【推荐1】People take up volunteering for different reasons.     1     Whatever the reason, once you have decided that you would like to give some of your time to help others, you need to make some decisions.

• Choose a charity or organization

Firstly, what sort of organization do you want to help?     2     -- perhaps you have been affected by some of the issues that a charity aims to support, like children who need help. Many local schools depend on volunteers who come in regularly to read with the children or help with their math.

•     3    

Once you have decided where you want to volunteer, you then have to decide what sort of volunteer work you want to do. Think about your existing skills: Do you prefer hands-on work? Are you good with people? Do you have a background in administrative (行政) work? Charities need volunteers to work in shops, organize or manage fundraising (筹款) events, or, in the case of animal charities, walk dogs.

• Find a position

Most charities have a website with a section aimed at attracting potential volunteers and they advertise specific roles available. But smaller charities might not have funds (资金) to do this.     4     You will be welcomed with open arms!

• Apply for suitable positions

Be prepared with information about your previous (or current) employment and the sort of skills you have, so that the charity can match you to the most suitable role. You might think that have no such skills. Don’t let your lack of confidence stop you.     5    

A．You might have a particular charity in mind.

B．Consider how much time you want to put.

C．Without them, they simply wouldn’t carry out their work.

D．Ask your friends and loved ones what they think you can offer.

E．Some want to “give something back” while others want to meet new people or learn new people or learn new skills.

F．Decide on the kind of work.

G．In this case, you would usually need to phone or visit their offices to find out how you can help.

【推荐3】You’re enjoying a quiet evening at home when suddenly your neighbor’s dog starts barking(吠叫)and doesn’t stop. Sure, dogs need to bark every now and then, but if the barking is getting in the way of your daily life, you need to do something.

“Before you take action, make records of when the dog is disturbing,” says expert Sharon Schweitzer. “Record the dates and time when the barking appears to find out the features of the barking. Check them carefully and get your facts straight. You might notice the barking only happens when the owners are at work, or during thunderstorms.”

After two to three weeks, visit your neighbors with the facts. “Since you’re trying to keep a good relationship, you can’t go when you’re angry and frustrated,” says Schweitzer. Plus, your neighbors might not even realize the barking is a problem, for the worst noise may happen when they’re gone.

Explain the time when the barking gets bad, then suggest a way to solve the problem. “You can sit and complain all day, but that will go nowhere,” says Schweitzer. Ask if the dog can stay inside during the storm, or suggest a dog training class. Be open to compromise(妥协)because the owners might have other ideas about how to deal with the noise.

Befriending the dog could help. Have your neighbors introduce you to their dogs. “If they become more comfortable in your presence, they’re less likely to bark when they see you or when they’re in the backyard,”says Schweitzer. You might even be able to use commands such as “quiet” once the dog trusts you.

Avoid gossiping(说长道短)with other neighbors about the dog.“That’s when things escalate.” After all, most people will want to solve the problem.

1. What can you do first when the barking of your neighbor’s dog influences your life?

A．Bring the dog to a training class.

B．Show it to your neighborhoods.

C．Drive it out of your neighborhood.

D．Record the dates and time of the barking.

2. Why are your neighbors less likely to realize the barking problem?

A．They may like the barking.

B．They all think their dogs are friendly.

C．They have been used to the barking of the dogs.

D．They may be out when the worst barking happens.

3. What does the underlined word “escalate” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Become better.

B．Become worse.

C．Remain unchanged.

D．Become more personal.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Love me, love my dog.

B．Barking dogs seldom bite.

C．Good communication is a must.

D．Treat violence with violence(暴力).

【推荐1】There are a number of advantages when it comes to living alone. However, it also comes with a few safety concerns. You still never know who will be around the corner. Don’t become another victim (受害者); be sure to follow our tips.

