The meaning of the word “volunteer” may be a little different in different countries, but it usually means “one who offers his or her services.”There are many different ways in which people can volunteer, such as taking care of sick people, working in homes for homeless children, and picking up garbage(垃圾)from beaches and parks. Volunteers may work within their own countries or in other countries. They are often people with a strong wish to help those who are less fortunate than themselves. Volunteers don’t expect any kind of pay.
At the root of volunteering is the idea that one person may have the ability to offer services that can help other people. Tracy, a good friend of mine, however, recently came back from India with a new idea of what being a volunteer means. She worked for two and a half weeks in one of Mother Teresa’s homes in Calcutta. The following is her story.
“I first heard about Mother Teresa in my high school. We watched a video(录像)about her work in India and all over the world. I was so moved by her spirit to help others and her endless love for every human being that after I graduated from high school, I too wanted to try her kind of work.. So with two friends I flew to Calcutta for a few weeks.”
“I was asked to work in a home for sick people .I helped wash clothes and sheets ,and pass out lunch. I also fed the people who were too weak to feed themselves and tried to cheer them up. I felt it was better to share with them than to think that I have helped them. To be honest, I don’t think I was helping very much. It was then that I realized that I had not really come to help, but to learn about and experience another culture(文化)that helped improve my own understanding of life and the world.”
1. According to the text, a volunteer refers to a person who ____________.
A. is willing to help those in need without pay
B. can afford to travel to different places
C. has a strong wish to be successful
D. has made a big fortune in life
2. Tracy started her work as a volunteer _____________.
A. after she met Mother Teresa
B. after she finished high school
C. when she was touring Calcutta
D. when she was working in a hospital
3. Why did Tracy choose to be a volunteer?
A. She liked to work with Mother Teresa.
B. She had already had some experience.
C. She was asked by Mother Teresa to do so.
D. She wanted to follow Mother Teresa’s example.
4. What is Tracy’s “new idea” (Paragraph2) of being a volunteer?
A. Going abroad to help the sick.
B. Working in Mother Teresa’s home.
C. Doing simple things to help the poor.
D. Improving oneself through helping others.