Your money or your time?
A friend once invited me to spend a cold winter’s day picking up rubbish in a park. It was a community-service event organized by a charitable organization(慈善组织) she was involved with. I immediately told her I was not interested.
“It just makes no sense,” I explained. “Why would I spend three hours of my time picking up rubbish?” I argued that if the goal was neighborhood beautification, then I would rather donate three-hours’ worth of my labor income. The organization could then hire several people in need of a job. The rubbish gets picked up, we provide jobs, and I do not have to spend three hours in the cold. “Where can I make a donation?”
My friend sighed, said something in a low voice about it seeming like a good way to meet men, and then shuffled off to ask someone else.
When we feel inspired to do good, many of us choose to give time instead of money. Given how precious our time is– limited by demands of work, family and friends–setting some of it aside to clean parks or deliver meals seems like a valuable donation. But is this the most efficient way to give?
The economist in me is inclined to say no. As I explained to my friend, what my time is worth may be far more valuable to most charities than my actual labor. The money could go towards hiring people with limited employment opportunities, or to help cover more pressing needs facing the charity, such as rent or staff salaries. My hours of labor, on the other hand, serve the charity in only one way, and can only be provided by me.
Volunteer labor becomes more valuable if it involves a special skill. For example, if a talented doctor donates a few hours of his time to a free clinic, this may serve the charity better than a $1,000 donation. Unfortunately, I can think of few local charities that would benefit from the unique skills of an economist.
I recently explained this to a professional who regularly donates his time to a local soup kitchen. But he argued that “just throwing money at a cause” is potentially irresponsible and enables disengagement. Donating time may be a greater personal sacrifice, but it also gives him a stronger connection with the cause. He has created a bond not only with the other volunteers, but also with the people he feeds, and the result is an enriching sense of community. He also believes, as a member of the same minority group of many of the people he serves, that he provides them with a positive role model. He recognizes the value in the social interaction volunteering provides.
Of course charities benefit from both kinds of donations. They need some people to just hand over cash, but they also develop successfully by being an important part of the community. Whether it is better to give money or time depends on your goals as a donor. If the objective is simply to provide food for the hungry or to clean a park, then money is more valuable. However, if you hope to also engage with your community–not only with your peers, but also with less fortunate people whom you might not otherwise meet –no amount of money can make up for your time spent.
In the first 3 paragraphs, the author uses the case to .

A．describe a scene	B．lead in a topic
C．make a comparison	D．offer an argument

The author believes there are some efficient ways to donate EXCEPT.

A．picking up rubbish in the community

B．offering service in a free clinic as a doctor

C．donating money to deal with the charity rent

D．helping cover the needs of charity staff salaries

By “The economist in me is inclined to say no”(Paragraph 5), the author means that he          .

A．is willing to serve the charity

B．aims to say no to the economist

C．tends to reject giving time instead of money

D．is longing to share his efficient way to give with his friend

In the professional’s opinion (Paragraph 7), donating time is .

A．one-sided	B．debatable
C．meaningless	D．reasonable

Which of the following does the author finally agree with?

A．It is donors’ participation that really matters.

B．Cash or labor is determined by a donor’s aims.

C．Time is much more valuable than one’s actual labor.

D．It is not responsible for donors to just donate money to the charities.

科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等