何高伦

在纽约的一个网球俱乐部，有一个特别的项目组，项目组的学员也很特别，他们的特别之处在哪里呢？

难词探意

1. impaired /?m?pe?d/ adj. 受损的;有（身体或智力）缺陷的

2. bounce /ba?ns/ v. （使）弹起

3. swing /sw?/ n. 挥动;摆动

4. handicap /?h?ndik?p/ n. 生理缺陷

Court 16， a tennis club for kids and adults alike， teaches players the fundamentals of the game. Located in New Yorks Long Island City， Court 16s unique facilities make tennis accessible to young players.

Recently， I learned about another program there for players who are visually impaired. Its called the Sound of Tennis. The program gives visually?impaired individuals an opportunity to play a game that might otherwise be out of reach. I asked instructor Ken Guild and some of his players about the program. They explained that players rely on hearing the ball bounce and timing their swing appropriately to make contact with the ball. It may be difficult， but its not impossible. “There are a lot of people out there who might have some sort of a handicap， regardless of what it may be，” Coach Guild said. “And theyre not exposed to certain sports， especially a sport like tennis.”

This program gives would?be athletes and enthusiasts like Niurka Herrera Ramos a chance. “I had never heard of the Sound of Tennis，” she told me. “Its an excellent program. From the first time I got here， I really loved it. I felt very， very happy and very comfortable.”

The satisfaction of learning something new doesnt stop for players who choose tennis. As Guild said， “The skys the limit.” For visually?impaired players， the introduction to tennis means lots of new opportunities. The players said that the program shows others that people with different abilities are capable of doing anything. “It gives us the opportunity to teach others in the world that were capable of doing something and doing a lot with the possibility given to us. We feel like were in a house， like a big family，” one of the players said. The Sound of Tennis program has been a positive experience for both players and coaches. “From the moment we got here， you treated us with dignity and a lot of love，” Ramos told Coach Guild. “Thank you very much for your love and devotion to us.”

Reading Check

1. Who is the Sound of Tennis intended for？

A. Adults with health problems.

B. Players with vision problems.

C. Kids with hearing problems.

D. Players with communication problems.

2. Whats the attitude of Niurka Herrera Ramos to the program？

A. Skeptical. B. Conservative.

C. Objective. D. Satisfied.

3. What can be inferred about Coach Guild？

A. He stresses the importance of opportunities.

B. He was once a visually?impaired player.

C. He is popular with players.

D. He prefers big houses a lot.

4. In which column of a newspaper may you read this text？

A. Movie. B. Sport.

C. Economy. D. Food.

Language Study

熟词生义

They explained that players rely on hearing the ball bounce and timing their swing appropriately to make contact with the ball. 他们解释说，球员依靠听球弹跳，并适当地把握他们的击球时机，以便能及时接到球。

time v. 在某一时刻击球（或踢球）

e.g. He timed it so that he made the shot just before time ran out. 他算准了时间，恰好在结束前投篮。