11月29日
Monkey Lends a Helping Hand
Paralyzed Florida woman gets assistance from a six-pound monkey
When Linda Brown wants to hear music, watch TV or adjust her bedroom lights, she calls on Tracey. Tracey can slip a CD into the player, flip a light switch or hand Brown the television remote with deft fingers.
"It doesn't sound like a lot, but that's my world, and it makes it more bearable," said Brown, 51, a quadriplegic. "She [provides] friendship, she's a companion, and she senses a lot."
Tracey is also a highly trained capuchin monkey whose job is assisting Brown with simple tasks. Owned by Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, Tracey is the Boston agency's only active-service monkey in Florida and one of 108 placed nationwide since 1979. The little monkey began changing Brown's life two years ago.
A reason to live
"When I started with her, I was already in the wheelchair and I was so depressed," said Brown, of Tamarac, Florida who suffers from syringomyelia, a degenerative spinal cord condition that causes paralysis and chronic pain. "I was really not adjusting to life in a wheelchair."
Enter Tracey, a six-pound capuchin whose mischievous nature gave Brown a reason to want to live. The monkey also gave Brown's husband and caretaker, Craig, a much-needed break.
"What's unique about Tracey is that she can help me with simple objects. It's that little bit of freedom. I don't have to yell, 'Craig, come help me!'" said Brown, who has only minimal arm movement.
About five years ago, Brown's doctor suggested she look into monkey helpers, so her husband went online and found the Helping Hands Web site. Three years later, the Helping Hands agency matched Brown with Tracey, and soon Brown found herself doing something she hadn't done in years: laughing.
Specialized Terms
Quadriplegic (n) 四肢瘫痪的人 a person who is permanently unable to move either of their arms or legs, often because their spine has been injured
Capuchin (n) 僧帽卷尾猴 a monkey of Central America and South America having thick hair like a hood on its head
Vocabulary Focus
Deft (adj) skillful in physical movements, especially of the hands
Syringomyelia (n) 脊髓空洞症
Mischievous (adj) 淘气的
Degenerative (adj) describing an illness in which the body or a system of the body gradually stops working
Caretaker (n) someone who looks after a person who is old or ill
Discussion Question
Monkey helpers, that’s a creative idea. Could you figure out other animals or insects to be helpers of human beings?
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘Owned by Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, Tracey is the Boston agency's only active-service monkey in Florida and one of 108 placed nationwide since 1979.’
2. According to the recording, what does plegic mean?
说明：
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