1 . In an online video, 49-year-old Wang Yong was trying to save a man’s life by performing CPR (心肺复苏) on him in the street in Chongqing.

Wang Yong works in a pet hospital. On October 23, Wang was giving out the hospital’s pamphlets (小册子) on Nanbin Road in the city. He saw a middle-aged man fall to the ground. Wang ran to him and found that the man was having a sudden cardiac arrest (心脏骤停). Without a second thought, Wang began to perform CPR on him. Then two minutes later, the man came back to consciousness (意识).

Several days later, Wang was named “Most Beautiful Rescuer (救护员)” by the Red Cross Society of China for his good act. “I must come to the rescue,” said Wang. “Because I know that he best time to save a cardiac-arrest patient is within four minutes.”

Wang said the news about the sudden death of an actor in 2019 because of a cardiac arrest made him worry a lot about his mother, who has a heart condition. So he decided to learn first aid in two years after he joined the Red Cross Society of China.

“I hope more people will learn first aid skills like CPR, and take part in public first aid activities to that they can help more people,” Wang said.

Mario Green and Mary Brown from Riverside High School give up several hours each week     1     (help) others.

Mario loves animals and wants     2     (be) an animal doctor. He volunteers at an animal hospital every Saturday morning. Mario believes it can help him to get his future dream job. “It’s hard work,” he says, “but I want to learn more about how     3     (care) for animals. I get such a strong     4     (feel) of satisfaction when I see the animals get better and the look of joy on their     5     (owner) faces.”

Mary is a book lover. She could read by herself     6     the age of four. Last year, she decided     7     (try) out for a volunteer after-school reading program. She still works there once a week     8     (help) kids learn to read. “The kids are sitting in the library, but you can see in their eyes that they’re going on a different journey with each new book.     9     (volunteer) here is a dream come true for me. I can do what I love to do and help others     10     the same time.”

3 . 247 graduate students of Fudan University have volunteered to teach the children in Xihaigu region (地区) of Ningxia for the past 22 years. The region used to be poor because of its terrible natural environment. “We expect to make a difference to the children’s life by sharing our knowledge (知识) in different fields,” one of the volunteers says.

The students have different abilities, so the volunteers have used different teaching methods (方法) to help them develop good study habits. “Local children had never learned English before, so we started with basic knowledge like English letters and pronunciation (发音),” says Li Lianshuo, a Fudan volunteer. The volunteers help the students remember English words, read articles and deal with their study problems.

“We visit the students’ homes in our free time. We communicate with their parents so that we help the parents understand the importance of children’s education, because the parents didn’t care much about it years ago,” explains Yang Chenhaotong, who was the leader of the volunteer team in 2019. According to Yang, the parents give their children much support (支持) in their studies now.

The volunteers have helped the local children with their studies. They have also set up football clubs and held many ball games to make the children’s life colorful. Fudan University has also given away more than 10 million yuan to the region to build playgrounds (操场) and other buildings over the past 22 years.

“Thanks to my volunteer teacher, my life has changed a lot. I will study hard and become an excellent person like her,” Li Sumei, a local student, says excitedly.

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4 .     1     Would you like to volunteer? Here is something that will help you to be ready for volunteering.

    2     Why should we volunteer? That is because volunteering not only helps people in need but also is good for volunteers themselves. First, volunteering can help you make friends with different kinds of people. Second, volunteering increases self-confidence (增加自信). You are doing good for others, which will give you a sense of achievement (成就). Also, volunteering is good for your mind and body. Being helpful can help you feel less stressed and make you happier. And when you volunteer, you’re exercising, too.

    3     There are many volunteering choices (选择). But it is hard for us to find the right one. To make the right choice, you should first think about your goals (目标) and interests. Think about why you want to volunteer and what you enjoy doing. For example, you might want to learn from others or try something new. And you can try different types of volunteer work. Don’t limit (限定) yourself to just one organization or job.

