The UN has recognized the contributions of volunteers on Dec.5, International Volunteer Day. Here, the four things are offered to consider before taking the leap into overseas volunteering.

    Choose your organization carefully

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. volunteering may be a fundraising mechanism(筹资机制) for a development project. For others, volunteering is fundamental to their programs, and those serving take on professional roles in longer-term development.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Volunteers want to help and make a difference, but most know this isn't a purely selfless act. You will learn new skills, broaden your horizons and come to better understand yourself and the world. You want to help reduce global poverty or protect the natural world, and that's all OK. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}? Have you always wanted to travel, but not as a tourist? Work with kids? When you understand your motivations, you'll be in a better position to choose the option that is right for you.

    Work alongside the local community

    Often times, travelers volunteer in isolation(隔离) from the local community in which they are working in. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. This enables you to ensure you are committing to a project that promotes long term and sustainable change.

    A volunteer trip is just the beginning

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. Further ignite(点燃) the global change maker in you by taking your experience one step further when you return home. Spread the message of your transformative experience to others, helping to spark the change within them.

A. But what else

B. Know why you are going

C. Believe you know it all

D. Communities always welcome volunteers

E. Volunteer travel is a life-changing experience

F. Some organizations require you to pay your own way, and often include a fee

G. Make sure to travel with organizations that have strong partnerships with local communities

    What will you do if you can't eat everything bought in the canteen? {#blank#}1{#/blank#} According to a survey, what students waste every year could feed over 10 million people.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} According to Xinhua News Agency, the food wasted by Chinese people is about 50 million tons of grain every year, which could feed 200 million people.

    Food waste, which has become a global issue, serves as a mirror that reflects various cultural and social issues in different countries. In the West, for instance, consumerism, the belief that it's a good thing to use a lot of goods and services, is often to blame for food waste. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Chinese people are well known for being hospitable and generous. Many even feel that they lose face if their guests have eaten all the food. On campus, a generation of single children is less aware of the food waste issue. Students nowadays are well protected by their families and hardly have any concept of how much toil others go through in order to provide them with the food they eat.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} There are over 925 million hungry people in the world, most of whom live in underdeveloped countries and areas. They don't have enough food to eat. Many children die for lack of nutrition each year in some African countries. And farmers work very hard to grow the crops. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It's also important that everyone should think about how they can do their bit to reduce food waste.

A. Students' waste is extremely serious.

B. China, in turn, features its own eating culture.

C. But canteen waste is extremely the tip of the iceberg.

D. Students can never realize the serious food crisis.

E. Compared with them, some live in a different world.

F. So there's no excuse that we should waste our food.

G. Most of us would simply throw away any leftover food.

    I am a Korean-American growing up in Korea. My delayed first day at Wheaton College was my first time in the U.S. in more than 10 years.

    From my first time eating at Chipotle to the endless variety of Scotch tapes on display at Target, culture shock affected me deeply. I was flooded with the rush of Starbucks caffeine (咖啡因). {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    On that first day to-do list was a job interview for a worker position. The interviewer asked where l was from. Seoul. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} English literature. He said, "Oh, you must be enthusiastic about coming all the way here to study English from Korea'!"

    That comment annoyed me, in a way I couldn't describe then. It's clearer now: {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The interviewer was measuring my passion without knowing anything about me, only based on where l was coming from.

    That interview was a small example of what came after that first day of college, but I hesitate to tell the story because some people who made ridiculously ignorant (无知的) comments ended up being my good friends. This wasn't easy. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Through them, I learned to express my feelings clearly in words. To them, I owe this story.

    We get to know some people and others we don't. We make decisions to involve in conversations or not. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} otherwise, I would have stayed in my bubble, meeting only people who say things that sound right.

How to Find Something You Like to Do

    Finding something you enjoy doing can improve the quality of your life and reduce your stress levels.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} It can also help you make friends or even provide a purpose in your life. Then how can you find something you like to do?

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Some hobbies, such as albums and gardening, can take up a lot of time. Other hobbies, such as video games or reading, can be done at your own pace and do not require any extended time.

