1 . Volunteer by supporting a local animal rescue center in Costa Rica!

If you like animals and are also interested in preserving the environment, you will be perfect for this program. You will be helping out in and supporting a local animal shelter. Not only does this shelter take in homeless animals, but also wild animals which are in bad condition.

In addition to the caretaking of the animals, volunteers help us welcome visitors at the entrance and answer any questions that visitors may have about the shelter or its animals. As volunteers spend more days in the shelter, knowledge about wildlife management will grow.

Requirements

＊You need to be at least 15 years old on the program start date at the high school level or above.

＊Speaking English is a basic requirement.

＊No restrictions on nationality. Helping hands both in Costa Rica and beyond are welcome.

＊Your helping hand will be required from 09:00 to 15:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Program fees

＊Booking payments (15%): The booking payment is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payment is made by PayPal. You can also pay using a credit card.

＊Final payments (85%): Your final payment will be agreed with Volunteer Now Costa Rica during the application process.

1. What can a volunteer do in the rescue center?

A．Communicate with visitors.	B．Get trained to place animals.
C．Give lectures about animals.	D．Search for homeless animals.

2. Who can volunteer in the program?

A．A French-speaking adult.	B．A primary schoolchild.
C．A college student from America.	D．A local person free on Fridays.

3. How much should a volunteer pay at least to make a reservation?

A．$52.5.

B．$105.

C．$297.5.

D．$350.

2 . Volunteer with Red Cross

Volunteering expands your skills and experience, increases your employability and is a way to stay active and engaged with the community. It’s also a way for you to give back to the community and help people who need a hand. Here are some of our community services:

Aged Care Services for older people

Our social support and aged care services provide a range of support for older people.They can be matched one-on-one with a volunteer, receive regular caring welfare calls, be driven to appointments, be provided with a personal alarm or be delivered a healthy meal.We can also support them to access appropriate housing and care.

Homelessness Services

Red Cross believes that everyone deserves a home that is safe, secure and affordable. In an average year, Red Cross helps 2,180 people to find housing, supports 1,360 people at risk of becoming homeless, and provides 43,400 meals for people experiencing hardship.

We support people who are at risk of losing their rental property by negotiating with landlords(房东) or finding more suitable accommodation. We also help clients to man age the potential issues which contribute to their housing problems, including income management,misuse of alcohol or other drugs.

We build life skills by supporting people who have been homeless to develop community connection and friendship through one-on-one matching with a volunteer, providing education and training support, and teaching first-aid skills. These new connections and skills make a big difference, helping people move out of cycles of homelessness.

Mental Health Support Services

Red Cross provides mental health support services and programs that promote the participation of people with a men tal illness in the community and support the well-being of young people. Red Cross wants to support those people to be more independent, to improve their well-being and social connection, and to build their confidence and skills.

1. What support do Aged Care Services and Homelessness Services both provide?

A．Training support.	B．One-on-one service.
C．Regular welfare calls.	D．Free accommodation.

2. How does Red Cross help people at risk of becoming homeless?

A．By teaching money management.

B．By maintaining friendship with landlords.

C．By finding suitable housing.

D．By developing community connection.

3. What help can people with mental illness receive?

A．Cure of mental diseases.	B．Personality rebuilding.
C．Daily medical assistance.	D．Community participation.

3 . Costa Rica is a Central American country. It’s a great country to travel around and explore! Call our Costa Rica Project Consultant (顾问), Karen Herring, for free advice on which volunteer project would be best for you. +44 (0) 1903 502595.

Conservation (保护), Care and Release in Esparza

Work with a project launched by a zoological park and non-profit organization. You’ll be able to help with various kinds of work to protect these wonderful animals.

Care for Children in Kindergartens and Care Centers in Heredia

Teach and take care of children in kindergartens and care centers. You’ll care for children ranging from 2 to 5 years old. The activities are mainly based on basic English lessons and playing educational games. Apart from general caring, you can also be involved in teaching them the alphabet, colors, names of animals, etc.

Teach English and Other Subjects to Children in Schools

Teach in a few schools around Heredia and Alajuela close to the capital of San Jose or at a beach town along the Pacific Coast. You can help with English, Drama, Sport, Maths or Music, particularly if you have an interest in one of these areas. You’ll act as an assistant to the regular English teacher.

Your Bucket list for Costa Rica:

* Zip line(飞索)over the Cloud Forest

* See the Stone Spheres

* Hike to Arenal Volcano or Poas Volcano on a clear day

* Eat delicious Costa Rican desserts

* Walk through the streets of San Jose

* Book a Coffee Tour

* Visit the National Theatre and Gold Museum in San Jose

* Explore as many National Parks as possible

* Travel to Cocos Island, a World Heritage (遗产) Site

* Celebrate the Pura Vida Life

1. If you like animals, which of the following can you take part in the project in?

A．Heredia

B．Alajuela.

C．Esparza.

D．San Jose.

2. What do volunteers who want to work in care centers in Heredia have to do?

A．Know skills in sports.	B．Get along well with teenagers.
C．Help care for animals.	D．Be good at English.

3. Why does the author write this text?

A．To introduce some projects in Costa Rica.

B．To attract more visitors to Costa Rica.

C．To show us different places in Costa Rica.

D．To tell us what to do to help the children in Costa Rica.

4 . In Vietnamese, Ngan's name means “star,” but she wasn't able to smile brightly because she was born with a cleft (兔唇) condition.

Ngan's family lives in a small, isolated village in southern Vietnam. Without help, her family would never have been able to afford the reconstructive surgery that would change Ngan's lite and give her a brighter future. But when Ngan's parents heard that Operation Smile was conducting a surgical mission in Danang, they did everything in their power to take Ngan there for medical mission. Ngan and her family travelled more than 200 miles for the chance to give her a new smile. Ngan received life-changing surgery on her cleft lip and palate and now, 10 years later, she is a happy, healthy, lively girl-with a smile that shows it.

Before she had surgery, Ngan's facial condition prevented her social engagement and even her involvement in school. Now, with the confidence she gained from her new smile, Ngan can reach her full potential.

Ngan's parents say they had given up everything but hope before Operation Smile gave their daughter the chance to see her dreams become a reality. “Many families in our province will abandon their child if a baby is born with a cleft,” Ngan's father said.

He never wants this to happen, knowing how incredible the transformation is with a free surgery through Operation Smile. Ngan's parents now actively refer to other families of children born with cleft conditions to Operation Smile. They are determined to ensure that every child has the opportunity for a brighter future, regardless of their appearances.

Operation Smile has provided hundreds of thousands of safe surgeries for those born with cleft conditions worldwide. If you would like additional information please visit www. operationsmile. org. uk/Star, call 020 3475 5126 or write to Operation Smile UK, Genos House, Juniper Drive, London SW18 1FY.

1. What do we know about Ngan?

A．She got seriously ill after she was born.

B．She was born physically-challenged.

C．She was abandoned by her parents.

D．She was always smiling brightly.

2. What is Operation Smile?

A．An organization aiming to help hopeless villagers.

B．An organization aiming to help children with cleft.

C．An organization aiming to make children educated.

D．An organization aiming to do surgeries for the poor.

3. Which of the following words can be used to describe Ngan's parents?

A．Responsible.	B．Conventional.
C．Experienced.	D．Passive.

4. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To explain what is cleft.	B．To promote Operation Smile.
C．To introduce a girl with cleft.	D．To call for donations for girls with cleft.