人们在圣诞节乐善好施

Christmas Kindness

I’ll be working this Christmas. My job? Santa Claus! White beard and red clothes are optional. I’ll be joining thousands of volunteers in Britain who go and help homeless and elderly people as well as poor children.

Solidarity[团结]comes to life at this time of the year. It’s cold and many people feel lonely. I’ll be there for them. I was inspired by a woman in Scotland—Beatrice Cadell has just celebrated her 80thbirthday and instead of presents for her, she asked her friends to buy toys. They’ll be donated to a toy bank—free toys for children whose parents can’t afford to buy them any.

Cadell said: “Everyone that turned up to my birthdaydo[聚会]was absolutelybrilliant[杰出的]! Somebody else can benefit. We don’t need it. We’re old.”

There are plenty of places which welcome a helping hand at Christmas. The Charity Crisis at Christmas, for example, has been looking for more than 10,000 volunteers to assist guests in their centres for homeless people. Volunteers withspecialist[专业的]skills likedentists[牙医],hairdressers[美发师], lorry drivers and performers are particularly welcomed.

Another organization, Community Christmas, is keen on volunteers who wish to offercompanionship[陪伴]to lonely, elderly people on Christmas Day—it can be over a full lunch or just a cup of tea. They have a website with a location page so thatgood Samaritans[乐善好施者]can register their interest in helping out and find out more.

Scrooge[吝啬鬼]is a character very much associated with this time of year. He’s the central figure in A Christmas Carol, a classic by the English writer Charles Dickens. Scrooge is a selfish man who only helps himself. In the world of volunteering, there’s no Scrooge in sight. We’re all proud and happy Santas. Merry Christmas!

❶ 阅读课文并回答问题。

1) What will the author be doing over the festive period?

2) Who will give toys to a toy bank?

3) What will dentists do for the Charity Crisis at Christmas?

4) True or false? Community Christmas wants volunteers to offer companionship to good Samaritans.

5) Why is the character Scrooge mentioned in the article?

❷ 选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1) I’m cooking dinner for the whole family. I need_. It’s too

much work for one person!

a toy a helping hand a lonely elder Scrooge

2) I’m organizing a Christmas_. You have to come!

companionship volunteer do classic

小练习

3) You’re my best friend! I know that if I run into difficulties, you_.

will be there for me will come to life

benefit will help my hand

4) No need for a formal invitation to my party. You just turn_.

over in out up

答案

❶ 阅读课文并回答问题。

1) Joining thousands of volunteers in Britain to help homeless and elderly people as well as poor children.

2) Friends of Beatrice Cadell, who is celebrating her 80thbirthday.

3) Treat homeless people at their centres for free.

4) False. Community Christmas wants good Samaritans to offer companionship to elderly people who are lonely over the festive period.

5) As an example of a selfish person. The author points out that volunteers who work over Christmas to help others are not selfish at all.

❷ 选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1) a helping hand； 2) do；3) will be there for me；4) up