吕品
你有没有想过在你生日时给予别人礼物,而不是收取礼物?本文中的11岁主人公已经坚持给予他人礼物很多年了。是什么让他有了这种想法呢?
Have you ever thought about giving somethings to others instead of getting something for your birthday? Kyle Breeden, 11, has done that ever since he was six years old. Every November, Kyle invites his entire class to his birthday celebration. He asks each friend to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots.
Toys for Tots is a program giving toys to children whose parents cannot afford them. Kyle, who is a fifth grader, has donated more than 2,000 toys to the program. He plans to continue collecting toys for other kids for years to come.
During a recent interview, Kyle told me that his parents have always been involved in fund-raisers and charity events. When he was five, Kyle asked his parents how he could help, too. Like every kid, he was looking forward to his birthday, which falls right before Christmas. He wondered if he could donate his birthday toys, so his family helped him get involved in Toys for Tots. Of his charitable acts, Kyle said, “People are struggling. But I can help the community so that we can all have a magical life.”
John Minadakis, the owner of Jimmy's Famous Seafood in Baltimore, hosts an annual Toys for Tots celebration. Each year, Kyle attends the event to deliver his collected toys to the charity. “I have never seen someone give so much at such a young age,” Minadakis said of Kyle. “His charity and ability to put others before himself are traits (特性) that will take him far in life.”
Kyle hopes that through his example, other kids will be inspired to give back. “It feels good just to be nice. Even the smallest toy can make a kid's day,” he said.
Reading check
1. What does Kyle do on his birthday every year?
A. Celebrate his birthday at an organization office.
B. Ask his friends to give him presents.
C. Donate toys to a program.
D. Visit homeless children.
2. What's the purpose of Toys for Tots?
A. To design children's birthday celebrations.
B. To raise money for children's birthdays.
C. To collect interesting toys for exhibition.
D. To give toys to those children in need.
3. Which of the following words can best describe Kyle's parents?
A. Humorous. B. Generous. C. Determined. D. Confident.
4. What does Kyle try to express through his example?
A. Little acts matter a lot. B. Toys are important to children.
C. Youth is the best gift. D. Giving back requires time.
Langage Study
熟詞生义
Like every kid, he was looking forward to his birthday, which falls right before Christmas. 他的生日就在圣诞节前,和每个孩子一样,他非常期待自己的生日。
fall v. 发生