A lot of people are experiencing hunger, so communities and organizations across the U. S. have put up community fridges in their city. The fridges offer free food to the neighborhood. Anyone can take or donate food.

The spread of COVID-19 has brought more attention to America’s hunger problem. It has also made it worse. Food shortage doubled because people lost their jobs, according to a study by Northwestern University. The loss of a job, high costs of living or not living near a store that has healthy, affordable food can all cause food shortage.

Now, there are more than 160 new community fridges in cities across the country. The fridges come with special challenges. They need electricity and looking after. Also, food safety rule should also be considered. Some experts feel the fridges cover up more important questions. Yet the community relationships they create can make a difference.

Mark Bucher, owner of a restaurant in Washington D. C, wanted to help make sure no child went hungry in his community. He created a program called Feed the Fridge. Restaurants make meals which go into 19 fridges around the city. In return, the restaurants get the money that is donated to the program. This is an example of mutual(相互的)aid. Delano Hunter, a partner of Bucher, said “The fridges are a way of providing meals, in a respectful way, to those who need them.”

However, community fridges cannot fix all the problems. Andy Fisher, an expert on food shortage, believes the problem is how the United States thinks about hunger. “People think it can be solved by handing out food,” Fisher said, “this ignores the problems that create hunger.”

Fridges are short-term solutions. I expect one day long-term solutions can be found. For now, the fridges bring life back into communities at least.

【小题1】What advantage do the community fridges bring?

A．They improve the food safety.

B．They lower the high cost of living.

C．They connect the people in the neighborhood.

D．They provide affordable food to the community.

【小题2】What’s the purpose-of Mark’s program?

A．To attract more people to donate the food.

B．To offer food in a respectful way to adults.

C．To help the restaurant to make more money.

D．To prevent kids in his community from hunger.

【小题3】What does the author think of the “community fridges” program?

A．It acts as a short-term solution to hunger.

B．It raises the living costs of the needy.

C．It removes hunger forever.

D．It brings no trouble now.

【小题4】What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Restaurants help American community a lot.

B．Various problems are caused by COVID-19.

C．Many American people are experiencing hunger.

D．Community fridges strengthen ties during COVID-19.