The Red Cross is known for doing some of the most heroic acts in the world. There are Red Cross societies in 190 countries all over the world. Their task is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of sudden serious situations by organizing the power of volunteers and asking people to donate.
In 1860, Swiss businessman and social activist, Jean Henri Dunant, saw the effects of wars, and countries not prepared or able to deal with the suffering of those who had been injured in the Battle of Solferino during the Second War of Italian Independence. Dunant organized a group of volunteers to help bring water and food to the injured, to help with medical treatment, or to write letters to the families of those who were dying. After that moment, he knew that more had to be done, and he wrote the book, A Memory of Solferino, which encouraged the public to create an organization which would help the wounded. His writing encouraged more people to support him in creating the International Federation of the Red Cross. And in 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross was founded.
The modern-day Red Cross does more than nursing soldiers during wartime. The group began to spend most of its time on disaster relief and epidemic(流行病) treatment. It has achieved even greater service in humanitarian(人道主义的) programs that serve continuously in both peace and war.
One of the easiest ways you can help the Red Cross is to make sure you are able to donate blood and make an appointment at the Red Cross website. But, donating blood isn’t the only way you can help out — the Red Cross also encourages you to donate your time if you can, along with other things the modern-day Red Cross wants you to know.
【小题1】What does the underlined word “alleviate” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Lighten. | B．Report. | C．Express. | D．Find. |
| A．To make more people know the Red Cross. |
| B．To ask more people to help the wounded. |
| C．To let people see the effects of wars. |
| D．To call on people to stop wars. |
| A．To introduce the Red Cross website. |
| B．To explain the Red Cross’s future work. |
| C．To encourage people to offer help in the Red Cross. |
| D．To show how the Red Cross helps needy people. |
