Bushwick is a tough place to grow up. This part of Brooklyn, in New York City, has a lot of crimes. More than half of its 100,000 residents rely on aid from the government. Only 50% of students at Bushwick High School graduate in four years.
Some people might say, “We should help these poor kids who have so many challenges.” But Malaak Compton-Rock looks at the teens in Bushwick and says, “Go to help kids who have even bigger challenges than you do.” She believes that once young people see the power they have to make things better, they can handle their own problems more easily. So her service group, the Angel Rock Project, took 30 Bushwick kids to Soweto, in South Africa, to help poor families there. Soweto is a township outside the city of Johannesburg. The effort, called Journey for Change, aims to show that any kid can change the world.
“Kids in Bushwick face pressure to drop out of school or become involved in gangs and drugs.” Says Compton-Rock. “We want them to live a life of purpose and service.”
In Soweto, many parents have died of AIDS, a deadly disease. When that happens, a grandparent or a child must lead the family. The Bushwick volunteers helped such families. They tended vegetable gardens, cared for babies and bought groceries.
“The saddest thing was when we visited an orphanage (孤儿院) and I helped a little boy who had been abandoned because he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS,” says Queen Clyde, 12. “It‘s been good to be on this trip. But what’s also important is what we do when it’s finished. That’s what counts.” “I never appreciated what I had until I saw some people who had nothing,” says Sadara Lewis, 12. “It’s really changed my attitude. I want to make a difference.”
The trip was two weeks long. But the kids, aged 12 to 15, will spend all year speaking about their experience, fund-raising and more.
46. What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. Bushwick is the poorest place in New York City.
B. Bushwick still needs more care from the government.
C. It is children who suffer most in New York City.
D. Children in Bushwick are living in a bad situation.
47. In Compton-Rock’s opinion, the Bushwick kids _________.
A. have fewer challenges than those in any other district
B. are living much better a life than people in Africa
C. can learn to deal with their own problems by helping others
D. should be kept out of schools in this part of the city
48. Compared with Bushwick kids, some children in Soweto _________.
A. may have bigger challenges B. receive no care from the government
C. are much more independent D. are able to lead the family
49. According to the passage, “Journey for Change” can be best seen as the saying “_________”.
A. God helps those who help themselves B. saying and doing are two things
C. one stone kills two birds D. a friend in need is a friend indeed
50. From the passage we know that _________.
A. there are few students in Bushwick High School
B. the trip to Soweto will have a long influence in spite of its short time.
C. most children are suffering from AIDS in Soweto
D. kids with HIV will be abandoned in Soweto
