Disability

B1 – Intermediate

Disability refers at physical, mental or other inability of a person that one is incapable of completing a task that would require typically normal efforts. Each type of disability needs different kind of support and assistance.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about disability.

https://listenaminute.com/d/disability.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘disability’? Explain.
  2. What does “human spirit” mean? Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “to excel” mean? Give 2 synonyms.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Some people prefer to use the term ‘physically challenged’ instead of ‘disabled’. What do you think about this?
  2. What problems do people with disabilities face in your country?
  3. Do you always try to help people who are disabled? In what way?
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2 replies on “Disability”

Vocabulary Questions:

1. What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘disability’? Explain.
With this word we identify people without certain abilities, that is, they lack the ability to see, to hear, or even to walk. Such a situation could have started from birth or suddenly in an accident.

2. What does “human spirit” mean? Use it in a sentence.
It means the will to fight or deal with difficult situations. In this case, people with any disability living everyday performing basic activities in another way, sometimes slowly or developing new abilities, like painting with the mouth or the feet.

3. What does “to excel” mean? Give 2 synonyms.
It means to be talented, skilful.

Discussion Questions:

1. Some people prefer to use the term ‘physically challenged’ instead of ‘disabled’. What do you think about this?
I think this is a hypocritical way to refer to something most people do not want to care about. They could argue that they use that term so as to not offend them, but if we, the whole society, accept them as they are, they would not have to deal with discrimination, excessive explanations due to misinformation, etc. They have an enough tough life. We should try not to make it harder.

2. What problems do people with disabilities face in your country?
Over the years the situation has improved and it is true that there are several social systems that help them in this or that way, economically or facilitating the access to some basic services. However, they have to deal with social discrimination in some job sectors or even it is difficult for them to find a job just because of their disability, even if the disability is not directly related with the scope of the job.

3. Do you always try to help people who are disabled? In what way?
Yes, I try to help them just acting normally with them. If they need something and I can help them I do it, but generally they are brave people that do not want to be dependent, instead, they want to be autonomous and life normally, even if their normality means performing some activities in a hard way. As anybody, they just want to be accepted and included.

You are doing a very good job practicing your writing so far! Keep at it!

Take a look at how you can write this sentence a bit better:

Over the years the situation has improved and it is true that there are several social systems that help them in this or that way, economically or facilitating the access to some basic services.

Over the years, the situation has improved and it is true that there are several social policies and programs that help them in this or that way, economically or assist them in facilitating the access to some basic services.

Until your next entry!

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