We’re giving blood at our school today. From time to time, the local hospitals need extra blood donations due to a high demand. This is one of those times.

The bloodmobile will arrive in the afternoon. A bloodmobile is a large vehicle. Inside the vehicle nurses or phlebotomists take blood from blood donors. The donors sit in chairs while their blood flows into plastic bags.

Not everyone will give blood. It’s voluntary. Volunteers choose to donate blood. Only students over the age of 18 can donate. Many teachers and staff will also choose to donate.

It’s important to find out what your blood type is when you give blood. Donated blood has to match the blood of the person who receives it. Blood is identified by the letters A, B, and O. Nurses test each person’s blood before it’s donated. They also need to look at your driver’s license or blood donor’s card.

The nurses want to make sure that we’re okay after we give blood, so they’ll tell us to stick around for ten to fifteen minutes after the blood is donated. We will get something to drink and something to eat. There’s usually orange juice and cookies.

It feels good to give blood. It feels good to help people who are in need. It only takes about an hour of your time, and it doesn’t really hurt at all.

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

Now you try it. Read the paragraph above. If you have a microphone, you can record your voice and compare it to my voice.

  How much do you remember from the reading? Fill in the blanks.

• 1A: Who takes your blood when it’s donated?
• 1B: A __________ takes it.
• 2A: Does everyone have to give blood when the bloodmobile arrives?
• 2B: No, it’s ____________.
• 3A: What’s the minimum age for giving blood?
• 3B: The minimum age is __________.

 (Answers: 1. nurse; 2. voluntary; 3. 18)

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