或多个汉字联合起来而创造的。比如，"休"是由表示"人"和"树"的汉字组合而成的，"囚"字则是由人字位于框中构成的。另一些汉字则用于表示方向和数字。通过看它们的字形，很容易区别它们的意思，比如汉字"上"和"下"，其字形恰好相反。

　　虽然这几种类型的汉字能够表意，但是它们的缺点之一是其字形不能显示怎样发音。因此便出现了一种应对之策，即汉字的一部分表意，另一部分表音。今天使用的许多汉字便是用这种方式创造出来的。

　　20世纪50年代，中国政府推广简化汉字，现在它们已在中国大陆全面普及。

　　The story of Braille

　　Usually, when we talk about① reading, we think of② using our eyes to see letters written in ink③ on paper.However④， this is not always true.For example, blind people cannot see, but they can still read books.

　　The man who introduced blind people to reading⑤ was Louis Braille (1809－1852)．Braille lost his eyesight⑥ at the age of⑦ three as a result of⑧ an injury.When he was ten, he went to a school for the blind⑨ in Paris.In those days, books for blind people used paper pressed⑩ against metal wire⑪ to form letters⑫.Since the metal wire was heavy⑬， each book weighed⑭ as much as⑮ 100 pounds.The whole system was not convenient⑯ for use.Indeed⑰， the school library only had fourteen such books in it.

　　In 1821, a soldier visited the school and showed the students a system for passing messages at night during times of battle⑱.His system used paper with small, raised dots that could be felt with the fingers⑲.Each letter of the alphabet was represented⑳ by a different pattern\s\up1(21(21) which consisted of\s\up1(22(22) twelve dots\s\up1(23(23).The soldiers would drag\s\up1(24(24) their fingers over the raised dots to read the message. 　　①talk about 说到；谈到　②think of 想到；考虑

　　③ink/Iŋk/n.墨水，油墨

　　④however是副词，意为"然而"，表示转折关系。

　　⑤who引导定语从句，修饰the man。introduce ...to/into把......引入，介绍......到。

　　⑥eyesight/'aIsaIt/n.视力

　　⑦at the age of 在......岁时

　　⑧as a result of 由于；因为；作为......的结果

　　⑨the blind盲人；the＋adj.表示一类人，作主语时，谓语动词用复数。

　　⑩press/pres/vt.(被)压，挤，推，施加压力n.报刊；新闻界；出版社；press against 压在......上(压住，施压于)

　　⑪wire/'waIə(r)/n.金属丝；铁丝网

　　⑫动词不定式短语to form letters作目的状语。

　　⑬since用作连词，意为"因为"，引导原因状语从句。

　　⑭weigh v．重达；有......重量

　　⑮as much as 多达；和......一样多

　　⑯convenient/kən'viːnIənt/adj.方便的

　　be convenient for sb.对某人来说方便

　　⑰indeed adv.事实上；的确

　　⑱battle/'bætl/n.&vi.战斗

　　⑲with small ...fingers作定语修饰paper；that引导定语从句，修饰先行词dots。　⑳represent v．代表；表示

　　\s\up1(21(21)pattern/'pætn/n.图案，花纹；模式，方式

　　\s\up1(22(22)consist of 由......组成/构成，不用于进行时态和被动语态。

　　\s\up1(23(23)which引导定语从句，修饰先行词pattern。

　　\s\up1(24(24)drag/dræɡ/vt.(使劲地)拖；拉