Sixteen-year-old Karlos Dearmans’s future is looking much brighter than be might have imagined. “I’ve always been into bikes, but never thought I’d end up working with them,” he says. “This scheme has changed my life.”
Karlos is learning to refurbish(翻新) old bicycles in the workshop of ReCycle Bikes, a local community(社区) charity in Sheffied, which has a contract with the city council to provide training opportunities for young people aged 14 to 16, particularly those dropping out of school.
“It’s about engaging youngsters with education and you thtraining by teaching them work and life skills,” explains Des Pearce, workshop training manager. “These young people have so much potential, but often don’t realize it.”
Established in 2001, ReCycle Bikes repairs bicycles donated by the public, which, once restored, are sold for ￡20. Abandoned bikes supplied by the council ensure a steady flow of bikes, but a recently formed partnership with Sheffield University should improve further the prospects of the young mechanics.
“The student population presents a large and ready market,” says Pearce. “So we approached the university last year and offered to host bike sales on the campus. They thought it was a great idea, and agreed to supplement our council funding. This means we can train youngsters to repair extra 500 bikes over three years.”
Having set up ReCycle Bikes on his own, Pearce now has the staff and resources to track the career development of those who have passed through his workshop. “However, in the past we depended on the evidence of personal accounts from the schools because of lack of human and material resources,” he says.
That most of the teenagers enjoy the work is, according to Pearce, easily explained. “Most kids have ridden a bike and know how to oil a chain or mend a puncture. As low-cost transport, cycling gives the young and old a sense of freedom and independence, and the impact on their well-being is immense. Add to that a growing concern for the environment, and it’s no surprise that bike sales are on the increase.”
72．What do we know about ReCycle Bikes?
A．It is a popular brand of bikes which are sold in Sheffield．
B．It is a local community charity that provides training opportunities for reenagers．
C．It is a contract signed between a local community charity and the city council．
D．It is a training program offered by the city council to those excluded from school．
73．How did ReCycle Bikes run at the beginning?
A．By repairing bicycles donated by the public and selling them．
B．By donations from the public and Sheffield University．
C．By selling bicycles supplied by the city council．
D．By tuition fees from kids aged between 14 and 16．
74．ReCycle Bikes has formed a partnership with Sheffield University because ____________．
A．students at Sheffield University assure a large and ready market
B．Sheffield University offers many mechanical teachers to ReCycle Bikes
C．Sheffield University donates a lot of money to ReCycle Bikes
D．teenagers at ReCycle Bikes can study at Sheffield University
75．ReCycle Bikes depended on information from the schools in the past because .
A．the schools could give accurate information to improve its service
B．students disliked telling the truth when asked about their personal ideas
C．ReCycle Bikes didn’t have the ability to track students’ career development．
D．most of the training organizations did it this way at that moment
