Progress Made But More Needs to Be Done, Say Handicapped Rights Advocates
A
December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Here in the Czech Republic,
things have changed a lot since the communist era, when an independent
lifestyle was virtually impossible for the handicapped. However, advocates say
there is still a lot of work to be done.
B Zdeněk
Škaroupka is the director of Liga vozíčkářů, the Czech association of
wheelchair users. It was established in 1990, soon after the fall of communism,
to address the problems of people with disabilities. Mr. Škaroupka describes
what conditions handicapped people were living under the previous system. “The
situation was that most disabled people lived in institutions. Children and
teenagers were living in social services housing for disabled youths. The
situation was intolerable to me, because the children had very few
opportunities to freely move on their own, for example to go into town; they
were sort of locked up in their accommodation, and their life was, well, the
way life was in those institutions at the time.”
C One
huge difference between then and now is definitely the accessibility of public
spaces. Eva Kučerová, a Prague
resident who relies on a wheelchair to get around, says the situation has
gotten a lot better in the past 20 years. “As far as my personal experience
goes, the changes have been radical. When I was young, for example, right after
my accident, when I was studying, there were no ramps for wheelchairs in the
city’s public transportation system. So as a disabled person, you were always
depending on your family and your own resources.”
D Advocates
say despite some advances, much more needs to be done to help the country’s
handicapped. Zdeněk Škaroupka says: “None of the areas that are problematic for
disabled people have been addressed in a systematic, clear and definite way.
Take wheelchair ramps for example: we have a construction law that states what a wheelchair accessible place
should look like. But the problem is that there are no effective sanctions or
fines in case the construction firm doesn’t adhere to the law.”
E Mr.
Škaroupka added that even though the International Day for Persons with
Disabilities does offer a great opportunity to organize events and conferences,
not enough is done in the Czech Republic
to celebrate it. “It would be good if we could take advantage of the day to
spread the news that there are problems that disabled people have to face and
that plenty of people that surround us have to deal with those problems. For
instance, they could not take a parking spot that is designated to be used by disabled people only.”
construction law – stavební zákon
designated – určený
to adhere – držet se
1) Read the article and match each of the headings to a paragraph.
1
The situation of people with disabilities in the past
2
Difference between then and now
3
Škaroupka thinks we should do more for the handicapped
4 A lot has to be done to help the
handicapped
5
Things have changed a lot in the Czech
Republic
2) Read the article and answer the questions.
1
What is the article about?
2
Who is Zdeněk Škaroupka? What are his opinions?
3
Who is Eva Kučerová? What are her opinions?
4
What does Zdeněk Škaroupka say about wheelchair ramps?
5
How could the International Day for Persons with Disabilities help?
3) Explain the following words.
1
independent lifestyle
2
housing for disabled youths
3
intolerable
4
accessibility of public spaces
5
wheelchair ramp
4) Answer the following questions.
What
was life of the handicapped like in the past? Has their situation improved?
What are typical problems of handicapped people? What are problems of the
blind, deaf, physically disabled?
1) B, C, D,E,A
ReplyDelete2)
a) The article is about the situation with the disabled. It's about the differences between then and now.
b) Zdeněk Škaroupka is the director of the Czech Wheelchair Association League. He says, "It would be good if we could use this day to spread the word that there are problems that people with disabilities have to face and that many people around us have to deal with these problems."
c) Eva Kučerová is confined to a wheelchair. She says, For example, when I was young, right after my accident, when I was studying, there were no wheelchair ramps in the public transport system. So, as a disabled person, you have always depended on your family and your own resources. "
d) The problem is that there are no effective sanctions or fines if a construction company fails to comply.
e) Use it to spread news on the issue.
3)
independent lifestyle - A lifestyle where you can do everything yourself.
housing for disabled youths - Facilities where young disabled people were locked up in the past.
intolerable - A property that causes bad feelings.
accessibility of public spaces - A place that is accessible to all people and those in wheelchairs.
wheelchair ramp - A device that a person can climb up the stairs in an wheelchair.
1. Headings
ReplyDelete1-B, 2-C, 3-E, 4-D, 5-A
2.questions
1. Article is about International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It's December 3rd.
The article is about how it was in the past and what it is like now with the disabled in the Czech Republic
2.Zdeněk Škaroupka is the director of the Czech Wheelchair Association League. It was founded in 1990.
his opinion is: "It would be good if we could use this day to spread the word that there are problems that people with disabilities have to face and that many people around us have to deal with these problems.
3. Eva Kučerová, a Prague woman who relies on a wheelchair to travel, says that the situation has improved much over the last 20 years. "As for my personal experience, the changes have been radical." For example, when I was young, right after my accident, when I was studying, there were no wheelchair ramps in public transport. So, as a disabled person, you have always depended on your family and your own resources. "
4. Zdeněk Škaroupka says about wheelchair ramps that:
we have a building code that sets out what a place for barrier-free access should look like. The problem, however, is that there are no effective sanctions or fines for a construction company failing to comply with the law. "
5. International Day for People with Disabilities could help: to spread the message that there are problems that people with disabilities have to face and that many people around us have to deal with these problems.
4. questions II
1. life of the disabled in the past: most people with disabilities have lived in institutions. "Children and young people have lived in social services homes for young people with disabilities. Few opportunities to move freely on their own,
2. yes. The huge difference between then and now is definitely the availability of public spaces.
3. Typical problems handicap people are: they cannot move alone, only with help. They have access everywhere in cities, in means of transport. They need renovated public spaces.
4. the blind need to be accompanied by another person or accompanied by an assistance dog, the dog does not have to let go everywhere.
deaf people need
the disabled need to facilitate with the help of ramps etc. access anywhere in public places.
3. Words
An independent lifestyle is a way of life that we live alone and do not need the help of others. We work alone in our lives
housing for young people with disabilities is a place where people with disabilities can live, where they are well taken care of
inconsolable is the feeling that something really can't be sustained and breathed. It's a really awful feeling for an individual
the availability of public spaces is when even people who cannot get on their own, but only with help can still get to public places as healthy people
Wheelchair ramps are tools that help people with disabilities to get with their wheelchairs where they would not normally get.
1)1.B,2.C,3.D, 4.E,5.A
ReplyDelete2) 1.The article is about how it was in the past and what it is like now with the disabled in the Czech Republic
2. Zdeněk Škaroupka is the director of Liga vozíčkářů, the Czech association of wheelchair users. It was established in 1990. He says None of the areas that are problematic for disabled people have been addressed in a systematic, clear and definite way.
3. Eva Kučerová, a Prague resident who relies on a wheelchair to get around, says the situation has gotten a lot better in the past 20 years.
4. Zdeněk Škaroupka says: “None of the areas that are problematic for disabled people have been addressed in a systematic, clear and definite way. Take wheelchair ramps for example: we have a construction law that states what a wheelchair accessible place should look like.
5. “It would be good if we could take advantage of the day to spread the news that there are problems that disabled people have to face and that plenty of people that surround us have to deal with those problems. For instance, they could not take a parking spot that is designated to be used by disabled people only.
3) 1 independent lifestyle is a way of life that we live alone and do not need the help of others. We work alone in our lives
2 housing for disabled youths is a place where people with disabilities can live
3 intolerable A property that causes bad feelings.
4 accessibility of public spaces it is a situation where even people in wheelchairs can visit public places barrier-free
5 wheelchair ramp A device that a people can climb up the stairs in an wheelchair.