LESSON
3
Determine the author’s purpose
READING
GET READY
Frank is thinking about doing some volunteer work. He reads an online interview
about volunteering. Have you ever volunteered your time to help others?
READ
Listen and read the article. Who is Sedara Rosmund?
Ready to Volunteer
Each year, 60 million adults volunteer their time in
the U.S. These volunteers give over 8.1 billion hours
to important causes. Who are these volunteers?
Why do they do it? And how do they find the time?
We talked with Sedara Rosmund, a volunteer with
the children’s literacy organization
Ready to Read
,
about her experiences.
Sedara, tell us about the
Ready to Read
program.
Sure! We go to local elementary schools twice a week. Each volunteer works with one child.
The children choose a book at the school library, and we read together for 30 minutes. The kids
can choose to read aloud or just listen. We encourage them to ask questions and talk about the story.
It’s so interesting to hear what they have to say!
How did you get started?
I didn’t know anything about volunteering. I wasn’t even sure I had any skills that an organization
would value. Then a friend mentioned that he volunteers as a youth soccer coach. He told me how
much fun he has with the kids and how he meets lots of new people. I wanted to do that, too, but I
don’t play sports. Then I heard about
Ready to Read
. I spoke to other volunteers, and they convinced
me that I actually had a lot to offer the program.
What do you like about volunteer work?
Everything! The best thing is that I feel I’m really helping these kids. Giving the gift of reading to a
child is priceless. And it’s a great experience for me, too. It gives me self-confidence. When I was
interviewing for a job, the school principal wrote a letter of reference for me. The kind things she said
actually made me cry.
You have such a busy life. How do you find the time to volunteer?
You’re right. I’m so busy! It’s hard to juggle my family, my job, and my classes. But when I don’t
volunteer, I really miss it. My life doesn’t feel as full or meaningful. I think everyone should volunteer.
It doesn’t take much—just a few hours can really make a difference in someone’s life!
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UNIT 7
