She said helping others changed her life. Section 1 Before You Read PAIRWORK Think of people who need help. Write some ideas and discuss them with your partner. People who need helpSomething we can do for them old peopleWe can clean their home. disabled people We can buy things they need from stores. children We can help them cross the streets. strangers We can tell them how to get to the place where they want. 残疾人

Section 2 While You Read Put these words into the correct space as you read. a) world b) brothers c) changed d) agreed e) mountains f) different 世界兄弟 改变同意 大山不同的

She said helping others changed her life. Teaching high school students in a poor mountain village in Gansu Province may not sound like fun to you. However, it the life of Yang Lei from Beijing. The Peking University graduate first went there as a volunteer on a one-year program. The program was started by the Ministry of Education and the Chinese Young pioneers. Every year they send 100 volunteers to teach in China’s rural areas. village 乡村 Peking University 北京大学 graduate ( 大学 ) 毕业生 volunteer 志愿者 the Ministry of Education 教育部 Chinese Young Pioneer 中国少年先锋队 rural 乡下的；乡村的 area 地区；地域 changed

Life in the was a new experience for Yang Lei. Her village was 2,000 meters above sea level, and at first the thin air made her feel sick. The food was very simple----teachers ate porridge three times a day. Fortunately, Yang Lei’s mother with her. She said that both she and her husband thought this was a good idea. “Young people today need to experience things,” she said. meter 米；公尺 sea level 海平面 thin 稀薄的 eat--ate fortunately 幸运地 husband 丈夫 mountains agreed different make sb. do sth. 使某人做某事

Most of the pupils live in school dormitories. They work very hard. They get up at 5am and read books until 11pm. They love having the volunteer teachers there. “There is no difference between you and them,” says yang Lei. “They say that we are like big or sisters to them, and they feel lucky.” dormitory 宿舍 brothers love having 喜欢有 between…and… 在 … 两者之间

Some of the students may not be able to go to senior high school or college. Families are poor and there often isn’t money for education. “I can’t do anything about that,” says Yang lei, “but I can open up my students’ eyes to the outside and give them a good start in life.” She said she likes being a good influence in the children’s lives. senior high school 高中 college 学院；大学 open up 打开 open up one’s eyes 使 … 开眼界，使认识 start 开始；开端 influence 影响 world

Yang Lei enjoyed her time as a volunteer very much. When her year was over, she said that she would return to the area after finishing her studies. She now works as a math teacher at a high school in the city of Pingliang, Gansu Province. enjoy 享受 … 的乐趣；喜欢 enjoy oneself 过得快乐 enjoy doing sth. 喜欢做某事

Section 3 After You Read 3a What is life like for you and Yang lei’s students? Complete the chart. Discuss the similarities and differences with your partner. Yang Lei’s students You hometown food teachers time to get up time to finish studying mountain village in Gansu Province 家乡；故乡 a city in Guangdong porridge three times a day different kinds of delicious food almost no good teachers some good teachers 5 a.m.6 a.m. 11 p.m.9 p.m.

3b Ask and answer these questions. 1. What did Yang Lei’s mother say about her daughter’s volunteer work? 2. What did the children say about their volunteer teachers? 3. How did Yang Lei say she could help? 4. What did Yang Lei say about her time as a volunteer? She said that both she and her husband thought this was a good idea. Young people today needed to experience different things. The children said that the teachers were like big brothers or sisters to them and they felt lucky. Yang Lei said she would open up her students’ eyes to the outside world and gave them a good start in life. Yang Lei said she enjoyed her time as a volunteer very much.

Section 4 Go for it! Many people of all ages do volunteer work. The groups in the chart below help people or animals all around the world. Which one would you like to work for? Explain your reasons to the class. GroupsThe work they do GreenpeaceCares for “Mother Earth” Doctors Without Borders Helps sick people in poor countries UNICEFHelps children in poor countries WWFCares for wild animals in danger 和平 照料；照顾 边界；边境 UNICEF 联合国儿童基金 WWF 世界野生动物基金 危险