阅读理解

　　Being the head of a high school for many years, I grew tired of budget meetings, funding cuts, and many other administrative chores(杂务)．I started to dream of retirement．Sitting in traffic on a weekday morning, I would find my mind wandering．I would imagine spending time with my grandchildren, quiet evenings with my wife, traveling, or rediscovering some great books．I told myself that I wouldn't sign myself up for any committees, any classes, or anything requiring a schedule．

　　My first day of retirement came at last!I cooked a great breakfast for my wife and me, leisurely read the paper, cleaned a bit of the house, and wrote a few letters to friends．On the second day, I cooked breakfast, read the paper…On the third day, … This is retirement?I tried to tell myself that it was just the transition(过渡), that those golden moments were right round the corner, and that I would enjoy them soon enough．But something was missing．

　　A former colleague asked a favor．A group of students was going to Jamaica to work with children in the poorest neighborhoods．Would I interrupt my newfound “happiness” and return to the students, just this once?One trip．That's all．My bags were packed and by the door．

　　The trip was very inspiring．I was moved not only by the poverty I saw but also by the sense of responsibility of the young people on the trip．When I returned home, I offered to work one day a week with a local youth organization．The experience was so positive that I was soon volunteering nearly full-time, working with students across North America to assist them in their voluntary work．

　　Now, it seems, the tables have turned．Some days I am the teacher, other days I am the student．These young people have reawakened my commitment(责任感)to social justice issues by challenging me to learn more about the situation in the world today, where people are still poor and suffer because of greed, corruption and war．Most important, they have given me the opportunity to continue to participate in helping to find solutions．In return, I help them do their charitable projects overseas．I've gone from running one school to helping oversee the construction of schools in twenty-one countries!

阅读理解

　　Early people had very little effect on the environment．They lived in caves in very small groups．They collected or killed only enough for the clan’s survival．Early clans were nomadic, which means that they did not stay in one place．Instead, they moved around, following the animals that were their main food source and seeking areas where seasonal plants grew wild．Moving around seasonally helped to protect the environment．The land had time to recover and animals had time to breed(繁殖)before the clan returned for the next season．

　　As time went by, these small family clans joined with others to form larger groups for protection．Joining with other clans gave them more hunters and more women to help cut up the meat and share it between families．Eventually, people tamed(驯养)wild animals such as dogs and horses．People settled around rivers and fertile plains to share responsibilities and duties．Then, people began to plant crops instead of moving to areas where the plants grew．This development changed the environment．

　　Traditional forms of work also changed．Some people were hatter at performing a particular task than other clan members, so they began to specialize in things they were good at doing．This also meant that they began to exchange their goods for things that others produced．

　　People began to communicate with distant tribes．Land was cleared for roads．Foreign plants and animals were transported to places where they had not existed before．Specialization also gave people more free time．So art, dance and music became important ways of expressing feelings and thoughts．This was how many great civilizations started．

　　Compared to the past, modern civilization has experienced many changes to become the highly developed society that exists today．Populations have increased rapidly．Forests have been cleared for farms．Inventions and technology have made work easier．

　　However, pollution and other serious problems have also resulted from human progress．As concerned citizens, it is up to us to learn from past mistakes and to help maintain and improve our environment．

阅读理解

　　Early people had very little effect on the environment．They lived in caves in very small ‘clan’ groups．They collected or killed only enough for the clan’s survival．Early clans were nomadic, which means that they did not stay in one place．Instead, they moved around, following the animals that were their main food source and seeking areas where seasonal plants grew wild．Moving around seasonally helped to protect the environment．The land had time to recover and animals had time to breed(繁殖)before the clan returned for the next season．

　　As time went by, these small family clans joined with others to form larger groups for protection．Joining with other clans gave them more hunters and more women to help cut up the meat and share it between families．Eventually, people tamed(驯养)wild animals such as dogs and horses．People settled around rivers and fertile plains to share responsibilities and duties．Then, people began to plant crops instead of moving to areas where the plants grew．This development changed the environment．

　　Traditional forms of work also changed．Some people were batter at performing a particular task than other clan members, so they began to specialize in things they were good at doing．This also meant that they began to exchange their goods for things that others produced．

　　People began to communicate with distant tribes．Land was cleared for roads．Foreign plants and animals were transported to places where they had not existed before．Specialization also gave people more free time．So art, dance and music became important ways of expressing feelings and thoughts．This was how many great civilizations started．

　　Compared to the past, modern civilization has experienced many changes to become the highly developed society that exists today．Populations have increased rapidly．Forests have been cleared for farms．Inventions and technology have made work easier．

　　However, pollution and other serious problems have also resulted from human progress．As concerned citizens, it is up to us to learn from past mistakes and to help maintain and improve our environment．