北师大版《英语》必修4 Unit 10 Money
Lesson 3 Your Money — When Less Is More
What can you do with 5 yuan? Not a lot, you may think. Well, if buying a bag of candies or cookies doesn't appeal to you, how about buying a tree instead? Yes, a tree along the banks of the Yellow River to be exact.
Every year, approximately 1.6 billion tons of soil flows into the Yellow River, China's second longest river. The soil contains materials to keep the natural balance of the area. Over time, a lot of soil has been removed, which has caused serious erosion of the land along the River. In some areas in ShanxiProvince, this has destroyed almost all the land, and has forced many local farmers to move to other areas.
It is a huge job to control Yellow River erosion. Many people believe this kind of work is best done by government or international organizations. You may agree with this point of view. If so, it is time for you to think again.
In fact, it is you who have the most important role to play in stopping Yellow River erosion. Did you know the importance of your 5 yuan? For a start, it can buy you a tree, which will help make soil stay on the land. On land with rich soil, local farmers can grow crops to make a living. With the money they earn from their crops, farmers buy goods or services. This helps to develop local economies.
Still puzzled how your 5 yuan can have so much effect? Well, just take a look at the fact below. Since 1997, a tree-planting programme has changed the JiuchengongValley in Inner Mongolia into a green homeland. Visitors from all over the world now come to admire this great achievement. What is more, the success of the programme has greatly improved the lives of the local people. Just think: all this started with 5 yuan!
So when you have 5 yuan in your pocket next time, think twice about how to use the money. Remember you can use it to buy a tree and create a green future for our motherland, our people and yourself.