What it's like to be a deaf DJ

难词探意

1. hooked /hʊkt/ adj. 着迷的

2. bass /beɪs/ n. 低音

3. snare /sneə(r)/ n.响弦

I was born in England with perfect hearing. In 1990,when I was five, my ears got infected. We didn't have health insurance at the time and my parents couldn't pay for the treatment. My doctors predicted that I would be completely deaf, so I think I'm doing pretty well.

There was always music on in my house when I was little. My dad was a DJ, so he played disco, folk, dance, rock, and music from other countries. For my 18th birthday, my dad asked me to deejay at the restaurant he owned.After doing that for a few weeks, I was hooked.I wanted to learn more.

I emailed DJ Shiftee, a well-known New York City DJ, when I was 25. “I know you like a challenge. How about teaching a deaf person to deejay?” He wrote back the next day,“Challenge accepted.” He tutored me twice a week for two years, helping me develop correct skills. I practiced four hours a day. Now when I'm performing, muscle memory takes over.

When I started, I wouldn't tell the club managers I was deaf. I would just show up,introduce myself, and start playing music. At the end of the night, someone would say,“Oh, here's the check.” And I'd say, “What?Oh, I can't hear.” They were always so surprised. Sometimes I would bring doctor's note because they wouldn't believe me.

I use software that turns the music into lines of color on a computer screen. Red is thebass; blue issnare; green is the vocals or melody. I'm visually hearing the music. What I love about DJ is the creativity. Cover your ears the next time you go dancing, and you'll feel a little bit of how I do it. You'll start using your other senses. You'll start seeing that you're able to hear the music in a different way. Music is not all about hearing.

I play from college parties to corporate events now. I also go to elementary schools for the deaf and talk to the students about motivation and believing in themselves. I'm big on talking to the parents. I tell them, “My advice to you is to let your kids chase their dreams. I'm a deaf DJ, so why not?”

Reading

Check

1. Which of the following helps the author perform well?

A. Muscle memory.

B. The doctor's note.

C. The sense of hearing.

D. The sense of touching.

2. Who helps the author most in his DJ skills?

A. His father.

B. The doctor.

C. DJ Shiftee.

D. The club manager.

3. What can be concluded from the text?

A. Dreams have power.

B. Bad news has wings.

C. From saving comes having.

D. He that climbs high falls heavily.