes through his phone. For the past week he’s been getting familiar with the Uber App.

司机贝纳德·穆拉马认真地浏览着手机，过去一周他已经很熟悉优步(Uber)应用了。

Mulama, who is deaf, is in a pilot project encouraging the hearing impaired to use the smartphone app that connects riders to drivers.

聋人穆拉马参加了一个试点项目，该项目鼓励听力受损人士使用连接打车人和司机的智能手机应用。

It's a collaboration between Uber and the Kenya National Association of the Deaf (KNAD).

这是优步和肯尼亚全国聋人协会进行的合作项目。

Connecting drivers, riders

In the field, the Uber app works seamlessly with a flash prompt appearing on the smartphone alerting the driver of a potential client.

优步应用在这方面非常流畅，在智能手机上出现闪光提示来告诉司机潜在客户的出现。

For Mulama, the application means that more deaf drivers will overcome hurdles and venture into a business that was once the preserve of only the hearing.

对穆拉马来说，该应用意味着更多聋人司机能克服障碍，进入这个一度只为听力正常人士所保留的行业。

The chairman of KNAD said the Uber app helps to level the playing field somewhat.

肯尼亚全国聋人协会主席称优步应用在一定程度上帮助促进了公平竞争。

The Uber app is relatively easy to use. The rider keys in their pickup location and the driver accepts the request once the phone flashes. Once the rider is picked up the Uber App automatically charges the fare —75 cents per kilometer.

优步应用的使用相对较简单，打车者键入上车地点，司机在手机出现闪光提示后接受请求。一旦打车者上车，优步应用就会自动开始计费，每公里75美分。

Uber's manager in Kenya says the new revenue stream is a motivational factor.

优步公司驻肯尼亚经理称新的收入来源是个激励因素。

“We both see the power of technology to offer greater income opportunities to deaf and hard of hearing people who typically don’t have access to that many income opportunities, especially in cities like Nairobi," said Alastair Curtis, Uber general manager.

“我们看到技术的力量，能给无法获得更多收入来源的聋人和听力障碍者提供更多的收入机会，尤其是在像内罗毕这样的城市。”

According to the Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association, there are more than 600,000 hearing-impaired people in Kenya.

肯尼亚手语翻译者协会称肯尼亚有60多万听力受损人士。