    4     You can volunteer at any place and at any time. You can do volunteer work in museums, libraries, parks, or even online. Or course, it depends on your goals and interests. Volunteering doesn’t take a lot of time. It is OK to spend two to three hours every week. Volunteering should feel like a fun and meaningful hobby instead of   (而不是) a to-do list for you.

    5     The more we volunteer, the better our world will be. So, let’s move.

5 . Is there something in your community that could be changed? Is there a person in your neighborhood who could offer help? If you’re hoping for someone to make a difference, that someone could be you!

Volunteering your time is a great way to make a difference to your community. And you’ll feel good about doing something that helps people or improves the places around you.

This past summer, my friends and I noticed how messy our neighborhood park was. We wanted it to be different. We worked without parents and teachers to clean up the park. We had a great time making the park even better than before, and now the whole neighborhood is able to share and enjoy it again.

Maybe cleaning up a park isn’t your choice, though. No problem! You can turn anything that matters to you into a volunteer project. Do you like playing chess, reading, or spending time with your pet? You can volunteer to do what you love to do. For example, you could help at an old people’s home, simply by talking or playing games with them to make their days better. If you’re good at math or English, you could volunteer to be a homework helper at your school. You’re always needed to walk dogs or play with cats. Or you can collect things for homeless people, such as soap and toothbrushes.

You see, there is something for everyone. Whatever you do as a volunteer, your time will be enjoyed. Kids everywhere are making a difference by volunteering. You can, too!

I volunteered for four weeks in a children’s home in Kathmandu, and it was a wonderful experience. After a long     1     , I arrived at the orphanage (孤儿院) and saw the children. It was an excellent way to get to know them and     2     them up. All the children were     3     and kind. The orphanage became my home and the children were so grateful for the help of     4     . Though the place was poor and there were     5    , they were happy. They got a lot of help from having a teacher, practicing their English and doing their homework. When we played games together, they were all     6     . When I taught them English, they could     7     me quickly. A volunteer can bring new information, education and ideas to the children’s home, can     8     their eyes to the world. And all these     9     a great difference to the children and will also     10     their lives.

“Volunteering makes you look at the world differently. You see how little things can change a person’s life for the better. That makes everyone a better person,” Mason, a volunteer said.

National Volunteer Week started in 1974 and is held every April.     1     It is also a perfect opportunity (机会) to encourage others to take their first step toward becoming a volunteer.

    2     Making the decision to take the first step can be the biggest problem, because they often wonder if they will be able to meet the organization’s expectations (期望). Some people fear (害怕) not knowing anyone else in the group. Not having enough time also stops some people from sharing their abilities.

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★Start out slowly. Don’t add too much pressure. Even a few hours a month can make a big difference in someone’s life.

★Choose an organization that you are interested in.

★Take part in a training meeting for new volunteers.

★     4     They may have much experience of being a volunteer. They can teach you how to be a good volunteer.

★Invite a friend or family member to volunteer with you. It is a good experience to volunteer with them.

★Finally, it is the most important to enjoy the volunteer experience and to remember that not all volunteer experiences are perfect.     5     Keep trying, and you’ll surely find the right opportunity.

9 . Alice Lee is a high school student studying at a private school. She is doing some voluntary work at an after-school program to help students from poor families.

On the first day of her work, she noticed that many kids were lining up (排队) for free sandwiches and fruits. She was surprised. One of the organizers says that many of these students don’t get enough to eat at home. So a school lunch or an after-meal might be the most food they would get all the day. She has also been told that some hungry kids can receive free lunches, but others are only allowed reduced-price (降价的) meals, and those students’ family have to pay for the part of their food.

Lee was shocked. She decided to offer help to those who are suffering from (遭受) hunger. “I want other kids to understand that if you see a problem, you don’t have to wait to be an adult to fix it,” says Lee. She and a group of friends are using their programme skills to make a new app called Food of Thought. It will allow parents, students, and even kind-hearted strangers to give away to lunch accounts (账户) for students in a nearby school.