    Research the hobby or activity you would like to get involved in. Find out how much time and money you will need to devote to starting and continuing the activity. For example, some sports—related interests might require special equipment. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Your local library or phone book should also have information on hobbies and activities in your area.

    Talk with other people who are involved in some of the activities you are interested in.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Ask if you could tag along (跟随) to a meeting or spend some time with this person while he is involved in his hobby to see if it is something you would enjoy.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Challenge yourself to try a new activity you are interested in for a week or so. Allow yourself to learn about the hobby and determine whether you will enjoy the activity or not.

A. Think about how a hobby benefits you.

B. A hobby can connect you with other people.

C. Take a chance on a hobby and see how it turns out.

D. Think about how much free time you can devote to a hobby.

E. You can find information about hobbies and interests on Find My Hobby's website.

F. You can get first—hand knowledge by interviewing someone about a particular hobby.

G. It takes a long time and energy to decide whether a particular hobby is right for you.

How to Cultivate Confidence?

    When faced with a big challenge where potential failure seems to appear at every corner maybe you'll hear this advice: "Be more confident." {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Take the belief that you are valuable, worthwhile, and capable, also known as self-esteem. Confidence turns thoughts into action. It comes from the genes you are born with, the way people get used to treating you as well as the choices you make. While it isn't possible to completely separate these three factors, the personal choices we make obviously play a major role in confidence development. As a result, by keeping in mind certain practical tips, we do actually have the power to cultivate our own confidence.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If you're looking for a long-term change, consider the way you think about your abilities and talents. Do you think they are fixed at birth, or that they can be developed? These beliefs mater because they can influence how you act in the face of setbacks, if you have a fixed mindset, meaning that your talents are locked in pace, you might give up, assuming you've discovered something you're not good at. But if you have a growth mindset, and think your abilities can improve, a challenge will become an opportunity to learn and grow. Neuroscience(神经学)supports the Jatter. The connections in your brain do get stronger and grow with study and practice.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    Practicing failure is a must. Failure happens.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} J.K. Rowling was rejected by twelve different publishers before one picked up Harry Potter. The Wright Brothers built on history's failed attempts at flight before designing a successful airplane. Studies show that those who fail regularly and keep trying anyway are better equipped to respond to challenges in a constructive way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}So, think of a challenge you want to take on, realize it's not going to be easy, accept that you'll make mistakes, and be kind to yourself when you do. You'll feel the excitement, knowing that whatever the result, you'll have gained greater knowledge and understanding.

A. But what is confidence?

B. So can confidence be easily cultivated?

C. Everyone is possible to encounter failure.

D. Being a talented person is quite necessary.

E. They learn to try different strategies and persevere.

F. Believing in your abilities to improve is the first step.

G. It also turns out that people with a growth mindset are better at dealing with challenges.

Dear Boris,

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}After I had spent a week with my English family, I slowly began to understand their English a little better. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}Students in my group are from different cities of Britain and their dialects are different too! Some of their accents are quite strong and they also have their own words and expressions. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Before I came to England I had thought that fish and chips were eaten every day. That's quite wrong! I get rather annoyed now when I hear all the foolish words about typical English food. I had expected to see "London fog". Do you remember our texts about it? We had no idea that most of this "thick fog" disappeared many years ago when people stopped using coal in their homes. But the idea to speak about weather was very helpful. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}On the other hand, habits are different. People tell me what is typical British here in London is not always typical in Wales or Scotland. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}But what is ordinary for all British is that they follow traditions(传统). Probably Britain has more living signs of its past than many other countries. And people have always been proud of having ancient (古老的) buildings in capitals, big cities and the countryside. I will tell you more about Britain in my other letters. Love from Britain.

A. The weather in London is really changeable.

B. I have difficulty in understanding my classmates.

C. Thanks for your nice letter.

D. The family I live with are friendly.

E. It's very different from what I learned at school.

F. Local habits and traditions are not the same as what we knew.

G. But it's not the language that's different and surprising.