VOA慢速英语--印度七岁男孩改变了人们对残疾的看法

Seven-year-old Changes People’s Ideas About Disabilities

Sirio Persichetti cannot speak and cannot feed himself. But the seven-year-old Italian boy has become famous on social media.

Sirio has spastic tetraplegia, a disease¹ that affects movement in three of a person's four legs and arms.

His mouth is permanently² open, which prevents him from forming words correctly or swallowing. He is fed liquid nutrition through a tube in his stomach. And he has had a tracheotomy to help him breathe.

But he deals with his condition with such a love for life that his mother, Valentina, decided³ to create a website for him. She also made accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share his everyday life in hopes of inspiring others.

She shares heart-warming videos of him under the title Sirio and the Tetrabonds. The videos have touched the hearts of people all over the world. Tetra comes from the first half of the word tetraplegia and bond⁴ from vagabond.

"We wanted to tell the story of disability in a different way, to tell it for what it is," Valentina said.

The public's reaction to young Sirio has been huge. Some of his videos have been watched more than 130,000 times.

"In a short time, the response, especially from families living in similar situations, was powerful and exciting so we decided to keep going," his mother said.

Breaking the stigma⁵

Valentina publishes videos of Sirio doing things like going to school, while carrying a bag almost as big as he is. In another video, he is driving a play electric car. In another, he is waking up his older brother, Nilo.

Sirio's followers⁶ respond with a countless⁷ number of "likes" and messages of support.

Valentina said she wanted to end the stigma – or unfair beliefs – that often surrounds disability. She wanted to show that children with special needs can still have fun and lead a happy life.

"We understood that it is...necessary to talk about disability without (seeking) pity, different from the usual way disability is narrated," she said.

Valentina writes the descriptions that go with each of Sirio's videos. She does so by imagining the world as seen through his eyes.

"Here I am arriving at the playground, fearless and proud while mamma watches me like a hawk⁹. It's not easy trying to live a normal life when you have disabilities but I try anyway," reads one video description.

Valentina works¹⁰ in a call center for the postal¹¹ service. Her husband, Paolo, is a researcher. The family has two caregivers who work on different days to help them with Sirio.

Valentina said she never expected her son to become famous on social media.

"But we realized that is useful," she added, "that it helps and is a necessary step to make the life of many people much more normal."

Words in This Story

tracheotomy – n. a medical procedure¹² that involves making an opening in the neck to place a tube into a person's windpipe

vagabond – n. a person who travels from place to place and does not have a home or much money

response – n. something that is done as a reaction to something else

exciting – adj. causing feelings of interest and enthusiasm¹³

bag – n. a container made of thin material (such as paper, plastic, or cloth) that opens at the top and is used for holding or carrying things

pity – n. a strong feeling of sadness or sympathy for someone or something

narrate⁸ – v. to tell a story about something

proud – adj. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related¹⁴ to, etc.

watch (someone) like a hawk – expression. to observe someone very closely

1 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

2 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 bond   

n.结合，债券，契约，粘合剂，保证人，键，关栈保留；vt.存入关栈，粘着；vi.结合

参考例句：

• This glue makes a good firm bond.这种胶水粘得很结实。
• His word is his bond.他是讲信用的。

5 stigma   

n.耻辱，污名；(花的)柱头

参考例句：

• Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
• The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。

6 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

7 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

8 narrate   

v.讲，叙述

参考例句：

• They each narrate their own tale but are all inextricably linked together.她们各自讲述自己的故事，却又不可避免地联系在一起。
• He once holds the tear to narrate a such story to mine.他曾经含着泪给我讲述了这样的一个故事。

9 hawk   

n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员

参考例句：

• The hawk swooped down on the rabbit and killed it.鹰猛地朝兔子扑下来,并把它杀死。
• The hawk snatched the chicken and flew away.老鹰叼了小鸡就飞走了。

10 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

11 postal   

adj.邮政的，邮局的

参考例句：

• A postal network now covers the whole country.邮路遍及全国。
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

12 procedure   

n.程序，手续，步骤；常规的做法

参考例句：

• The results show clearly that this procedure is correct.事实充分说明这种做法是正确的。
• It has passed through an interesting procedure of evolution.它经过了一个有趣的进化过程。

13 enthusiasm   

n.热情，激情；巨大兴趣；热衷的事物

参考例句：

• We set about our task at once with great enthusiasm.我们立刻兴致勃勃地干起来。
• A team which is full of enthusiasm is more likely to win.情绪高涨的球队更可能获胜。

14 related   

adj.有关系的，有关联的，叙述的，讲述的

参考例句：

• I am not related to him in any way.我和他无任何关系。
• We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。