5EmailEveryday life2 min
Weekend Volunteers Wanted
The neighbourhood library needs help on Saturdays and Sundays — and says exactly what it asks and what it offers.
A formal e-mail to residents. Formal Chinese likes 由于 (“owing to”) and 以及 (“as well as”). Read the requirements and the offer separately, then check the deadline at the end.
各位居民：
你们好！社区图书馆开放已经两年了。两年来，来借书、看书的居民越来越多，尤其是周末，很多家长带着孩子来参加读书会。由于在图书馆工作的人不多，我们现在希望找一些周末志愿者。
志愿者的主要工作包括：帮助读者找书，整理书架，给小朋友讲故事，以及帮忙组织每月一次的旧书交换。
我们对志愿者的要求并不高：十六岁以上，每个月至少能来两次，每次三个小时。有讲故事经验的，或者会一门外语的，我们尤其欢迎。
志愿者没有工资，但是我们会为每位志愿者安排培训，年底还会发一个证明。对学生来说，这也是一个认识社会的好机会。
有兴趣的居民，请在本月二十号以前回复这封邮件，写上名字、年龄和方便的时间。我们会在月底安排一次见面。
社区图书馆罗老师
各位居民：
你们好！来社区图书馆的人越来越多，周末很多家长带着孩子来。可是在图书馆工作的人不多，所以我们想找一些周末志愿者。
志愿者要帮助读者找书，整理书架，给小朋友讲故事。
你要十六岁以上，每个月来两次，每次三个小时。
志愿者没有工资，可是有培训，年底还会发一个证明。
有兴趣的话，请在本月二十号以前回复，写上名字、年龄和方便的时间。
社区图书馆罗老师
Click a word to look it up in this site’s vocabulary.
- Words
- 191
- Sentences
- 12
- Words per sentence
- 15.9
- in the vocabulary
- 100 %
- measured level
- 4
- Reading time
- 2 min
Grammar in this text
These forms appear in the text in real use. Switch on “Show grammar” above the text to highlight them.
由于在图书馆工作的人不多
由于: a formal “owing to”, at home in notices and official letters. Owing to: yóuyú →
对学生来说
对……来说: “for …, as far as … is concerned”. From the view of: duì … lái shuō →
以及 · 并不高
Written style: 以及 instead of 和 before the last item of a list, 并不 instead of 不. Spoken and written Chinese side by side →
The word lists for this text
The words in this text appear in 40 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.
Comprehension questions
5 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.
1. Why does the library need volunteers?
Read the first long paragraph to the end.
Look for 由于.
由于在图书馆工作的人不多
2. Which of these is one of the volunteers’ tasks?
Read the paragraph that lists the work.
Look for 包括.
给小朋友讲故事
3. How much time must a volunteer give?
Read the paragraph about the requirements.
Look for 至少.
每个月至少能来两次，每次三个小时
4. What do volunteers receive?
Read the paragraph that starts with 志愿者没有工资.
Look for 培训.
为每位志愿者安排培训，年底还会发一个证明
5. By when must people reply?
Read the last paragraph.
Look for 以前.
请在本月二十号以前回复这封邮件