2021年英语四级听力美文第82篇:Volunteers思维导图

ItisimpossibletofindoutexactlyhowmanyvolunteersareatworktodayintheUnitedStates.

Thirty-sevenmillionorsoareknowntobelongtoorganizationslikethePinkLadies,Travelers'Aid,orBigBrothers;butthosewhoworkaloneorinsmallinformalgroupscannotbecounted.

Thetotalnumberofmenandwomenwhogivetheirtimetohelpothersappearstobebetweenfiftyandsixty-eightmillion.

Theydoalmostanything:theysew,clean,scrub,paint,cook,repairthings,recordbooksfortheblind,amusesickchildreninhospitals,orescortseniorcitizenswhodonotwanttogooutalone.

Theygivetheirblood;theyworkinlibrariesandschools;theytranslatedocumentsfornewcitizenswithalanguageproblemorraisemoneytosupportlocalsymphonyorchestras;theyanswerthetelephonecallsofthedesperatewhoarethinkingofkillingthemselves,andwhoneedafriendlyear.

Volunteersstartcommunityprojectstoosmalltoattracttheattentionoforganizedagencies,orworkatjobsforwhichnofundsareavailable.

Ahandfulofcityfolkwillturnanemptylotintoaplaygroundforthechildrenoftheirneighborhood;othersdecidetorepairandpaintafewdilapidatedhousesintheirstreet.

Somewhereelsewomencookanddelivertwohotmealsadaytoelderlypeoplelivingalone,andtoosickortootiredtopreparetheirownfood.

Anothergroupcallslonelyoldpeopleonceadaytochatalittleandfindoutiftheyareallright.

SomecollegestudentsteachEnglish,mathematics,ordrawingtotheinmatesofalocaljail.

Youngmenandwomenspendpartoftheirweekendscollectingemptycansandbottlesfortherecyclingcenteroftheircommunity,andsomechildrenpickupthetrashleftonthebeachbythecrowdofasummerholiday.

Anywhereonelooks,thearmyofvolunteersishardatwork—notonlyintheUnitedStates,butinmanyothercountrieswhere“volunteerism”isspreading.