疫情下的青少年天使

广东华中师范大学龙岗附属中学 鄢佳梅

Rioghna and Hannah Pittock spent the first few minutes feeling sorry for themselves．Rioghna，a junior at Rochester Mayo High School，had spring sports to play．Hannah，a senior at the University of Chicago，was going to have a spring break in Aruba．However，both were canceled because of COVID-19．But they soon recovered and now they are sitting at home，solving Rochester's problems in their way．Pointing to the computer screen，Hannah tells her sister，“She is a nurse and her child needs to be matched．”

The two sisters birthed their plan last Saturday on the drive home from picking up Hannah in Chicago．As more medical workers were sent to work，fighting against the fierce pandemic，the sisters knew many of their families would need childcare．At the same time，teens throughout Rochester were off school．So on Sunday，Hannah and Rioghna launched Step Up To Sit．Already they've paired more than 40 families with sitters．

“The young people in the community are stepping up to do their part，” Hannah says．“We are delighted that we're having an impact on people's lives in this hard time．”For the last four days，160 teens have registered to help，most willing to work free if paired with a family in need．With more and more teens joining in，the two sisters decide to launch Step Up To SHOP，a platform for teens to deliver groceries to seniors．

Rioghna acknowledges people of her age get a bad reputation as smartphone-addicted and selfish．The Pittock sisters are proving otherwise．“Amid the pandemic，people should be allowed to be upset and allowed to be a little bit down about the upset in their lives，but it's about something bigger and recognizing we all have our part to play here，” Rioghna says．

Reading Check

1.Why did the two sisters feel sorry for themselves?

A.They would join in activities separately.

B.They had to give up their planned activities.

C.They were infected with COVID-19 seriously.

D.Their parents were sent to battle COVID-19.

2.Step Up To Sit is a platform to _____.

A.pair medical worker families with sitters for children

B.call on teens to deliver groceries to seniors

C.spread basic health knowledge to people

D.instruct teens to study online at home

3.Which of the following best describes the two sisters?

A.Tolerant.

B.Humble.

C.Caring.

D.Stubborn.

4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A.Smartphone addiction makes teens selfish.

B.The Pittock sisters acted on a low profile.

C.People can do nothing against the pandemic.

D.There is some misunderstanding of teens.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

We are delighted that we're having an impact on people's lives in this hard time.

【信息提取】be delighted that...意为“很高兴……”。

【句式仿写】我很高兴你明天能来参加我们的聚会。

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