“Disability is no barrier to creativity.” A heartwarming listening comprehension exercise.

Listen to the article and then choose the right answer.

1)      The three-year old autistic girl
a)      makes extraordinary paintings while swimming.
b)      sells her paintings for £800-830 per piece.
c)      turned out to have a talent for painting through art therapy.

2)      Iris Grace’s art therapy
a)      has made her a happier child.
b)      has helped her in learning to speak.
c)      has not changed her relationship with her parents.

3)      Iris Grace’s parents
a)      knew their daughter had autism since she was born.
b)      taught their daughter sign language.
c)      realized something was wrong because their daughter didn’t make eye contact.

4)      Before therapy and painting
a)      Iris Grace did not like to be around people.
b)      Iris Grace only communicated with signs.
c)      Iris Grace was always very happy when she saw paints.

5)     
a) Iris Grace plays and laughs with other children since her art therapy and painting.
b) Iris Grace’s paintings show that she understands colors and has natural talent.
c) Iris Grace’s parents have organized eight exhibitions of Iris Grace’s artworks so far.

Answers: 1) c, 2) a, 3) c, 4) a, 5) b

Stunning paintings by autistic three-year-old who can’t speak sell for £800 after she took up a brush just a few months ago

A three-year-old autistic girl has made a splash in the art world with her extraordinary paintings. Iris Grace Halmshaw began doing art as therapy, but when her parents decided to put the works on sale they began fetching prices of up to £830. And painting has also helped improve the youngster’s condition – she is now eager to play with her parents and has adopted a much happier demeanor. Her mother Arabella Carter-Johnson, of Market Harborough in Leicestershire, said she had received positive feedback since posting her daughter’s paintings on Facebook. ‘We realized about three months ago she is actually really talented,’ she said. ‘Inquiries to buy her paintings were flooding in from all over the world and a framed print sold in a charity auction in London for £830.’ Iris Grace’s financier father, Peter-Jon Halmshaw, added: ‘When she started doing art therapy we thought it was amazing, but we’re her parents so we think everything she does is amazing. ‘But lots of other people started saying it was great. It went berserk from there.’ So far, the family has sold eight of Iris Grace’s artworks, and is planning to makes prints of the paintings available too. The three-year-old, who does not speak, was diagnosed with autism last year after her parents noticed she rarely made eye contact with them, and they tried a number of different therapies to help socialize her. ‘We started with play therapy and we’ve had speech, equine, occupational and music therapy, looked at her nutrition and quite a few other methods,’ said Ms Carter-Johnson, 32. ‘With the expert help of many therapists she changed dramatically in a short space of time. ‘She used to be consumed by books, eye contact was a rare occurrence, she didn’t want to, or know how to, play with us and got desperately distressed when we took her near any other children. ‘She now rides on my back in fits of laughter, plays and communicates by creating her own signs. ‘We still have a long way to go with her social skills and speech, but we are having many more good days. .’Her autism has created a style which I’ve never seen in a child of her age – she has an understanding of colors and how they interact. She beams with excitement and joy when I get out the paints.’ Mrs Carter-Johnson added: ‘I would love to think that Iris Grace’s story can be an inspiration to any parents with an autistic child.’ Michaela Butter, co-director of Embrace Arts, the University of Leicester’s inclusive arts centre, said: ‘As Iris Grace’s paintings demonstrate so well, disability is no barrier to creativity.’ The family are hoping to arrange an exhibition in London to give Iris Grace’s paintings a wider audience. All profits from sales go towards art materials and paying her therapists.

source: dailymail.co.uk

stunning – lehengerlő, elképesztő, pompás
to make a splash – nagy szenzációt kelteni
to fetch – hozni
to improve – fejleszteni, javítani
condition – állapot
eager – lelkes, buzgó
to adopt – elsajátítani, felvenni (szokást)
demeanor – viselkedés
feedback – visszajelzés
inquiry – érdeklődés
to flood in – beáradni
framed print – bekeretezett lenyomat/másolat
charity – jótékonyság
financier – bankár
to go berserk – megvadulni, feje tetejére állni/fordulni
to notice – észrevenni
equine – ló, lovas
occupational – foglalkozási, szakmai
nutrition – táplálás, táplálkozás
to be consumed – felemésztődni
occurrence – esemény, eset, előfordulás
to get distressed – lehangolódni, csüggedni, elszomorodni
desperately – kétségbeesetten
fit of laughter – nevetőgörcs
to interact – kölcsönösen egymásra hatni
to beam – ragyogni
excitement – izgalom, izgatottság
inclusive – teljes, összes
disability – rendellenesség, rokkantság
barrier – akadály, gát
exhibition – kiállítás
wider – tágabb, szélesebb