CCTV9英语新闻12月：中国有75%的残疾人处于失业状态

By CCTV correspondent Grace Brown

December 3rd marks the United Nation's World Day for Persons with Disabilities. This year's theme is: "break barriers, open doors." But despite many reforms in China to boost their employment, opportunities for handicapped job-seekers in the world’s second-largest economy remain far from equal, with just over one in four disabled Chinese holding a job.

Grace Brown met one who took matters into his own hands, by starting a business of his own.

Cao Jun is a tech entrepreneur in Beijing, with more than 2,000 people working for him across China.

But success hasn’t come easy. He was born blind.

"Growing up, my greatest wish was to be like my friends. My teacher told me it would never be possible, because I can’t see. I transferred to a school for the blind. There was less pressure, but after graduating, I couldn’t find work anywhere, besides a blind massage¹ parlor². It was exhausting, but there was no choice.” Cao said.

Cao saved up to start a business of his own, making apps to help blind people text and walk... With the help of many blind employees.

At first, no one invested.

"When they saw I was blind, people walked out of interviews. They didn’t think working for a company managed by a blind person had a future.” Cao said.

But by cooperating with China’s biggest search engine, Baidu, business is now expanding.

"Please give a text to Yang Lin." "Ok, please say your message." "I won't be home for dinner tonight." "Confirming your message: Did you say, 'I won't be home for dinner tonight?' Send or delete?" "Send.""Your text has been send."

Reporter: “China’s new leaders are undertaking³ sweeping⁴ reforms, to rebalance the country’s economy and include more people in it. But when it comes to getting a job millions of China’s disabled citizens are still being left behind.”

Official data shows by the end of last year, just over 22 of the more than 82 million disabled Chinese had a job. And among those who did, most were in the countryside.

China has taken steps to close the gap, setting up a quota⁵ that demands employers reserve at least 1.5 percent of all jobs for disabled workers. But many prefer to pay the fine.

"Today, there are still many problems for disabled people getting jobs in China. Often, their skills, training or education are very different. Companies are also less willing to hire them, because they worry about many things. For one, they can’t be fired as easily, because the firm’s reputation may suffer." Ma Guangying, deputy-director of China Disabled Persons’ Federation⁶ in Haidian, said.

Despite this, Cao is optimistic.

"I hope that through new technology, more blind people can leave the hardships of living darkness behind. I hope we can bring them light, and new ways of finding work.” Cao said.

1 massage   

n.按摩，揉；vt.按摩，揉，美化，奉承，篡改数据

参考例句：

• He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
• Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。

2 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

3 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

6 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。