Chapter Four

A New Career

 In the fall of 1990, Helen went to Radcliffe with Anne. Just as before, Ann sat next to Helen and spelled out the teacher’s lectures into Helen’s hand. Anne had to look up difficult words in a dictionary.

The other students at Radcliffe were firendly. They even elected Helen to be the price-president in class!

One of Helen’s favorite teachers was John Macy. He taught English which Helen really liked. Helen’s poems and writings were so good that John Macy helped her publish some of them in book.

Her writings gained fame, and a magazine editor asked her to write the story of her life. He promised to pay her well for her work.

John became a good friend of Helen and Anne. They would have picnics and take walks in the woods around Radcliffe.

The next year, It was Helen’s turn to be present at a special event for Anne. On a warm May afternoon in Wrentham, nearBoston, Anne and John got married. Helen was very happy. They all lived together in a house in Wrentham and planned to work together.

But Helen had to decide what kind of job she should have.  Her friends advised her to teach. Helen agreed that she wanted to be like Anne and help other blind and deaf children. However, she decided that she could help more people by writing and lecturing.

“I can reach more people and explain the type of training that these children need,” she told Anne . “ I can teach them what you taught me: that they must not be different because they are blind or deaf. We can teach them that they can work and be happy.

When Helen and Anne traveled acrossAmerica, large crowds came to visit them. Traveling on trains and meeting thousands of people was hard work. However, because of their lectures, many new schools and organizations were started to help the blind and deaf.

Helen also worked to get more books printed in Braille. There were simply not enough books in Braille for blind people. So Helen and Anne took a trip to Washinton to ask for the government’s help. Their effort paid off in 1913. President Taft opened the “National Library for the blind.” Helen and Anne were guests of honor at the openning ceremony.

Later on, Helen met President Taft again inNew York. There, the President offically opened the first “Lighthouse for the Blind.This was a new organization that was dedicated to help blind people.

That night, Helen said to Anne, “We started so long ago with little Tommy Stringer. We have traveled until our bones were tired. We have made our voices sore talking to thousands of people. We have convinced many that blind and deaf children need special schools. Our dreams are coming true.”

Unfortunately, this satisfaction only lasted a few years. John and Anne were having problems with their mariage. John eventually left their house in Wrentham. Both Anne and Helen were sory to see him leave.

Anne became ill. But Helen was very busy. She needed more help than Anne could give. They advertised for a helper. This is how Polly Thompson, a young Scottish girl, came into their lives.

Polly was clever, sensible,and joyful. She was a good cook and housekeeper. Most importantly, she could read to Helen and help her with her writing. So Anne was able to rest her eyes.

American joined Wolrd War I inEurope. The fighting caused more changes in Helen’s life. Helen, Anne , and Polly were very sad to hear of the soldiers who were killed or wounded. Also, they could not travel as much as before. Most people were too busy with the war to pay any attention to Helen’s message.

After the war ended, aHollywooddirector contacted Helen. He wanted her to star in a movie about her life. Because they did not have very much work to do, Helen was happy for the opportunity. She needed money to take care of herself, Anne , and Polly.

Acting was very exciting for Helen. She did many dangerous stunts. In one scene, she flew in an open airplane. In one scene, she rode a wild, young horse.

Because of these stunts, Polly and Anne nicknamed her “Daredevil Helen.”

Helen could now work again to help other blind and deaf people. She was happy to hear that Congress had set aside money for more books for the blind. Some of these books could be played on record players. People called them “talking books.” Also, there was a new group called the American Foundation for the Blind. Helen went to work for this group.

By this time, Helen was famous around the world. People from many countries had met her. Every president in the Whitehouse since her childhood had invited her to meet him.

Key words

Career (n) nghề nghiệp

Next (prep) bên cạnh

Look up (v) tìm kiếm

Dictionary (n) từ điển

Friendly (adj) thân thiện

Elect (v) bầu chọn

Vice-president (n) phó chủ tịch

Favourite (adj) ưa thích

Writings (n) bài  văn

Publish (v) xuất bản

Gain (v) thu được

Editor (n) người  biên tập

Promise (v) hứa hẹn

Turn (n): lượt, phiên

Present (adj) có mặt

Event (n) sự kiện

Get married (v) lập gia  đình

Advise (v) khuyên bảo

Agree (v) đồng ý

Reach (v) gặp gỡ

Type (n) kiểu loại

Training (n) sự huấn luyện

Different (adj) khác biệt

Travel (v) đi du lịch

Crowd  (v) đám đông

Take a trip (v) thực hiện cuộc hành trình

Ask for (v) hỏi, yêu cầu

Government (n) chính quyền

Pay off (v) thành công, có hiệu lực (chính sách)

National library (n) thư viện quốc gia

Guest of honor (n) vị khách danh dự

Ceremony (n) nghi lễ

Later on : vào thời điểm sao đó

Officially (adv) chính thức

Lighthouse (n) Ngọn hải đăng

Organization (n) tổ chức

Bone (n) xương

Sore (adj) nhức nhối, đau

Convince (v) thuyết phục

Come true (v) trở thành sự thật

Unfortunately (adv) không may mắn

Last (v) kéo dài

Marriage (n) cuộc hôn nhân

Eventually (adv) cuối cùng là

Advertise (v) quảng cáo, thông báo

Helper (n) người giúp đở

Scottish (n) người Xcốt -len

Sensible (adj) nhạy cảm

Joyful (adj) vui mừng

Cook (v) người làm bếp

Housekeeper (n) quản gia

Join (v) tham gia, gia nhập

World War I: thế chiến thứ nhất

Wound (v) bị thương

Pay attention  to (v) quan tâm, chú ý đến

Director (n) người quản lý, giám đốc

Contact (v) liên lạc

Star (v) đóng vai chính

Opportunity(n) cơ hội

Take care of (v) chăm sóc

Acting (n) sự diễn xuất

Dangerous (adj) nguy hiểm

Stunt (n) pha diễn

Scene (n) cảnh diễn

Wild (adj) chưa thuần chủng

Nickname (v) đặt tên hiệu

Daredevil (adj) liều lĩnh , táo bạo

Congress (n)  quốc hội Hoa Kỳ

Set aside (v) để dành, dự trử

Play (v)  chơi (nhạc, đàn…)

Record player (n) máy hát

By this time : vào lúc này
White House: Nàh Trắng

Invite (v) mời đến