Taylor Crowe used to play happily with his toys and recite his alphabet. By age 2, he was starting to learn to make sounds. But something happened in the third year of his childhood. He started losing his language abilities and would have emotional outbursts. Taylor’s parents noticed that he became very shy, and did not make eye contact (接触) when spoken to. He seemed to be in his own secret world.
Today, nearly 1 out of every 110 children born in the U.S. suffers from autism. Taylor Crowe was actually one of these sufferers. Autism is a complex neurological (brain) condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate and socialize. These children often repeat words or actions, and they are extra sensitive to sights, sounds and touch. They may have a sudden period of uncontrolled anger and can be seen beating their hands.
Scientists believe that children with autism have highly developed visual areas in their brain which explains why many of them, including Taylor, are exceptionally good artists. But, unfortunately, this comes at a trade-off — the brain’s ability to communicate, make decisions, plan and complete a task is reduced.
Through immediate treatments and specialized instructions, children with autism are taught behaviors such as keeping eye contact with others, responding when spoken to and becoming aware of themselves. Some children are able to grow up to lead a full and active life. For Taylor, it was years of hard work, but he has shown marked improvement and is well on his way to becoming better. It appears that the earlier parents and caregivers provide special care, the easier these children can get close to normal lives.
Autism is a reminder that each of us is different. Every child with autism is still a child; every person with autism is still a person. The next time you come across a child with autism, try reaching out and connecting with the child inside.
32. At the age of three, Taylor Crowe _____.
A. was unable to see things clearly B. would become angry very easily
C. started to learn to read the alphabet D. lost his language abilities completely
33. It seems that autism _____.
A. helps sufferers achieve in other fields B. spreads rapidly across the U.S.
C. is caused by uncontrolled anger D. cannot be cured now
34. In the last paragraph, the author tries to _____.
A. explain what causes autism
B. ask us to respect and accept those with autism
C. tell us how to prevent autism
D. make us realize the importance of being healthy
35. What would be the best title for the text?
A. A brief history of autism B. Autism and brain development
C. Children with autism in the U.S. D. Taylor Crowe: a life with autism