2021年英语四级听力美文第94篇:People with Disabilities思维导图

Peoplewithdisabilitiesacomprisealargepartofthepopulation.

Itisestimatedthatover35millionAmericanshavephysical,mental,orotherdisabilities.

Abouthalfofthesedisabilitiesare“developmental”,i.e.,theyoccurpriortotheindividual'stwenty-secondbirthday,oftenfromgeneticconditions,andaresevereenoughtoaffectthreeormoreareasofdevelopment,suchasmobility,communication,employment,etc.

Mostotherdisabilitiesareconsidered“adventitious”,i.e.,accidentalorcausedbyoutsideforces.

Priortothe20thcentury,onlyasmallpercentageofpeoplewithdisabilitiessurvivedforlong.

Medicaltreatmentforthesedisabilitieswasunavailable.

Advancementsinmedicineandsocialserviceshavecreatedaclimateinwhichpeoplewithdisabilitiescanexpecttohavesuchbasicneedsasfood,shelter,andmedicaltreatment.

Unfortunately,thesebasicsareoftennotavailable.

Civillibertiessuchastherighttovote,marry,getaneducation,andgainemploymenthavehistoricallybeendeniedonthebasisofdisability.

Inrecentdecades,thedisabilityrightsmovementhasbeenorganizedtofightagainsttheseinfringementsofcivilrights.

Congressrespondedbypassingmajorlegislationrecognizingpeoplewithdisabilitiesasaprotectedclassundercivilrightsstatutes.

Stilltoday,peoplewithdisabilitiesmustfighttolivetheirlivesindependently.

ItisestimatedthatmorethanhalfofqualifiedAmericanswithdisabilitiesareunemployed,andamajorityofthosewhodoworkareunderemployed.

Abouttwo-thirdsliveatorbelowtheofficialpovertylevel.

Significantbarriers,especiallyintransportationandpublicawareness,preventdisabledpeoplefromtakingpartinsociety.

Forexample,whilenolongerprohibitedbylawfrommarrying,apersonwithnoaccesstotransportationiseffectivelyexcludedfromcommunityandsocialactivitieswhichmightleadtothedevelopmentoflong-termrelationships.