Nowadays, learning Braille (盲文) is something of a dying art. With thousands of computer programs and

Nowadays, learning Braille (盲文) is something of a dying art. With thousands of computer programs and other media now available, fewer kids are learning to read Braille and most of them are learning to read by listening. In the United States, less than 10% of the 1.3 million people who are legally blind are Braille readers. However, learning Braille offers students much more than just a way to get information. Listening to information does not teach students how to spell or write well. These skills are better taught by actually reading. This is particularly true when we know that Braille users often are more independent, have a higher level of education and better employment opportunities. Learning to read and write Braille requires lots of practice, which can become dull. This is what the company Lego, which is making Braille Bricks to help blind students learn to read and write, is dealing with. We strongly believe the Bricks can help increase the level of interest in learning Braille.
Instead of the grid (网格) of raised dots normally found on top of Legos, Braille Bricks use the dot groups of the Braille alphabet. This allows the bricks to be “read”, but they still click together like normal Legos. Braille is often written with a special machine called a Brailler. If a student makes the wrong letter using the Brailler, it can’t really be fixed, since the letter is punched (打孔) into paper. Legos, on the other hand, are lots of fun to play with. If a student makes a mistake, fixing it is as easy as moving or changing a brick.
The company is trying the Bricks out with teachers and blind students in schools. Teachers report that students enjoy the Bricks and quickly invent games and fun ways to use them. On Lego’s new Braille Bricks, which are planned to hit commercial stores in the near future, Braille is also translated into numbers and letters allowing parents and educators to follow along.
12. What has made Braille used less in recent years?
A. The lack of its actual use.
B. The hard learning process.
C. The application of digital technology.
D. The decline in the number of the blind.
13. What does the author stress about Braille in Paragraph 1?
A. Its replacements. B. Its improvement.
C. Its shortcomings. D. Its importance.
14. What can we say about Lego’s Braille Bricks?
A. They are new reading systems.
B. They help the blind in a fun way.
C. They work like a special machine.
D. They come from the Braille alphabet.
15. What does the company expect of its Braille Bricks?
A. They’ll reach the consumers soon.
B. They’ll teach blind students new games.
C. They’ll lighten the burden on teachers.
D. They’ll be translated into other languages.
【答案】