Definition of “volunteer”
Volunteer
– A volunteer can be a teenager or an adult who works in a community, organized
or not, in different kinds of activities for the benefit of the natural
environment or social issues. A volunteer donates his/her time, work, and
talent without getting paid or receiving compensation for services rendered.
Volunteer
projects in Brazil
There
are many opportunities to work as a volunteer in Brazil. Have a look at
these
projects.
Children´s
hospitals:
volunteers can serve work at hospitals that assist poor poor children with all kinds of diseases.
They can help at the kitchen, and even
play with children at the physical therapy room. Volunteers can also work at the playroom in the pediatric area, play or do arts and crafts with the children.
Support
house:
many hospitals have support houses that accommodate children
and teenagers under treatment. Since time passes slowly for them, they like to
play with volunteers in activities such as chess, dominoes, bingo, music, and
arts.
Childcare
and recreation:
volunteers can work at preschools with children from families who live in
marginal conditions in different cities in Brazil. The preschools serve children
aged one to six. The volunteers can take part of the classroom lessons and different
activities, such as: art projects, games, play time, and outdoor recreation. Giving
attention and affection to the
children essential part of work.
English
classes:
volunteers can offer conversational English lessons for the community for an
hour each day.
1. Read the text and answer the questions.
a) How old are the children in preschools?
b) If the volunteer does not work in the medical field,
what can he/she do?
c) How can a volunteer help in the support house?
d) How often are English classes offered?
2. Read the text below and write the subtitles in the
correct places.
a) Be open-minded.
b) Be respectful.
c) Be well-trained.
Volunteering:
How to be a good volunteer
Volunteering
is fun and rewarding, but it’s also a little more complicated than just showing
up and having a good time. Here’s some advice on how to make the most of your
volunteer work:
Be selfless. Selfless is the
opposite of selfish. Don’t think about what you can do to help yourself. Think
about what you can do to help others.
( )
Know what you’re doing as a volunteer. If you need some time to learn your job,
take that time. If you need training or need someone to show you what you’re
supposed to do, speak up. If you’re good at your job, it will be much easier to
help others (plus you’ll have a lot more fun).
Be dependable. Do what you say
you’ll do, and do your best. Don’t show up late, and Always keep your promises.
People will be relying on you, so you don’t want to let them down.
Be enthusiastic. Don’t moan and
groan your way through your volunteer work. If you really don’t like what
you’re doing, find something else. Always have a positive attitude and show
others that you’re doing this because you WANT to.
( ) One
of the really great things about being a volunteer is the chance to learn and
experience new things. Keep your mind open to new possibilities, and you’ll
probably grow as a person.
( )
Always remember to show respect for other people and other cultures. Keep in
mind that your way of thinking or living is not the only way there is.
Expansion
activities
a) Decide if the following recommendations are true (T)
or false (F), according to the text “Volunteering: how to be a good volunteer”.
( ) Don’t complain about your volunteer work.
( ) Think about
what you can do to help yourself.
( ) Don’t waste
time learning about your volunteer work.
( ) Be punctual.
b) Which of the characteristics of a good volunteer do
you have?
EXERCISES
1.
Complete the sentences with the verbs in parentheses. Use the present simple.
Follow the example.
a)
Brazil ____has______________(have)
several opportunities for volunteer work, but people__________don´t know____(not/know)
much about them.
b)
He______________ (work) in a home for elderly people every Sunday morning.
c)
They usually_____________ (visit) children in an orphanage, but they
____________________(not/play) with them, they just ____________(tell) them
stories.
d)
Albert and Joe_____________ (help) in the kitchen of a shelter for homeless
people
in Massachusetts.
e)
Lucy_____________ (go) to the cinema every Wednesday, but I only____________(go)
once a month.
f)
Their car_____________ (be) very old. It _________(make) a lot of noise and it______________________
(not/go) very fast.
2.
Read the answers and complete the questions using the present simple.
a)
What time______do you go___________ to bed?
I usually go to bed about 11 p.m.
b)
Where______________________ chess?
He plays at the school library.
c) When________________________________
?
They work from Monday to Saturday.
d) How
often______________________________ English classes?
She has English classes twice a week, on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
e) What
time_______________________ home to go to school?
They leave home at 6:30 a.m every day.
f) How
often_____________________________ the dentist?
We see the dentist twice a year.
3.
Complete the negative sentences using words from the box. Follow the example.
|
a)
Ann/not speak
Ann doesn´t speak Japanese.
b) My
girlfriend/not know/how
________________________________________________
c)
I/not remember
________________________________________________
d) My
father/not like
________________________________________________
e) Our new car/not
use
________________________________________________
f) We/not have
________________________________________________
4. The following sentences contain factual mistakes.
Correct them. Follow the example.
a) Giraffes live in the Amazon rainforest.
Giraffes don´t live in the Amazon rainforest. They live in
Africa.
b) Madonna lives in Italy.
__________________________________________________
c) Spiderman and Batman rob banks.
___________________________________________________
d) Sugar comes from apples.
___________________________________________________
e) Brazilian socc
__________________________________________________
f) Most spiders eat plants.
___________________________________________________
