1 When I was growing up, I saw both my parents volunteer countless hours to various causes over the years. Although it might seem like a wise practice to talk to children about the importance of volunteering, in my case my parents sent a very clear message by not talking about it. It went without saying: Of course a person would spend time and energy on important causes. No discussion necessary.

2 Volunteering our time, energy and money is the right thing to do — we all know that. Furthermore, studies show that this habit boosts happiness; those who work to further the causes they value tend to be happier and healthier, experience fewer aches and pains, and even live longer. They show fewer signs of physical and mental aging.

3 Giving back may seem like a stretch time-wise, but it enables us to grow in unexpected ways. We’re happier when we’re learning something new, teaching someone else, making something better, or fixing something. As William Butler Yeats observed, “Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing.”

4 Volunteering can be a terrific way to foster an atmosphere of growth You can organize meetings to support your neighborhood school. You can help out in a soup kitchen. You can give an overworked neighbor some free babysitting. By cultivating an atmosphere of growth, you charge your life with energy and happiness.

5 Also, volunteering allows us to build and strengthen relationships with others. Ancient philosophers and contemporary scientists agree: If there’s a single key to happiness, it’s strong bonds with other people. Generous acts strengthen our bonds with others, and what’s more, studies show that happiness is often boosted more by providing support to other people than by receiving it. I get more satisfaction out of thinking about the help that I’ve given to others than I do from thinking about how others have helped me (though gratitude is another key element to happiness), just as Mark Twain once said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”

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1. Although it might seem like a wise practice to talk to children about the importance of volunteering, in my case my parents sent a very clear message by not talking about it.

跟孩子谈一谈志愿服务的重要性看起来似乎是一个明智之举，可是就我而言，父母不言此事却传达了一个十分明确的信息。句中Although it might seem like...... 中的“it”是形式主语，真正的主语是to talk to children about the importance of volunteering。

2. It went without saying: Of course a person would spend time and energy on important causes.

不言而喻，人们理应把时间和精力投入到重要的事务之中。 此句可以理解为：It went without saying that of course a person would... 这里的It是形式主语，真正的主语是of course a person would......由于主语从句过长，为了避免头重脚轻，用it作形式主语，而把主语从句放在句末。

3. No discussion necessary.

无需多述。这是省略句，省略了谓语动词is，完整的句子是：No discussion is necessary.

4. ... those who work to further the causes they value tend to be happier and healthier, experience fewer aches and pains, and even live longer. …

致力于推动其所看重的事业的人们往往更幸福、更健康，他们遭受更少的疼痛和痛苦，甚至更长寿。此句主语是those，谓语是tend to be......, experience......, 以及live。those 后面的who work to further the causes they value是定语从句，修饰主语those，而该从句中they value又是修饰the causes的定语从句。

5. Giving back may seem like a stretch time-wise, but it enables us to grow in unexpected ways.

回报似乎是一件很费时的事儿，可是，它促使我们以意想不到的方式成长。句中stretch是名词，此处意为“过度的使用，滥用”。派生后缀-wise在现代英语中使用较多，往往通过连字符加缀在名词后，表示in the direction of......（朝…...方向）， in a...... manner（以…...方式），in the...... respect（在...…方面）等意思。例如：You must turn the key clockwise to unlock the door. 你要将钥匙向顺时针方向转动才能打开门。|She cut the cloth lengthwise. 她纵向把那块布剪开。|The trouble wasn’t all that serious, figure-wise. 从数字方面来看，问题没那么严重。

6. By cultivating an atmosphere of growth, you charge your life with energy and happiness.

通过营造成长的氛围，你给你的生活补充能量和幸福感。此处charge的意思是put electricity into an electrical device such as a battery，即“充电”，引申为“补充”。

7. I get more satisfaction out of thinking about the help that I’ve given to others than I do from thinking about how others have helped me.

比起想一想别人怎样帮助了我，想一想我帮了别人什么给了我更大的满足。句中out of thinking about......意为from thinking about......。