英语六级考试快读阅读练习及答案（5）

　　Do Something

　　Youve probably heard the common refrain, Children are the leaders of tomorrow. One organization refutes that statement. They believe that children are, in fact, the leaders of today.

　　That organization is Do Something , a not-for-profit Internet company that works to inspire young people to get involved in their communities and in issues across the globe to make the world a better place for all of us.

　　Do Something wants to get young people passionate and involved in whatever cause drives them. Global warming? School violence? Teen smoking? Discrimination? Disaster preparedness? No matter what the cause, Do Something is working to inspire young people to take a stand and make a difference.

　　The Roots of Do Something

　　It all started in 1993. Childhood friends Andrew Shue and Michael Sanchez wondered: What if community service were as cool as sports and music? They imagined teams of young people tackling community problems the way they stand in line for concert tickets and dedicate themselves to school sports. Our democracy would be stronger, and the world would be a better place. So they set out to create an organization that would inspire young people to take charge of their world and become active for social change. While attending a conference as a speaker, Shue overheard President Bill Clinton say that young people should do something for their world. The words resonated with him and gave him the inspiration to make Do Something the organizations official name.

　　The goal of Do Something is to harness the power of the Internet to help young people change the world. The group wants to inspire, support, and celebrate young people who have an idea, a vision of a better world, and who get off their lazy bottoms and actually get to work to make their idea a reality. In short, they want to inspire young people to Do Something, challenge them to get involved. The organizations tagline, Whats Your Something? speaks to the belief that everyone has a cause; its just a matter of finding the drive to take action.

　　Five Guidelines for a Better World

　　Do Something espouses five guidelines to live by . These form the pillars of the organizations philosophy.

　　Kids lead. The organization is by young people, for young people. While adult participation is welcome, it is by no means required. Do Something encourages young people to see themselves not as the leaders of tomorrow, but as the leaders of today. On the Web site, theres a section specifically for interested adults who want to get involved. Its labeled Old People .

　　Kids decide. Do Something isnt just some organization where young people have a say; they have THE say. While another organization may be led by a seasoned activist in the 50s who is getting the next generation involved, Do Something is that generation and is massively involved and dedicated. Members like to say theyre pro-choice kid-choice, that is.

　　Measurable impact. Do Something is about results. Are you actually going out and making a difference? For some causes, results are easy to find. Youve changed a law, helped X number of kids to get off the streets, or built a computer lab in an impoverished area. But other causes are not so simple. What if your cause is the struggle against global warming? Do you have to sit around and wait for the global temperature to drop half a degree before you know if youve accomplished anything? Of course not-results can be measured in how many people youve spoken to or how many signatures youve collected. As long as theres some level of measurable impact, youre doing good work.

　　Free. As in no money required. No dues . No starter fees. Nothing. Social change is not something that should be limited in any way. Likewise, the organization has a no car needed rule. Anyone who wants to get involved should be able to do so regardless of his or her financial situation. If you have a ton of money to invest in a cause, fantastic. If not, no worries. You can still make a tremendous change in the world. All you need to bring is your enthusiasm and inspiration.

　　Web-based. Do Something is a not-for-profit Internet company. The soul of the organization is the Web site, located at . Here, young people from all over the world gather to exchange ideas and get things moving. If it cant be done online find a way to do it online. This is the Internet age, and Do Something is the Internet destination for social change in the world.

　　Taken together, these guidelines help Do Something ensure that the community action the group inspires is both empowering and accessible to the target demographic of young people.

　　The Web Site

　　The Web site, located at , is the one-stop shop for young people passionate about changing the world. Each section is its own cause kit with over 20 pages of information, including news articles, statistics, fundraising ideas, and more. Each month, different causes are featured prominently on the Web site with PSAs and front-page exposure. But Do Something uses its Web site for more than just posting information. It wants to get young people involved.

　　First and foremost are the forums-message boards dedicated to specific issues such as global poverty, teen homelessness, and drug abuse. These forums are places where informed and interested young people trade stories and ideas and receive inspiration and information. The truth is, some of these issues are so massive it can be hard to wrap your head around them. Did you know that more than one billion people in the world live on less than $1 a day? And a cup of coffee at Starbucks costs $2. How do you even begin to get a handle on that type of disparity? You may not know the answer, but its a good bet that people have some great ideas waiting for you in the Do Something forums.

　　An important aspect of the Web site is its ability to match up volunteers with the organizations that need them. The site breaks down the issues into a series of causes. Find a cause you like, drill down into that section, and youll often find links to organizations that are looking for people like you to donate their time and energy. Or you can simply browse through a list of current projects to find something happening right now that you can get involved in. And if Do Something doesnt have the information you seek, odds are itll point you to the people who do.

　　Do Something Clubs

　　Do Something Clubs are groups of young people who have joined together to work toward changing the world. They grew out of countless e-mails Do Something received from kids all over the country who complained that the local community service clubs in their areas and at their schools werent cutting it. They were boring. They were filled with red tape . They didnt do anything.

　　The Do Something Clubs will never be accused of not doing anything. Anyone who wants to can start one at his or her school for free. Just get a group of five or more young people together , plan to tackle at least two long-term projects over the course of the school year, and let Do Something know what the club has accomplished and what measurable impact it has had on the community. There are no fees, dues, deadlines, uniforms, or anything else. The clubs belong to the people who create them, not to Do Something. But Do Something helps out the clubs with ideas, simple supplies, and other support. Clubs are also eligible for $500 grants to help fund the cause.

　　Do Something Clubs have done all sorts of amazing things. A club in Boston held a Kick Butts day to help motivate teens to do something about teen smoking. A club in Kansas held a toy drive for underserved children in their area. In New Jersey, a Do Something Club held a canned food drive over Thanksgiving. There are clubs all over the country, helping people and making an impact.

　　1. What is the ultimate goal of the non-profitable company Do Something?

　　A) To make the world a better place to live in.

　　B) To get children invoved in global warming.

　　C) To cultivate children as leaders of tomorrow.

　　D) To inspire children to cope with discrimination.

　　2. What is the strong belief of Do Something?

　　A) Young children will take charge of social changes.

　　B) The stronger democracy will make the world better.

　　C) Community service ca be as cool as sports and music.

　　D) Every child should be encouraged to carry out his idea.

　　3. If adults want to participate in Do Something, they are ________.

　　A) not welcome at all

　　B) welcome and required

　　C) by no means required

　　D) welcome, but not required

　　4. Who has the right to make final decisions in the organization Do Something?

　　A) Kids only.

　　B) Old people.

　　C) Kids and adults.

　　D) Experienced activists.

　　5. Do Something lays special emphasis on measurable impact to see ________.

　　A) how many people you ve spoken to

　　B) how much you devote to the society

　　C) how much work you have already done

　　D) how many wignatures you have collected

　　6. Five guidelines are helpful for Do Something because it ensures that ________.

　　A) every young people makes a tremendous change in the world

　　B) those who have better financial situation join the organization

　　C) young people from all over the world gather to exchange ideas

　　D) young people are entitled to participate in community activities

　　7. The Do Something web site not only provides relevant information, but also motivates children to get involved mainly by ________.

　　A) organizing online activities

　　B) offering the message boards

　　C) exchanging stories and ideas

　　D) providing PSAs and front page

　　8. Through the links of Do Something web site, one is always likely to find the desired organization to contribute his _______________.

　　9. The Clubs were organized after Do Something learned children s complaints about other dull and inactive clubs through _________________.

　　10. Any child can set up a club and he just needs to plan some projects and inform Do Something of the club s ________________.