1. All doors should be kept locked.

Always keep your doors locked when you are in your apartment or dormitory. Make sure the doors are closed behind you when you come into the building and never leave your room unlocked, even when you are in it. There is always a chance that someone might sneak in while you are unaware. Always try to remember to close doors behind you to ensure your safety.

2. Don’t lose your keys.

Even if you do everything you can to keep the doors locked, criminals might still be able to come into your house with a key. Always know where your keys are to prevent this. Never put them down in a public place or give them to friends. Also, before you bring your car into the repair shop, take off the house keys.

3. When it comes to safety, standing up for yourself is important.

If you aren’t getting all the security features you want don’t be afraid to ask. If your lighting situation is less than ideal, discuss this with your supervisor (管理人) or landlord. Talk to the campus security organization if you think a security phone near your dormitory is a good idea. Request that the building employ someone to monitor those entering and leaving the building. You should feel safe where you reside, so stand up for your rights.

4. Be careful.

You still might find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation. Check your peephole before letting anyone in. Whenever you witness something around your building that makes you uncomfortable or suspicious just dial 911. It is a good idea to always walk with a friend instead of alone. Become familiar with people who live in the building, so you can keep track anyone that is a stranger.

1. Why do we always lock the doors?

A．Because they exist to protect you.

B．Because they provide you a private space.

C．Because they won’t let your secret out.

D．Because they will keep the thief out.

2. The aim to take off the house key in the car repair shop is to prevent ________.

A．it being thrown away	B．it being made copies
C．you not going into home	D．it not being found

3. This passage is written to ________.

A．keep those who live alone safe.

B．Prevent you from being killed.

C．Urge you to stand up for your rights.

D．Advise you not to live alone.

【推荐2】Recently, university students around the world were asked to volunteer in a global experiment called Unplugged. It was designed to see how young people would react if they were asked to observe a total media ban by unplugging all forms of media devices for 24 hours.
Unplugged is being run by Dr Roman Gerodimos，a lecturer in Communication and Journalism at Bournemouth University. During the experiment，Dr Gerodimos said there were already   signs of how much the exercise affected volunteers. He said：“They’re reporting withdrawal symptoms，overeating，feeling nervous，isolated and disconnected.”
During their 24-hour test，three of the experiment’s participants were followed around by a BBC reporter plus cameraman. They were asked to write down 100 lines about their day offline，but of course，they all waited until the next day when they had access to their laptops.
Elliot Day wrote：“Today, my whole morning routine was thrown up into the air. Despite being aware of the social importance of the media, I was surprised by how empty my life felt without the radio or newspapers.”
From Caroline Scott，we read：“I didn’t expect it，but being deprived of the media for 24 hours resulted in my day-to-day activities becoming so much harder to carry out than usual…I didn’t break out in a cold sweat like our lecturer expected us all to，but it’s not something I would like to do again！”
And Charlotte Gay wrote：“I have to say the most difficult item for me to be without has been my mobile；not only is it a social device，it’s my main access point of communication.”
Earlier in the year, a UK government study found that in the UK we spend about half our waking hours using the media, often plugged into several things at once. So, with technology continuing to develop at an alarming rate, how much time will you set aside for sleep in the future?
1. What can we learn about the volunteers?

A．Volunteers didn’t write down about their day offline.

B．Volunteers weren’t allowed to use any media for 24 hours.

C．Volunteers were followed around by Dr Roman Gerodimos.

D．Only volunteers in the UK took part in Unplugged experiment.

2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the participants’ feelings？

A．Anxious.

B．Lonely

C．Bored.

D．Despaired.

3. Which of the following is true of Caroline Scott？

A．The media ban affected his temperature.

B．His work went on smoothly without the media.

C．His work was carried on hard without the media.

D．His life was empty without the radio or newspapers.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．People should use the media devices reasonably.

B．People can easily survive the media devices addict.

C．People can spend more time sleeping in the future.

D．People spend about half the time using the media devices.

5. The text is most probably a ________.

A．newspaper ad	B．book review
C．news report	D．science fiction story