Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits

In today's busy society, it can be hard to think about finding time to volunteer. _____ , the benefits of volunteering are enormous（巨大的）, both to you and to the community. The right match can help you find friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills and even _____ your career. Volunteering can even help protect your mental and physical health.

One of the better-known benefits of volunteering is the ____ on the community. Unpaid volunteers are often the glue（胶水） that holds a community together. Volunteering allows you to ____ your community and make it a better place.

One of the best ______ to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to _____ to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, _____ if you are  new to an area. Volunteering also strengthens your ____ to the community and broadens your support network, ___ you to people with common interests, neighbourhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.

 ___ some people are naturally outgoing,others are _____ and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the _____ to practise and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with _____ interests. Once you have motivation, it's easier to branch out and  make more friends and contacts.

Volunteering can provide a healthy boost （激励）to your self-confidence, self-esteem and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community , which ______ a natural sense of accomplishment. Your ____ as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more ______ you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

 _____ the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key ____ in depression is social isolation（孤立）. Volunteering _____ you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, which ______ protects you against stress and depression when you' re going through challenging times.

   Helen Keller once wrote, “The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.” 【小题1】 The UN has set December 5 as International Volunteer Day to give recognition to these people.

Nineteen-year-old Andrew Makhoul was a communications major at the University of Pennsylvania. It was coming up to the spring break, but unlike his classmates, Makhoul wasn’t planning on spending the break relaxing.【小题2】

He traveled to Guatemala. He went to an orphanage (孤儿院) in one of the most violent and poor parts of Guatemala city. 【小题3】 Although he didn’t speak much Spanish, he found communication wasn’t a problem: “You communicated with love.” And what he gave out, he got back: “You could see love when you looked in their eyes.”

Makhoul’s first time as a volunteer only lasted a week, but by the end of that week, he knew he’d be back in the future.

【小题4】 The UN highlighted the case of Palestinian women who are survivors of breast cancer. As part of the UN’s Aid and Hope Programme for Patient Care, the women have been volunteering their time to create low-cost breast prostheses (假体) to be distributed to women for free, among whom Shahd El-Swerki is a brilliant example.【小题5】 By the end of her time there, she admired these women who are “not only survivors but also volunteers”.

About 2,400 years ago, Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “The essence (本质) of life is to serve others and do good.” Volunteers all around the world are making these words come true, each and every day.