Volunteer Spotlight: Jane Birch
Meet Jane Birch: Having always been described as the “Merry-Little-Helper”, Jane simply loves doing things for other people. Through her passion for volunteering and dedication to serving the community, Jane has always been active in roles related to providing humanitarian relief. However, when some people are in dire need of help, sometimes the hardest part of the job is a matter of reaching them.
The massive earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, has been described as “the largest urban disaster in modern history”. It affected an estimated 3 million people and killed well over 100,000 people. One of the toughest challenges following the earthquake has been to provide shelter for the millions of families left homeless. The earthquake created more than 10 million cubic meters of debris that delayed efforts for reconstructing the devastated landscape.
Working with the Global Volunteer Vision (GVV) Haiti Program, Jane provides a base for long-term sustainable development in the areas of infrastructure and education. In the devastated aftermath of Haiti, her task is to work with community based organisations on ongoing efforts to protect the environment, and promote education for women and the local youth. She helps to coordinate aid agencies and ensures that people in need get the help they deserve.
Jane also leads and coordinates projects to construct furnished classrooms to enable children to return to school following the earthquake. She runs educational activities that support regular school curricula and provides training to teachers on pedagogy.
“It’s about team work,” says Jane. Coordinated aid has to be advocated for after any disaster. All humanitarian workers need to be organised and must work together to provide for the victims’ basic needs. “The most rewarding part of our work is that it brings you in contact with committed, interesting people from all over the world who wish to achieve the same goal. It allows you to share your time and talents with the community, and provides you with the opportunity to give back to society.” In the end, it all boils down to the people.
Q1. Jane Birch does all the following kinds of work except .
a. education
b. infrastructure reconstruction
c. environment protection
d. women’s rights
Ans: d. women's rights
Q2. For Jane Birch, what are the rewards of her work?
(a) It offers the chance to work with like-minded people.
(b) It enables you to step out of your comfort zone and see the world for real.
(c) It helps her find the meaning of life.
(d) It provides the chance of giving back to society.
Ans: (a), (d)
Q3. How can we understand the sentence ‘In the end, it all boils down to the people’?
a. Voluntary work is achieved by teamwork. It is the people that have done the work.
b. The core of voluntary work is to help people in need.
c. Whether the volunteers’ work is successful or not, it is the people that they intend to help who bear the result.
d. The most valuable part of voluntary work is the people one works with.
Ans: b. The core of voluntary work is to help people in need.
Q4. Which of the following words does not describe Jane Birch?
a. dissatisfied
b. dedicated
c. happy
d. passionate
Ans: a. dissatisfied
Q5. Which of the following statements about Haiti earthquake is correct?
a. There was more than one tough challenge that followed the earthquake.
b. More than 100,000 people were affected.
c. It is described as the severest disaster that has happened to a big city in human history.
d. The debris covered an area of 10,000,000 square metres.
Ans: c. It is described as the severest disaster that has happened to a big city in human history.
Q6. What is the most difficult part of humanitarian work?
a. what to do to help people in need
b. how to persuade people in need to accept help
c. how to find and reach people in need
d. how to collect necessary materials
Ans: c. how to find and reach people in need
Please help to check whether the answers are correct, thanks so much.
I agree with all your answers. Well done!
However, for Q3 my sister says the answer should be
d. The most valuable part of voluntary work is the people one works with.
What do you think?
I think that could be a valid answer, but I think what the article means, and what Jane Birch is saying is that BOTH the people one works with AND the people served are important. So I think yours is the best answer, since there is no option for both.
Since the AIM of voluntary work is to help others, I agree with Reed.
I got it, thanks so much !!
You're welcome!
I'm confused
HELLO...ITS ME, I WAS WONDERING IF AFTER ALL THESE YOU'D LIKE TO MEET TO GO OVER, EVERYTHING. HELLO FROM THE OTHER SIDE______!!!
Q1. Jane Birch does all the following kinds of work except: d. women's rights
To find the answer, we need to understand the types of work Jane Birch is involved in. According to the passage, Jane is working on long-term sustainable development in the areas of infrastructure and education, coordinating aid agencies, and helping with community-based organizations. There is no mention of her involvement in women's rights. Therefore, the correct answer is d. women's rights.
Q2. For Jane Birch, what are the rewards of her work: a. It offers the chance to work with like-minded people. d. It provides the chance of giving back to society.
To determine the rewards of Jane's work, we can refer to the passage. According to Jane, the most rewarding part of her work is that it brings her in contact with committed, interesting people from all over the world who wish to achieve the same goal. This implies that she has the chance to work with like-minded people. Additionally, Jane mentions that her work allows her to give back to society, which indicates that giving back is another reward for her. Therefore, the correct answers are a. It offers the chance to work with like-minded people and d. It provides the chance of giving back to society.
Q3. How can we understand the sentence ‘In the end, it all boils down to the people’: b. The core of voluntary work is to help people in need.
To understand this sentence, we need to analyze its meaning based on the context. In the passage, Jane emphasizes the importance of teamwork and coordinating aid to provide for the victims' basic needs. The sentence suggests that the ultimate focus of humanitarian work is helping people in need. Therefore, the correct answer is b. The core of voluntary work is to help people in need.
Q4. Which of the following words does not describe Jane Birch: a. dissatisfied
To find the answer, we can infer the characteristics of Jane Birch based on the information given in the passage. Jane is described as the "Merry-Little-Helper" and someone who loves doing things for other people. She is passionate about volunteering, dedicated to serving the community, and actively involved in various roles related to providing humanitarian relief. There is no indication of her being dissatisfied. Therefore, the correct answer is a. dissatisfied.
Q5. Which of the following statements about the Haiti earthquake is correct: c. It is described as the severest disaster that has happened to a big city in human history.
To determine the correct statement, we need to refer to the information provided in the passage. The passage states that the earthquake in Haiti is described as "the largest urban disaster in modern history." This implies that it is the severest disaster that has happened to a big city in human history. Therefore, the correct answer is c. It is described as the severest disaster that has happened to a big city in human history.
Q6. What is the most difficult part of humanitarian work: c. how to find and reach people in need
To find the correct answer, we can refer to the passage. It mentions that sometimes the hardest part of the job is a matter of reaching the people in need. This implies that finding and reaching people in need can be the most difficult part of humanitarian work. Therefore, the correct answer is c. how to find and reach people in need.
Overall, the provided answers are correct.