Helping People in Need
FoundationNotice those in need around you; give effort, give goods, give heart — anyone can be a little volunteer.
- Many people around us need help; watch with care.
- Ask before helping, and respect their feelings.
- Volunteering, donating and giving up a seat all help.
文體小知識：記敘文透過小小的義工故事，說明幫助有需要的人的方法和快樂。
§Text Passage
1Around us live many people in need: elderly people who move with difficulty, people with disabilities in wheelchairs, classmates whose families are struggling. Helping them need not be something grand — a smile, a seat offered, a word of care all count.
2Primary students can join suitable volunteer activities: perform and chat at elderly centres with parents, join flag-selling fundraising, and visit people who live alone in the holidays to help clean up. Even little children can bring warmth to others.
3Donating is another way to help: wash the books you have read and the toys you have outgrown but that are still whole, and give them to charities; when the school holds clothing and food drives, sort the wardrobe and the cupboard with Mum and Dad.
4Help sincerely and help properly: first ask whether the person wants help, and respect their feelings; those who receive help will pass the love on one day. In helping others, we harvest joy and friendship ourselves.
1Summary 重點摘要
Notice those in need around you; give effort, give goods, give heart — anyone can be a little volunteer.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A person who helps others willingly without pay.
A place offering activities and care for old people.
Selling small flags on the street to raise money for charities.
To give goods or money to people or organisations in need.
An organisation that helps people in need.
A wheeled chair for people who cannot walk easily.
To notice and look after others' needs.
Living by oneself without family at home.
A heart that cares for others.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Watch with careHelping begins with careful observation: first look closely at what the people around you need. On the bus, watch for passengers who are standing with difficulty, such as a mother holding a baby or an old gentleman with a cane; at school, notice whether a classmate has fallen or dropped his stationery. Some people think we should wait until someone asks for help, yet many people in need are too shy to speak. When our eyes are watchful, we can lend a hand at the very moment it is needed.
- Step 2: Ask before helpingAsking before you help shows respect for the other person. When a classmate's books scatter across the floor, ask whether he would like a hand, and tidy up together only after he agrees. Some people prefer to manage on their own; if we rush in without asking, they may feel awkward or even unhappy. Some think being warm-hearted means acting at once, but asking first expresses care while respecting feelings — that is the kind of help people truly welcome.
- Step 3: Join volunteer activitiesVolunteering turns the care in our hearts into real action. At Mid-Autumn, go with your parents to an elderly centre to sing and hand out mooncakes, or join flag-selling fundraising during the holidays — service that primary students can manage. Some classmates think they are too young to be of use, but elders love children's songs and smiles best. Through volunteering we learn to talk with elders and to work as a team, and we discover that even our small strength can bring others great joy.
- Step 4: Prepare donationsBefore giving things to people in need, take time to prepare them well. Choose items that are clean, whole and still in good condition, such as story books or toys; wipe them clean, pack them neatly into a box, and deliver them to the collection point. Some people think donating worn-out things they no longer want is kindness, but that only puts the receiver in a difficult position. Giving things in their best state is basic respect for those who receive, and it makes our kindness more valuable and meaningful.
- Step 5: Keep caringCaring for others is not a one-time job; it should continue over the months. Write a greeting card every month to the granny who lives alone next door, and smile and greet her when you meet; after a volunteer activity, remember to ask how the elders are getting on. Some people think that joining one activity ends their duty of care, but steady concern is like a warm stove in winter: it lets people know for certain that someone remembers them, and they feel secure and warm at heart.
- Step 6: Pass the love onOne person's strength is limited, but kindness that spreads can help far more people. Invite two good friends to join flag-selling together, for many hands make light work; share your volunteering stories at the class meeting so more classmates are eager to try. Some think helping others is a private matter, yet when everyone is willing to lend a hand, care spreads like ripples on water, circle after circle to faraway places, and the whole community grows warmer.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: the school is holding a food donation day for families in difficulty. Jane wants to donate food — how should she prepare?
- Choose unopened, in-date food such as tins, rice and noodles, and ask your parents to check the dates.
- Make sure the packaging is whole and undamaged, then wipe the tins and packets clean.
- Sort the food by type and pack it neatly into boxes so the volunteers can count it easily.
- Deliver the food to the school collection point at the set time, because late donations delay the distribution.
- Answer: Jane should donate in-date food with whole packaging, verify the dates with her family, sort it into boxes, and deliver it to the school collection point on time so it reaches needy families quickly.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What should we do for a mother holding a baby on the bus?
Q2What must be checked before donating food?
Q3What is flag-selling?
Q4What should come first before helping?
Q5Where can we join volunteer activities?
8Recap Recap
- Many people around us need help; watch with care.
- Ask before helping, and respect their feelings.
- Volunteering, donating and giving up a seat all help.
- Donate items that are whole and in date.
- Keep caring, and pass the love on.