Some people work their whole lives just to earn a living. But Sarah and Mark Thompson are different. They worked as nurses with
passion and found great joy in helping others. Now they are retired, but their passion for helping continues.
“We didn’t want to just sit at home doing nothing,” Sarah said. “We tried a few hobbies, but they didn’t feel meaningful enough.” Soon, they discovered the Riverside Community Centre’s “Reading Buddies” programme and wanted to get involved. “We were so lucky. They came to us and asked how they could help,” said Emily Chen, the programme coordinator at the centre. Emily said the children adored the retired nurses.
Emily started the programme at the Riverside Community Centre five years ago. The “Tiny Readers” programme, for children aged 2 to 4, takes place on Wednesdays, and the “Young Explorers” programme for children aged 5 to 7 takes place on Fridays.
The Thompsons said they don’t ask the children to sit still during story time. They understand that young children learn best through play. “I love being with kids. What I enjoy most is watching them use their imagination,” Sarah said. “For example, I asked them why they built a castle with blocks, and they told me the most wonderful stories. Their creativity is amazing.”
(
B
)1. In the Thompsons’ opinion, working as nurses was
.
A. boring B. enjoyable C. tiring D. stressful
(
A
)2. What does the underlined word “passion” in Paragraph 1 mean?
A. A very strong feeling of love. B. A very strong feeling of hate.
C. A very strong feeling of anger. D. A very strong feeling of sadness.
(
B
)3. What do we know about the “Tiny Readers” programme?
A. It is for children under two years old. B. It has been running for five years.
C. It takes place on Fridays. D. It was the Thompsons’ idea.
(
B
)4. What did Sarah enjoy most at the community centre?
A. Reading stories to children. B. Watching children use their imagination.
C. Answering children’s questions. D. Playing games with children.
(
B
)5. Which word best describes the Thompsons?
A. Strict. B. Caring. C. Funny. D. Quiet.
