Children's Day marked across China

 BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Welfare activities and projects initiated¹ for children swept across China on Friday, International Children's Day.

A "free lunch for poor pupils" online fund raising scheme led by domestic web search giant Baidu called for netizens to post "blessings²" on a forum³. With Baidu promising⁴ to donate one free lunch in the name of each poster, 360,202 of the messages were collected between 11 a.m. and noon on Friday.

It is estimated that Baidu will spend more than 1 million yuan (157,000 U.S. dollars) on the food.

A netizen named "Jiangjixia" posted, "I was ever a left-behind child, and I can understand them. I hope everyone can show a little love or care, even one penny matters."

The Ministry⁵ of Civil Affairs (MCA) also launched a campaign on Children's Day calling on the public to help homeless youngsters, and for charities and social organizations to pay more attention to the group.

A 12-month initiative launched last December by the MCA and seven other ministries⁶ including the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Public Security has so far helped more than 11,000 homeless children "find a home," according to MCA figures.

The "blue sky" plan, another MCA project for financing the construction of childhood welfare institutions, will be expanded to offer more services to needy⁸ children, promised MCA vice⁷ minister Dou Yupei when visiting orphans⁹ and disabled children at the Beijing Child Welfare House on Friday.

More than 400 children's welfare centers were built or renovated¹⁰ across China in the 2010-2015 period, realizing the target that each prefecture-level city has at least one such facility, Dou said.

The Chinese government has also kept exploring new ways to guarantee the happy, healthy growth of children affected¹¹ by earthquakes and other disasters.

In southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was devastated¹² by a massive quake that left more than 80,000 people dead or missing in 2008, 40 "children's friendly homes" have been built to provide services including education, medical care, entertainment and psychological support for more than 330,000 children.

The model has also been duplicated by Yushu, in northwest China's Qinghai Province, after many children were left homeless by a 7.1-magnitude quake in 2010.

By 2020, 90 percent of China's urban and rural communities will have a similar facility, according to a national outline for children's development.

1 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

2 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

9 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

10 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

12 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。