Guidance

Give your time to help others—you'll be glad you do．花时间帮助别人吧——你会很高兴自己这么做的。

1 Volunteering to help others is an American tradition. It began when settlers first arrived in America. They built homes and did farm work together, especially during harvest time. The tradition has continued through the years as Americans have volunteered in times of war, disaster and need. ①

2 Even today, Americans still help others. About 109 million Americans volunteer each year—that's 56 percent of the adults in America. Most people volunteer about 3.5 hours each week. Some assist kids with reading or math. Others work at animal shelters and play with the cats or take the dogs for walks. Volunteers clean up parks and highways and spend time in hospital or nursing homes. Before elections, they knock on people's doors or call people to remind them to vote.

3 Volunteers work for things they believe in—like better schools or safer streets. Without the hours volunteers put in, America would not be nearly as nice a place to live. ②

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