Can You Hear Me Now? No!? Ugh! Quiz

Answer: Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. His father encouraged his musical interests and Ludwig gave his first concert at the age of 7 1/2. His first composition, "9 variations, in C Minor, for Piano", was published in 1782 when he was only 12. His many other compositions, particularly his fifth and ninth symphonies, the latter of which was completed after Ludwig had entirely lost his hearing, have left what is perhaps one of the greatest legacies in all of music history.

Source: http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html

Answer: Heather Whitestone

Heather Whitestone was born on February 24, 1973. Her deafness was caused by a bout of influenza as a young child. She was crowned Miss America in 1995 and has been a strong advocate for the Deaf community.

Source: http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/heather-whitestone.html

Answer: Linda Bove

Linda Bove was born on November 30, 1945. Her parents were both also deaf. Bove's acting career began at the National Theatre of the Deaf in 1967, and her role as Linda the Librarian on "Sesame Street" began in 1971. Continuing until 2003, it became the longest-running television role for a deaf person. All other possible answers are also well-known deaf actresses.

Source: http://www.start-american-sign-language.com/linda-bove.html

Answer: Andrea Ferrell

Andrea Ferrell was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and began her acting career in 1996. She has had several small roles in movies and TV shows, but her recurring role on "7th Heaven" is the best-known.

Source: http://people.famouswhy.com/andrea_ferrell/

Answer: Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison's hearing loss began in his childhood and progressed as he became a teenager, causing him many difficulties in school. In spite of this setback, he still became one of the most well-known inventors in history.

Source: http://deafness.about.com/cs/featurearticles/a/thomasedison.htm

Answer: Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in 1880. A fever when she was very young left her completely deaf and blind. Annie Sullivan became her tutor when she was seven years old and helped Keller learn to speak, read, and write. Sullivan also helped Keller read her textbooks when she entered college in 1900. Largely due to Annie Sullivan's influence, Helen Keller has become one of the most famous deaf people in history.

Source: http://www.hki.org/about-us/spirit-of-helen-keller/her-life/

Answer: Marlee Matlin

Marlee Matlin, deaf since she was a young child, became the youngest woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1986 when she was only 21. She won the award for her role as Sarah Norman in the movie "Children of a Lesser God", which was also her debut role. Matlin also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2009.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlee_Matlin

Answer: Brian Wilson

The cause of Brian Wilson's hearing loss remains unknown, but he still achieved great fame as the lead singer and songwriter of the Beach Boys. Wilson was also the subject of a song by the Canadian musical group Barenaked Ladies.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Wilson

Answer: The Who

Pete Townshend, who developed an interest in music at an early age, wrote many hit songs for The Who and was listed as #50 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Townshend also provided the funding for the non-profit organization H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers), which works to prevent hearing loss from excessively loud rock music.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Townshend

Answer: Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya was commissioned as the royal painter for Charles III in 1786. After the illness which left him deaf in 1792 or 1793, Goya produced a series of paintings, drawings, and etchings called "Caprichos". This series of works was more introspective than his previous works, reflecting his change of purpose after his illness.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Goya